Infant Feeding Clinic at Missouri Baptist Medical Center
- Sunday Closed
- Monday 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Tuesday 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Wednesday 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Thursday 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Friday 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Saturday Closed
Services provided
Whether your baby needs ongoing feeding assistance after leaving the hospital or you are experiencing new feeding issues once you return home, our experienced occupational therapists (OT) are here as a resource and support for you and your baby. Trained as neonatal therapists and certified as lactation specialists, our OT team provides the following services:
Why choose the Infant Feeding Clinic at Missouri Baptist Medical Center
Pregnancy and childbirth can be lifechanging for many new parents, and having a team you can trust to support you through your new normal is key. At Missouri Baptist’s Infant Feeding Clinic you can rely on our team to provide compassionate and research-backed care when your child is having trouble feeding. When you choose care at the Infant Feeding Clinic you can expect:
- A globally accredited team: Our occupational therapists have advanced infant development and feeding training, with certifications including International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), Certified Neonatal Therapist, Certified Lymphedema Therapist, and Small Baby Care Specialist.
Proven success: Therapeutic treatments offered by our team are shown to improve a baby’s ability to feed. Most babies show improvement after two visits and, on average, meet their feeding goals after four visits.
- Advanced specialized care: Provides evaluation and treatment for NICU and outpatient infants with diverse developmental and medical needs while fostering comfort, bonding, and healthy development through neonatal touch and massage.
- Evidence-based, integrated care: Combines occupational therapy, lactation, and neonatal expertise to support breastfeeding and bottle-feeding challenges. This range of research-based expertise means care is the most current therapies and tailored to your infant's unique needs.
- Whole-child, family-centered approach: Supports infant development, comfort, and connection while building feeding skills and caregiver confidence.
For more information on the Infant Feeding Clinic at Missouri Baptist Medical Center, call 314-996-3500.
Before your appointment
We've made it easy to schedule and prepare for your visit. Here's what you need to know:
- You will need an occupational therapy referral from your pediatrician for feeding difficulties
- Bring a valid ID and your insurance information
- Bring any information on your baby’s feeding history. For help recording your baby’s feeding history, please download and fill out our Infant Feeding Journal.
Signs your baby may need occupational therapy
If you answer yes to two or more of the below questions, speak to your pediatrician about an occupational therapy referral for feeding difficulties:
- Do you need to tell your baby when it is time to eat because they don't show hunger cues?
- Do you worry your baby is not eating enough?
- Is your baby slow to gain weight?
- Do you feel like you are forcing your baby to eat?
- Do you consistently spend over 30 minutes trying to feed your baby?
- Does your baby attempt to feed for less than 5 minutes?
- Is feeding painful at breast?
- Does your baby always seem fussy and/or hungry and/or uncomfortable during feeding?
For more information on the Infant Feeding Clinic at Missouri Baptist Medical Center, call 314-996-3500.
Patient resources
Breast feeding support group
Visit with other breastfeeding mothers and their babies in an in-person meeting designed to be relaxed and supportive. Ask questions and discuss various aspects of breastfeeding and lactation. Led by an international board-certified lactation consultant, these sessions will boost confidence, increase understanding of breast-feeding challenges and solutions, and lend on-going support to nursing mothers. Walk-ins welcome.
For the safety of all our little ones, moms are invited to attend the in-person groups with their infant up until baby begins crawling/walking. Our setup is geared towards mothers and younger infants, rather than mobile infants, and everyone’s safety is our top priority!
When:
Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.–noon*
Where:
St. Louis Children’s Hospital Specialty Care Center–West County
3rd Floor, Conference Room 3A
13001 N. Outer Forty
Town and Country, MO 63017
*When federal holidays are observed on a Thursday, this group will not meet.
Support groups for new moms
A morning just for you and baby! New mothers can relax with their babies in a comfortable and supportive environment during our Mom's MoBap Morning support group. Led by an experienced pre- and postnatal educator, this group meeting is designed to boost confidence, develop skills, and lend support to new moms as they journey through the early weeks of mothering. Topics such as normal newborn care (sleeping, feeding, etc.) and adjusting to life with new baby are presented as moms meet and mingle. Meetings are free. Walk-ins welcome.
For the safety of all our little ones, moms are invited to attend the in-person groups with their infant up until baby begins crawling/walking. Our setup is geared towards mothers and younger infants, rather than mobile infants, and everyone’s safety is our top priority!
When:
Tuesdays, 10:30–noon*
Where:
St. Louis Children’s Hospital Specialty Care Center–West County
3rd Floor, Conference Room 3A
13001 N. Outer Forty
Town and Country, MO 63017
*When federal holidays are observed on a Tuesday, this group will not meet.