Postpartum, Breastfeeding and Bottle Feeding Therapy in Naperville

Postpartum Support and Infant Feeding Therapy in Dupage County and Surrounding areas

Supporting mothers in their journey to positive, pain-free, mealtime experiences

Creating Positive Pain Free Mealtime Experiences

Whether you're breastfeeding, bottle feeding, or combining both, we offer expert guidance and resources to support your journey. Explore insights on maternal health, ergonomics, sensory regulation, and optimal feeding positions tailored to every caregiver’s needs. Our goal is to empower you with the knowledge and confidence to create a pain-free, connected, and successful feeding experience—for you and your baby.

At Aurora Pediatric Therapy & Integrative Health, our Speech-Language Pathology (SLP), Occupational Therapy (OT), Physical Therapy (PT), and Mental Health teams are deeply committed to supporting caregiving units through every stage of the feeding journey. Whether you're breastfeeding, bottle feeding, or transitioning to table foods, we approach feeding challenges with a holistic lens—recognizing that mealtime unfolds within the context of a nurturing caregiving system.

We specialize in assessing and treating:

  • Difficulties with breast and/or bottle feeding

  • Challenges transitioning from bottle to solids

  • Feeding disorders in children beyond toddlerhood

Our goal is to enhance positive mealtime experiences by aligning therapeutic goals with your child’s developmental needs and your caregiving unit’s values. Our therapists draw from a rich blend of multidisciplinary collaboration, mindfulness practices, sensory integration, neurodevelopmental treatment, and foundational models of speech-language pathology, occupational therapy and physical therapy to evaluate and provide treatment for skills necessary to support efficient and effective bottle and breastfeeding.

Infant feeding Red flags

  • Nipple pain that lasts longer than 10 days

  • Excessive spit up

  • Crying, arching and head thrashing while latching

  • Not opening mouth wide enough to latch pain free

  • Reduced ability to quickly and easily establish smooth coordinated suck

  • Coughing or choking while feeding

  • Coughing or choking after feeding

  • The sense that your baby isn’t getting enough to eat before they fall asleep

  • Color change around the lips while the baby is eating

  • Increased time for feeding

  • Reduced or subtle cues baby is hungry

  • Reduced or subtle cues baby is full after feeding

  • Reduced endurance for feeding (i.e. baby falls asleep in the middle of feeding or before its your impression that they are full)

Postpartum, Breastfeeding, and Bottle Feeding Support Team

Available Magazines

Maternal mental health is vital for both mother and child. New mothers' mental well-being affects their bonding, care, and breastfeeding abilities. Breastfeeding benefits mothers too, as it releases hormones that lower stress and enhance connection with their infants. However, challenges like anxiety, depression, and fatigue can impede breastfeeding. Supporting maternal mental health through programs equips mothers with coping strategies, promoting successful breastfeeding and better health outcomes for both. Prioritizing maternal mental health and breastfeeding fosters an environment that nurtures mothers and their children. Investing in mothers' health benefits families and communities.

Maternal Mental Health Magazine

Explore the significance of maternal ergonomics and baby positioning for comfort and health. Your well-being affects your child's development in those early months. Maternal ergonomics optimizes posture and environment to reduce discomfort and enhance daily activities, helping prevent back pain and fatigue. Utilizing ergonomic chairs, carriers, and changing tables allows for comfortable movement.

Baby positioning is equally vital; proper techniques during feeding, carrying, and sleeping support your baby's development, reducing issues like reflux and colic. Learning correct holding practices fosters healthy growth and bonding.

Mother and Baby Positioning Magzine

Introducing sensory supports tailored for mothers of newborns. Navigating the early days of motherhood can be overwhelming, and sensory supports can play a vital role in creating a calm and nurturing environment for both mother and baby.

Empower your parenting journey with sensory supports that foster a harmonious connection between you and your newborn, ensuring a nurturing start in these vital early months. Embrace the journey with confidence, knowing you have the right tools to support your body’s unique needs as you support your baby's growth and development.

Sensory Supports for Mothers of Newborns Magazine

Introducing our range of sensory supports designed specifically for newborns to enhance the feeding experience. These carefully crafted suggestions are aimed at promoting comfort, relaxation, and sensory engagement during feeding times, ensuring a nurturing environment for both the baby and caregiver. Our sensory supports can reduce newborn stress and anxiety around the work of eating and can improve focus, allowing newborns to feed more effectively.

By integrating these sensory support suggestions into your feeding routine, you not only promote better feeding habits but also foster bonding moments between caregiver and infant. Research shows that a positive feeding experience can impact early brain development, setting the foundation for future learning and emotional health.

Sensory Supports for Newborn Baby Magazine

Special Thanks to our Magazine Developers

  • Dr. Laura Sambrookes- McQuade, CCC-SLP

    Feeding Interventionist & Speech Language Pathologist

    As a masters student at Northwestern University, Dr. McQuade had the privilege of being taught by swallowing disorders (dysphagia) expert Jeri Logemann, PhD. Utilizing principles of neurology, anatomy, physiology and neurodevelopmental treatment techniques, Dr. Laura brings a unique lens to her feeding evaluations and treatment recommendations helping newborns and mothers achieve positive, pain free mealtime experiences.

  • Dr. Kati Waalk, OTR/L

    Occupational Therapist

    Kati completed her Doctorate of Occupational Therapy at Midwestern University (Downers Grove) in 2025. She has created a program to enhance the mealtime experience for breastfeeding mothers and their newborns. Her career reflects a strong commitment to helping children and families, and she has recently focused on assisting mothers and infants during their breastfeeding journey.

    This capstone project seeks to collect real-life experiences from mothers regarding their breastfeeding journeys. The insights gained will aid Occupational Therapists and Speech Language-Pathologists in providing effective support within this area. By recognizing the challenges and successes of mothers, we can design a program that effectively addresses the varied needs of mothers.

  • Dr. Divya Sood, OTR/L

    Faculty & Capstone Supervisor, Midwestern University

    BIO

    Dr. Divya Sood recieved her Bachelor of Occupational Therapy degree from Manipal University in India. She received her Post Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree from Washington University, School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO. Dr. Sood has been an occupational therapist for almost 20 years, and she has experience working as an occupational therapist both in India and USA. Her clinical and research work focuses on promoting participation of children with disabilities within home, school and community environments. Dr. Sood has over fifteen years of experience as an Occupational Therapy Educator. She began her teaching career at Midwestern University in 2019 and is a tenured Professor in the Program of Occupational Therapy.

Learn more about Occupational Therapy at Midwestern University

Special thanks to our Content Experts and Product Review Team

  • Erin May-Latawiec

    MOTHER & BREASTFEEDING ADVOCATE

    Learn more about Erin

  • Angelica Duque

    MOTHER & BREASTFEEDING ADVOCATE

    Angelica is an intuitive medium, herbal and cacao facilitator, and shamanic apprentice. She is passionate about supporting postpartum mothers through natural herbal remedies, offering gentle, plant-based support for concerns such as blocked ducts, lactation challenges, and overall maternal wellbeing.

    Learn more about Angelica

  • Brittany Roback, LCPC, CADC

    MOTHER, BREASTFEEDING ADVOCATE, MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST

    Learn more about Brittany

  • Jessica Devries

    MOTHER & BREASTFEEDING ADVOCATE

    Learn more about Jessica

  • Dr. Manali Amin

    Otolaryngologist (ENT)

    Founder DuPage Children’s ENT & Allergy

    Learn more about Dr. Amin