Tube to Table

Welcome back to the Tube to Table Podcast. On this week’s episode, Reframing Refusal, Heidi and Jennifer are talking about how to reframe the experience you and your child have when they refuse to eat. We are so thankful for all of our listeners and have loved hearing how this podcast is helping therapists and families implement responsive feeding into their mealtimes! With the summer approaching, we are planning to take some time off to record some new episodes and will be back with Season 2 in a couple months! For today’s episode, your hosts will dive into what refusal looks like and how to handle it when it happens before, during, or after the intensive weaning process. Refusal is a natural and necessary part of development and how your child learns to have a happy and healthy relationship with food. What do you do when your child refuses to eat? Why does refusal happen and what does it mean? All of these questions will be answered in this week’s episode!  Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook!  

In this week’s episode of Tube to Table, Jennifer and Heidi are discussing the Thrive Parent’s Bill of Rights. You may have seen this in a recent blog post at Thrive, but during this episode Jennifer and Heidi will dive into more detail and walk through each crucial step in the Bill of Rights. This was created by the Thrive Tube Weaning Team for any feeding therapy, not just tube weaning, although it especially applies to children with feeding tubes. This is an important tool to help remind parents to listen to their intuition and guide them through what feeding therapy should look like. If something feels wrong, it is important to identify that feeling and address that with your therapist. The Thrive Bill of Rights is a good reminder for parents that your protective intuition is there for a reason, and if it feels wrong, it is worth exploring more. Jennifer and Heidi will break down the Bill of Rights and outline why it is so important for families to be a part of therapy and feel confident in their decisions.  Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook!  

On this week’s episode of Tube To Table, Jennifer is joined by Jamie Hinchey, a member of the Tube Weaning program at Thrive. Jennifer and Jamie are talking about the measurement trap and how families can easily get caught up in it. Many families get stuck measuring progress with numbers, graphs, charts, and logs, rather than looking at their child and focusing on the responsive mealtimes. This is one of the most common difficulties that we see while working with families after an intensive tube wean. Letting go of the numbers is deeply embedded in the entire process that parents go through while weaning their child from a feeding tube. It is so hard to let go of strict measuring, but it is also a crucial part in building a confident and competent eater. Jennifer and Jamie will discuss why it is important to shift towards more responsive strategies, and how to identify success without focusing on the numbers.  Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook!

Welcome back to another episode of the Tube to Table podcast! We are continuing our “Parent’s Perspective” series with Joe’s story. On this week’s episode, Heidi sat down with Maggie, Joe’s mom who participated in the Thrive Intensive Tube Weaning Program at their home in Nashville. Maggie and Heidi talk through Joe’s history including his medical complications that led to the feeding tube, past therapy approaches, and how they ended up at Thrive. You’ll also hear Maggie talk more about what she learned about herself and about Joe during the process, as well as some of her favorite memories of Joe learning to eat. Every child’s journey throughout the Thrive program is different and unique, but Maggie talks about how this process helped her learn to trust Joe and build the confidence that he could be a happy and healthy eater! Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook!

On this week’s episode of the Tube to Table podcast, Heidi and Jennifer are talking about the “where” of tube weaning. Where should tube weaning take place? What are the pros and cons to different weaning settings? They’ll answer all of your questions and talk through the important factors to consider when making a choice for your child’s tube wean.  At Thrive, we believe children should be weaned at home whenever possible, but that may not always be possible for some families. Different settings include hospitals, clinics, or through remote treatment. This can be an overwhelming decision for many families, but this is one of the most important factors to really look into. This week’s episode will go through all of the upsides and downsides of different settings to help families make the decision for themselves.  Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook!

Welcome back to another episode of Tube to Table! We are so excited to have another episode as part of our “Parent’s Perspective” series. This week we are joined by Jessica & Chris, whose daughter, Noelle, went through the Thrive Tube Weaning Program a few months ago. Jessica and Chris are sharing their story with Heidi, the clinical coordinator of the program and Noelle’s therapist during her wean! Throughout this episode, you’ll learn more about Noelle’s history, what feeding therapy looked like for the first 5 years, and how her parents found Thrive. Noelle’s parents share their perspective on the intensive program including their experience while traveling to Nashville, Noelle’s amazing progress, and what they learned throughout the process. They will also share advice they have for families of tube-fed children who are either just leaving the NICU, just received a feeding tube, or ready to wean!  Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook! 

Welcome back to another episode of Tube To Table! This week, Heidi and Jennifer are talking all about love and attachment. How do loving and attached relationships impact tube weaning or your child learning how to eat? If there was ever a time that we are all more aware of building these relationships, it is right now. Things can seem hard right now, but as we’re all having more video calls, calling our grandparents more, or reaching out to friends, it’s important to think about how attachment and relationships play a role in tube weaning. In previous episodes, we’ve talked a lot about building loving, trusting feeding relationships, but we have never talked about WHY that’s important. Feeding and attachment are so closely linked that it is impossible to separate out the parent/child relationship around food. When that is separated, there can be a negative long-term impact on the child. Jennifer and Heidi dive into why feeding and attachment are so important and how you can help build that attachment with your child to strengthen the feeding relationship.  Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook!

We hope everybody is well and staying close at home, keeping themselves and everyone in their community safe. In this week’s episode of Tube To Table, Heidi and Jennifer are back together to answer a question we have been receiving from many families. Is this a good time to move forward with a wean? In the past, we have talked about how high stress times can be a difficult time to wean, but now that we are looking at the long-term view and unknown of how long this “new normal” may last, it’s important to address the pros and cons. There may be multiple opportunities that this crisis lends towards children with feeding tubes and their journey towards oral eating. Throughout this episode, Jennifer and Heidi will break down the important pros and cons to consider when choosing to wean during a quarantine.  Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook!

At Thrive, we miss seeing our families in person, but we are so happy we have been able to reach out and see our families online! For many children and families, this can be a challenging time because therapy is on hold or transitioning to teletherapy. Therapists are struggling to reach out to children, parents have multiple tasks to take care of, and families are feeling overwhelmed. In this week’s episode of Tube To Table, Heidi is joined by Jamie, a member of the Tube Weaning team. Our team at Thrive wants to reframe many of the things that people are doing everyday. Many of the routines and activities you are already doing are likely therapeutic, whether it is official therapy or not. So what to do when your feeding therapy is on hold? It’s OKAY! Mealtimes are so much more than just building oral motor skills and working on strategies, mealtimes are about the togetherness and comfort. In this week’s episode, Heidi and Jamie will talk through how you can help your child throughout this time and why it’s important to give yourself a break!   Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook!  

We know that this past week hasn’t been easy for our families. We are thinking of you and sending a big virtual hug! It’s important to remember that what’s more important than what your kid is eating or how much they are taking by mouth is the comfort, security, and attachment they feel for you. There is a lot of evidence to show that your mental and emotional well-being are very important and can help make things easier, so hang in there! Although this might not be a time to dive into tube weaning, it could be a time to gather more information and map out a plan. At the Tube to Table podcast, we are going to continue to provide you with information and try to keep things as normal as possible for you and your family! In this week’s episode, Jennifer and Heidi are talking about learning to drink while weaning. This episode focuses on things to consider while weaning and learning to drink as well as some practical ways we see kids learn to drink!  Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook!  

In this week’s episode, Heidi is joined by Jamie Hinchey, a feeding therapist and member of the Thrive tube weaning team. Heidi and Jamie are discussing the importance of bringing calm to a situation, specifically around children. This could be moving houses, a new baby in the house, spring break, or a change in the weather. If you are listening to this in real-time, then there are many of you who are dealing with a sense of chaos or disruption in your house right now. We’re here to help. It can be hard to manage when different situations arise, big or small. As the adult, you have the right and ability to bring calm into the situation for your family. Today’s episode will dive into a few strategies that we find helpful for parents when things feel chaotic. Jamie and Heidi will discuss the importance of reducing expectations, bringing familiarity to the situation, and linking the old and the new. The Thrive team is also celebrating 10k downloads on the podcast! Thanks for listening!  Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook!  

On this week’s episode of the Tube to Table podcast, Jennifer and Heidi are talking about autonomy. What is it and why is it important in your child’s tube weaning journey? It is so important to allow your child to be autonomous and independent while building a healthy and happy relationship with food. This should be a priority over efficiency and skill development. We have received feedback from therapists and parents who are struggling to find this balance within therapy. Your hosts will elaborate more on what autonomy means, why it is important to prioritize, and how this helps children recover from any past traumatic food experience. So what does this look like in real life at the family table? Jennifer and Heidi will talk through how to build autonomy at mealtimes within your everyday routine, especially throughout the weaning process.  Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook!  

On this week’s episode, Jennifer and Heidi are talking about liquids and how they play a role while weaning your child from a feeding tube. As we all know, liquids are an essential part of our life, especially when we are sick  or not feeling our best. Think about when you are dehydrated and how that makes your body feel: typically tired, low energy, swollen, and just generally uncomfortable. Kids feel that way too, even small babies, but they are not able to communicate that as well. At Thrive, we work with your child’s medical team to determine hydration parameters prior to starting a wean. In this episode, Heidi and Jennifer will discuss what that conversation looks like and why it is so important.  Your hosts will also talk through 3 main reasons why introducing liquids can feel so hard during a wean or why your child isn’t showing as much interest in drinking.   Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook!

On this week’s episode, Heidi is joined by Brianna Brown, a feeding therapist and member of the Thrive Tube Weaning Team. To follow up with last week’s topic on anxiety, Brianna and Heidi are discussing how to move forward when there is an actual problem or crisis during a tube wean. Anxiety and the feeling of a crisis are common during tube weaning in all families with children of all ages. Although the problem may be different for each family, there are common strategies that we find very important. Brianna and Heidi will discuss why addressing your mindset is so important and how our therapists can help parents through that while weaning. There are many things to consider when working with families, but the 3 most important things are: building a team, focusing on communication, and sticking to the facts. Throughout this episode, Brianna and Heidi will break down these three strategies and how they relate to tube weaning.  Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook!

On this week’s episode of the Tube to Table podcast, Heidi is joined by Jamie, a feeding therapist and full-time member of the Thrive Tube Weaning Team. This week is Tube Feeding Awareness Week and we are so happy that this podcast has been able to reach families who have a child on a feeding tube, who are ready to wean, or who recently received a feeding tube. This week’s topic is all about worrying. Why do we as therapists need to worry about worrying? This topic will be helpful for all families who have or who have had a child with a feeding tube. Most parents would do just about anything for their children, and one of those things means trying to anticipate future problems to avoid any bumps in the road. While this can be helpful, there is a sneaky downside to this that is very subtle. Worrying and anxious thoughts can directly relate to mealtimes, feedings, and your child’s weaning journey. In this episode, Jamie and Heidi will talk about what this worrying looks like, what do we do when we encounter it, and what the plan should be to jump off the cycle.  Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook!

Welcome back for another episode of Tube to Table! This week we are talking about how to measure progress while weaning your child from their feeding tube. We have been hearing from various families that we work with that there is confusion over how progress is measured. This is also a common conversation we find ourselves having with healthcare teams when discussing a child’s progression throughout a tube wean. Last week, we talked about how to initiate the conversation with your medical team and the importance of providing them resources on tube weaning. This week, we are focusing on how to shift the focus from a “number” to the whole child when looking at measures of success. There is confusion when people look at factors that we consider parameters or boundaries, as the way to measure progress. This week’s episode will identify the four measures of progress that we focus on at Thrive and why they are important. Heidi and Jennifer will break down each factor to discuss what to look for and how to identify these measures of success.  Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook!

On this week’s episode of the Tube to Table podcast, we are talking about the difficulties families face while communicating with their medical team during their tube weaning journey. Jennifer and Heidi sat down with Dr. Katja Rowell, the co-author of Helping Your Child with Extreme Picky Eating as well as a wonderful responsive feeding resource. Katja shares her experience working in a family practice and how she became so interested in the development of feeding as well as the importance of a positive feeding relationship for children. Dr. Rowell dives into what her role is now, how she is continuing to help families, and the importance of working with your medical team. They will discuss how to measure “success” while looking at the whole child and the importance of advocating for your child at the doctor’s office. She will share evidence-based information on where the focus should be when bringing your child to the doctor, as well as what questions to ask to effectively communicate with your team.   Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook!

On this week’s episode of Tube to Table, we are talking about blenderized diets and how they help children who are on feeding tubes as well as those who are in the weaning process. To discuss this topic in detail, we sat down with Julie Bombacino, the founder of Real Food Blends (https://www.realfoodblends.com/).  Julie is telling her story of how she started the Real Food Blends company and her child’s tube feeding journey. Transitioning to a blenderized diet can be very scary for families, especially if they don’t know where to find the resources that will help educate them on this change. Julie discusses how her family transitioned to a blenderized diet, what benefits they immediately saw, and how they started the conversation with their medical team about this transition. Julie and Jennifer will also talk about how Real Food Blends started and what the research shows about the benefits of blenderized diets for the tube-fed population. They will talk about the importance of looking at the whole-child when making a transition to blenderized diets and how that helps the child’s overall health.   Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook!  

We are so excited for this week’s episode, which marks the start of our series “A Parent’s Perspective”. The Tube to Table podcast will be featuring parents and families who have gone through our Tube Weaning program and can share their experience! In this week’s episode, our feeding therapist, Jamie Hinchey, is interviewing Benji’s parents, Cory and Ivy from New York City. Benji is also here so you may hear him chiming in! Benji’s family participated in our intensive tube weaning program at their home in New York in May 2018. Benji’s parents are sharing a little bit about his history and where their feeding tube journey started. We will talk about how the feeding tube helped Benji in the first few months, when they knew it was time to work towards weaning him off the tube, and how they chose the Thrive Tube Weaning program. Jamie will also talk with Benji’s parents about what was helpful during the intensive portion, a few keys to success for their personal journey, and how follow up was a big part of Benji’s journey. You’ll also hear a few exciting things about where Benji is today and what he loves to eat!   Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook!  

Happy New Year! We are so happy to be back in 2020 with new episodes and exciting guests! In this week’s episode, your hosts Jennifer and Heidi, will discuss the difference between when children find comfort in eating vs. eating for compliance. It can be very difficult for families to identify if the success they are seeing is due to compliance. Your hosts break down the evidence behind the reasons why children eat and what strategies help build long-term success. Many families share that it can be easy to fall into compliance “mode” while feeding their child and the focus can easily be on “getting” them to eat rather than giving them space. In past episodes, we have talked about responsive feeding and what that looks like, but we rarely discuss what the other side looks like. How do you know if a child is eating for compliance? What cues should you look for? Your hosts will break down the different cues you may see, and some strategies to try instead to help your child build comfort around food. This episode will also cover what progress looks like, how to reframe the word progress for families, and how to transition from a compliant environment to a comfortable environment.  Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook! 

It’s the holiday season, which means a lot of talk about food! This can lead to more “food noise” around parents and their children. In this week’s episode, we are discussing our own food noise as parents and how our self-body image can directly impact our tube-fed kids. In today’s society, adults are often having conversations about the way we see ourselves, our bodies, and how we relate to food. What a lot of adults don’t realize, is that these conversations are typically overheard by our most vulnerable children and eaters. When there is negative talk that is “diet-focused” or culturally-focused rather than talk around self-regulation or pleasure, children can get very confused. This relates to all children, but specifically those who are tube-fed or who already have a complicated relationship with eating. At first, this may not seem like a big deal, but it has a subtle impact on how children learn to listen to their own body. Children who are tube fed are already trying to figure out their relationship with food and how to food can be trusted. Jennifer and Heidi are going to sort through the common pitfalls that we see in both parents and society related to negative food noise. They will also discuss strategies that you can do instead during this holiday season!  Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook!

That’s right, we are talking about all things poop in this week’s episode. This includes constipation, poop patterns while weaning, and everything else that comes into play when weaning your child off their feeding tube. This is an important topic to discuss because it can be a large factor during a wean if a child is feeling off. Heidi and Jennifer dive right into the poop talk and discuss what to consider so that your child is feeling good throughout their weaning journey and can continue to move forward. While participating in any weaning program, it is likely that when reducing tube delivered nutrition and hydration, your child may be at risk for constipation. This episode will break down how to have that conversation with your doctor prior to starting your wean. Throughout the Thrive Tube Weaning Program, we always work with your child’s physician during our evaluation, intensive treatment, and follow up.  Your hosts will talk about why it is so important to work with your medical team, how to start this conversation, and tips for being prepared prior to starting your wean!  Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook! 

It’s the start to the holiday season and although that brings joy, it also brings many other feelings! The holidays are a time that can bring back ALL of the feelings, good and bad. This topic can be a difficult one for many families since it involves digging deep into your emotions throughout all the phases of the tube weaning journey. This is such an important topic to discuss because often the experience of having a child who is tube-fed or weaning from a feeding tube can feel very isolating without the right support. In this week’s episode, Jennifer and Heidi will talk through what these feelings can look like, how to become aware of those feelings, and a few strategies to help manage those feelings. In future episodes, we will feature special guests who will focus more on specific strategies for coping through a stressful event. This episode breaks down the two important steps involved with feelings while weaning your child from the feeding tube. This involves first identifying the emotions and patterns involved with it, then creating a plan to move forward.  Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook!  

This week’s episode discusses a topic that can cause stress and anxiety for many families. The insurance battle. Where do you start? How do you start? What information do you need? Jennifer and Heidi will walk you through the important steps for starting the conversation with your insurance provider. Deciding to start a tube weaning program is a significant and life-changing event, but unfortunately many families run up against walls that cause them to stumble and give up while fighting for insurance coverage. Parents report that this battle is frustrating, time consuming, and extremely difficult to navigate. At the Thrive by Spectrum Pediatrics Tube Weaning program, there has been an evolution over the last 3 years where more families are able to get insurance companies to pay large portions of the program, if not all of the intensive wean. This is not an easy process though, and at Thrive, we are here to help you through it. In today’s episode, Heidi and Jennifer will break down each step of the process and what you will need to help build your case against insurance.  Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook! 

In this week’s episode, we are getting REAL about reflux. Why are we talking about reflux? It affects so many children throughout their feeding tube journey, whether they had reflux before the tube or after tube placement. It also impacts the decision for the timing of a wean, the process of weaning, and the transition to oral eating. Jennifer and Heidi are discussing what is known about reflux, what medical providers use to help diagnose and treat reflux, and how reflux is related to the tube weaning journey. Every child is so different and there is no medical guideline for reflux that would be the same for every child. Throughout our tube weaning program, we see many children who have all been diagnosed with reflux at some point in their life. It can be scary to start this conversation with your doctor, but Heidi and Jennifer will walk you through helpful tips to bring this conversation up with your team. There may be times throughout your child’s journey where you feel that your gut is telling you something doesn’t feel right. If that’s the case, start the conversation! This week’s episode breaks down different reasons for reflux, data from our tube weaning program at Thrive by Spectrum Pediatrics, and helpful tips to starting a conversation with your medical team.  Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook!

This week’s episode is talking about weight. Why is it such a stressful topic? How can you handle conversations about weight? What else should we be looking at? Throughout our tube weaning process, we receive so many questions about the role that weight plays in child receiving a tube, preparing to wean, or while weaning. Weight is a topic that causes stress for families of children with feeding tubes, children with general feeding difficulties, or children who have had a complicated medical history. In this week’s episode, Heidi and Jennifer are unraveling what we know about weight and its importance on feeding and growth from the medical literature, as well as from their clinical experience. This episode discusses how weight becomes the main focus when looking at a child’s wellness and what other wellness parameters are being looked over. Heidi and Jennifer also dive into growth charts and what they really mean, how to start conversations with your medical team about your child’s weight, and the importance of starting this conversation during your feeding journey.   Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook! 

Happy Halloween! It’s time for a celebration!! Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or even a birthday party. These are all exciting celebrations in families that are a time to be together as a family and enjoy each other’s company. For tube-fed children, it can be hard to remember that these days are special and are about so much more than just the food. These are days where you can celebrate your child! Even if your child might not be able to enjoy certain foods, or if food is a challenge, it doesn’t mean the fun is gone. Your hosts discuss the importance of celebrating birthdays as so much more than a “cake smash” party. Jennifer and Heidi break down WHY the holidays or birthday parties are so important to celebrate with tube-fed kids and some strategies for how to do this. This can seem like an overwhelming task for many families who feel discouraged in their journey, but we are here to tell you that it’s time to stop comparing yourself to other families, take control of the mindset, and find other ways to enjoy these special days with your child! They will also discuss a few tips and tricks for Halloween and how to build responsive feeding strategies into this fun celebration!  Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook! 

When you hear the words “oral motor therapy” what comes to mind? Has this been a recommendation for your child? When is it appropriate? This week’s episode of the Tube to Table podcast will answer all these questions and more. Your hosts, Jennifer and Heidi, will break down what oral motor therapy really is, when it is appropriate, and when it doesn’t make sense. For some children, strengthening and range of motion exercises may be necessary and helpful, but for many others, this type of therapy happens at the wrong time and in the wrong context. Heidi and Jennifer discuss the foundations that need to be built and focused on within a responsive way, prior to working on oral motor skills. It is so important to take a step back and look at your child’s relationship with food, their motivation for the skills they are learning, and the context where they are learning those skills. This episode will also look briefly at the Thrive by Spectrum Pediatrics Tube Weaning program’s outcome data for how oral motor skills develop throughout our program.  Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com/blogs) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook! 

Picture this: You’re starting a tube wean and you’re at the grocery store...what do you buy? On this week’s episode of the Tube to Table Podcast, Heidi and Jennifer are discussing a topic that is on every parent’s mind when starting to wean their child from the feeding tube. Making food choices while weaning can be very overwhelming for families. Parents are always asking for that “magic food” and although we wish we had that, it doesn’t exist. There is no one food that will help your child eat, but there are factors to consider when choosing certain foods. Helping parents with food choices during a wean can help eliminate some of the focus on the volume of food. It can feel complicated feeding a child who eats very little or who has never eaten before. We’re here to help! There are a few important factors to consider when shopping for food choices. These include ability for independence, consistency with food, texture/taste, and familiarity within the family. Heidi and Jennifer will also talk through some factors that should NOT be considered. You’ll hear a few of their favorite tips and tricks when they are helping families choose foods during a wean.  Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook!

We’re back for Season 2! Thank you so much for listening to Season 1 of the Tube To Table Podcast, we are so excited for you to hear our upcoming season! Your hosts, Jennifer and Heidi, are back and ready for a great season! This week, Jennifer and Heidi are discussing the tools and tricks of the trade. What does that mean exactly? They are answering all your common questions including, “What cup should I use?”, “When should I introduce spoons?”, and “Is there a magic food?!” When starting treatment or preparing for an intensive tube wean, parents often ask these questions in order to feel prepared for getting started. While these are all great questions, it is hard to pick just one tool or utensil, so this week your hosts will discuss the spoons, cups, forks, and other utensils that might be helpful for your little one! There are three specific factors to consider when choosing these tools: familiarity, novelty, and control. Since the tool you choose will depend on your child specifically, this week’s podcast will discuss guidelines for where to look and how to choose.   Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook! Please feel free to message us for our shownotes as well and we can email them to you!

In this week’s episode, Jennifer and Heidi are discussing the common traps in tube weaning and how people can easily get stuck on their journey from feeding tube to family table. As discussed in previous episodes, Jennifer and Heidi will use the pyramid infographic as a reference for building the foundations to become an oral eater. When time is spent in the foundational aspect of the tube weaning process, the final stages feel easier and have a better flow. This episode will work through each foundational step of the pyramid and at each stage, discuss what the common breakdowns are and where parents feel stuck. One of the most common breakdown happens when families try to do things out of order and skip over the foundational pieces. Often families may feel like they are ready or want to rush the process and what people don’t realize is that by “skipping” steps you are adding pressure and not allowing your child the time to build trust and understanding with food. Jennifer and Heidi walk through the 6 phases of the tube weaning process: First, Do No Harm, Rest and Play, Creating Responsive Mealtimes, Discover Internal Drives to Eat, Supporting Skill Development, and Thrive.   Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook! 

In this week’s episode, Jennifer is joined by Brianna Brown, a speech therapist and member of the Thrive Tube Weaning Team. Brianna works in the Spectrum Pediatrics clinic in Alexandria, VA, working in Early Intervention, as well as working with families in our tube weaning program. Brianna and Jennifer will dive into the topic of structure around mealtimes, and how you can use structure without added stress. They will discuss how to help kids that need more structure or support through the tube weaning process in a way that doesn’t interfere with responsive feeding. The internal drives for eating have been discussed in previous episodes, but what should you do when a child has a hard time being able to tune in to these abstract feelings? Structure can look different for every child, but it is important to continue to use a child-directed, responsive feeding approach when building in these strategies to your child’s mealtimes. Jennifer and Brianna will discuss all the different options for building in structure, including visual schedules, first/then boards, choices, and social stories. This episode will review all of these strategies in more detail and discuss how to implement these strategies in a way that will allow your child to feel safe and build a positive relationship with food.  Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook! 

On this week’s episode of Tube to Table, Jennifer and Heidi discuss how tricks and treats are used to encourage children to eat or make progress in therapy and why this is detrimental to their relationship with food. This can happen at a family mealtime as well as during structured feeding therapy. Throughout this episode, Jennifer and Heidi will talk through both situations and the length people and therapists will go to “get” their child to eat with tricks or how they use treats to encourage eating. “What does this therapy look like?” “How do I know if I’m “tricking” my child?” This episode will guide you through what behavioral therapy looks like, why it can erode your child’s relationship with food, and what you can do instead. There are basic fundamental reasons why behavioral strategies should not be used to help a child eat, especially those who are tube-fed. Heidi and Jennifer review how tube-fed kids are most susceptible to this therapy, and how they both came to the realization that every child should engage in responsive feeding, tube-fed or not.   Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com/blogs) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook! 

How fast should tube weaning really be? Is there a right speed? At Thrive, we hear from parents starting their journey, in the middle of weaning, or during follow up wondering about how fast to push their kid or how slow to go. Tube weaning often gets broken down into two simplified categories: Rapid weaning and the “wait and see” method. At Thrive, we are typically put into the rapid weaning category, but in this week’s episode, Jennifer and Heidi discuss how our therapists make clinical decisions while weaning.There is not one “fast” or “slow” lane, as it is extremely important to respond to the child and every child is different throughout their weaning journey. This episode reviews why it is crucial to acknowledge that children develop at different rates, learn skills at different times, and for some children weaning can happen fast, while others need to slow down. Jennifer and Heidi will review why sometimes a child may need to slow down or take a break while weaning, and while other times it is important to move faster. At Thrive, our philosophy is unique and we respond to each child individually by learning their cues and encouraging parents to do the same.  Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com/blogs) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook! 

This week’s episode is all about the safety parameters put in place during your child’s tube weaning journey and how we work together with your child’s medical team to establish boundaries to make sure your child is safe. In preparation for an intensive tube wean, the Thrive team collaborates with your child’s existing medical team to make sure there is a discussion tailored to each child’s needs to ensure safety during this time. As discussed in previous episodes, it is crucial to educate your child’s medical team with information on how children learn to eat, but then it is also necessary to get their feedback about what parameters a child needs in order to stay safe during a wean. Heidi and Jennifer talk more about what this dialogue looks like with your child’s medical team, and what categories we specifically focus on when establishing medical readiness and building safety parameters for your child. This dialogue starts as early as the evaluation and continues throughout intensive treatment and into follow-up. Jennifer and Heidi will also discuss more specific parameters, why it is important to have a physician on board, and how to help identify the parameters with your child’s medical team.   Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com/blogs) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook! 

Teaching a child how to eat when they aren’t experiencing hunger is like teaching that child to swim in a pool without water. What does this mean? In this week’s episode, Jennifer and Heidi are breaking down this analogy that we use in tube weaning to explain the importance behind the need for a context when learning to eat. We often hear that a child is not eating yet, and therefore not ready to learn how to eat because they don’t know how. This is a confusing topic for families to work through as they are thinking about starting their tube weaning journey. Imagine learning to swim, if you are standing on the dock and flapping your hands, you are not really swimming. If a child is sitting in a highchair with an empty spoon, they are not really learning to eat. As we have discussed in past episodes, hunger is NOT the magic bullet, but it is WHERE the learning needs to take place. Like the water in the pool, children must have the internal drive and reason in order to learn a new skill. Heidi and Jennifer will discuss two common misconceptions we hear about learning to eat, the difference between learning and relearning a skill, and why the context where you are learning a skill is crucial for development.   Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com/blogs) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook! 

Is there a moment in time that stands out for you during your tube weaning journey? This week’s Tube to Table episode focuses on the moments that matter! Whether you are working on building the foundations for eating, just starting your tube weaning journey, or already have an eater, there are moments that MEAN something! This episode focuses on all the moments that stand out for both therapists and families during their tube weaning journey. This week’s guest, Jamie Hinchey, is a feeding therapist and a full-time member of the Thrive Tube Weaning Program. Jamie and Heidi will discuss their own experiences early in their career that led them to the Thrive Tube Weaning Program. They will also talk through the lessons they’ve learned while working with families during this time, as well as some of the most exciting moments they have experienced during the weaning process. This week’s episode also features reflections from parents who have gone through the tube weaning journey with Thrive. We will talk through their responses to questions about their most difficult times, lessons they have learned, and the moment when they knew their child was an eater!   Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com/blogs) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook! 

What should a family mealtime look like? How can I create happy and healthy mealtimes for my child? This week’s episode of Tube to Table discusses the principals behind building a positive and happy mealtime environment for your child. These mealtime foundations are relevant for children with a feeding tube, children with a feeding aversion, or families who are looking to improve their family mealtimes. Responsive mealtimes are mealtimes that encourage togetherness between family members, facilitate self-regulation, and are known to set the stage for a life-long healthy relationship with food. The family table is an important place to pay attention to and make improvements because it has been shown that what happens at the table sets the stage for eating habits later in life. Jennifer and Heidi break down the 6 most important foundations to think about when creating a responsive mealtime environment for your family. They will also discuss various strategies to help you during mealtimes, as well as helpful resources to help families of children with all ages!    Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com/blogs) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook! 

In past episodes, we have talked about some of the foundations to our program, including hunger, signs of readiness, and what you can do while you wait to wean. This week’s episode focuses on the specific progression from feeding tube dependency to eating orally. Heidi and Jennifer will walk you through the five crucial steps that the Thrive by Spectrum Pediatrics Tube Weaning Program focuses on while working with families who are ready to start their journey to being tube-free. The five steps are: Do no Harm, Build Trust, Create Responsive Mealtimes, Discover the Internal Drive to Eat, and lastly, watch your child THRIVE and GROW. They will dive into each step specifically and discuss why it is important in your child’s tube weaning journey and what you can do to help your child no matter what stage they might be in right now. As children work their way through each step, you are helping them build a positive and strong foundation for a lifetime of happy and healthy eating.   Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com/blogs) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook! 

Wondering if your child is ready to wean from their feeding tube? How do you know? In this week’s episode of Tube To Table, we are discussing feeding tube readiness and what makes a child ready to transition from feeding tube to oral eating. There are many important factors to look at when making this important decision. Heidi and Jennifer talk through the series of readiness criteria that the Thrive Tube Weaning Program looks at.  At Thrive, we focus on medical readiness including weight gain and growth, safety readiness, developmental readiness, and family readiness. Jennifer and Heidi will discuss each of these criteria in more depth and review why it is so important to assess all these areas prior to moving forward. They also dive into a discussion about why waiting is NOT always the right thing to do and why although feeding tubes save lives, when they are no longer needed it is crucial to identify the criteria for readiness and move forward.    Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com/blogs) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook! 

In this week’s episode of the Tube To Table Podcast, Jennifer and Heidi sit down with Virginia Sole-Smith to discuss her child’s journey from feeding tube to family table. Virginia is a writer, contributing editor to Parents Magazine, and the author of The Eating Instinct: Food Culture, Body Image, and Guilt in America. Virginia is also the cohost of one of our favorite podcasts, The Comfort Food Podcast, and most importantly, a mom! Virginia has known both Jennifer and Heidi since her own feeding tube weaning experience with her daughter, Violet. In this episode, you will hear Virginia’s story about her daughter’s scary medical experience, why she needed a feeding tube, and how she worked with various professionals to eventually wean Violet off her feeding tube. We will talk through the things Virginia wish she knew, how her medical team played a role, and how a responsive feeding therapy approach eventually helped get her daughter off her feeding tube and become a happy and healthy eater!  Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com/blogs) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithsp on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook! 

In this week’s episode of Tube To Table, Jennifer and Heidi are giving our listeners a brief history of how the Thrive by Spectrum Pediatrics Tube Weaning Program started. They will discuss what brought them together as therapists and how their interest in feeding therapy and tube weaning first started. Jennifer shares how she found herself looking for more after working as an occupational therapist in feeding therapy for multiple years. For so long, therapy focused on skills including behavior, sensory, and oral motor, but a common observation was that the children she saw didn’t ever seem to enjoy food or mealtimes. After looking at the research behind what motivates children to eat, Jennifer worked to build a program that included hunger as well as responsive feeding techniques. This week’s episode breaks down why these two elements are crucial for building the foundation for a child’s healthy relationship with food while tube weaning.  Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com/blogs) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithsp on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook! 

What can you do while you’re getting ready to wean? Last week, we talked about what parents wish they knew when their child received their feeding tube. This week’s episode focuses on what you can do to help your child become a happy and healthy eater while they are still tube-dependent. We will talk through practical tips for parents to set their tube fed kids up for success for when the time comes to wean from the feeding tube.  Jennifer and Heidi discuss the importance of building a foundation for your child while they are tube-dependent to establish a positive relationship with food. Think about all the strategies, therapies, or changes that are happening during this time: are they hurting or helping your child’s relationship with food? This episode discusses why it is crucial to work through these steps prior to weaning. This includes building in rest, play, and taking a step back from anything that could be harming your child’s initiation and interest in food. Jennifer and Heidi will also provide our listeners with helpful strategies and tips you can implement immediately at home to help your child prepare for when it is time to wean.  Check out this episode’s show note page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com/blogs) for links to the resources we mentioned and more information on what we discussed in today’s episode! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithsp on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook! 

Welcome to Tube To Table: The podcast about helping tube fed kids become happy and healthy eaters. In episode 1, you’ll get to know your hosts, Jennifer Berry, occupational therapist and founder of the Thrive by Spectrum Pediatrics Tube Weaning Program and Heidi Moreland, speech-language pathologist and clinical coordinator of the Thrive Tube Weaning Program. In preparation for this episode, we spoke to multiple families of children we have helped wean from their feeding tube and asked them what they wish they had known prior to their child getting a feeding tube. In this episode, we specifically focus on children who have the goal of transitioning to oral eating and what parents wish they had known to help their child become a happy and healthy eater. We break down different feeding therapy approaches, importance of responsive feeding, and how self-regulation plays a role in all of this. We will also talk about the role your child’s medical team should play and how they can support you during this transition. Heidi and Jennifer discuss strategies that you can do now, while your child is fully tube-fed, to eventually help with the transition to weaning. Check out this episode’s show notes page (www.thrivewithspectrum.com/blog) for more resources and more information on what we discussed today! Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more helpful information @Thrivewithspectrum on Instagram, @Thrivewithsp on Twitter, and @Thrivewithspectrum on Facebook!