I am so happy we found each other!!
Kristin Baughman MA, OTR/L, SWC, CLC
I am a registered Occupational Therapist, certified in Advanced Practice in swallowing assessments, evaluations, and treatments. I am also a small business owner and proud mother of three wonderful girls.
My journey as a feeding specialist and Occupational Therapist started after earning my Masters of Occupational Therapy in 2005 from the University of Southern California. I have been working in pediatrics the entirety of my career, but it wasn’t until I had my own children that I realized my passion for helping infants and struggling mothers / families with feeding.
Like many new mothers, I found my own little one struggling at the breast and again in transitioning to the bottle when I needed to return to work. I had experience working in the NICU helping other young infants, but I quickly realized those experiences had not fully given me an appreciation for the emotional and physical toils of being a mother with a struggling baby.
Like so many mothers I work with today, I internalized my fears, felt alone, and that I simply wasn’t built for this. I yearned for information, access to help, and an empathetic supporter.
I found myself overwhelmed with the joy I had for such a blessing but also the realization that I was alone with this quest; I needed to know what to do and how to do it, while managing my own strong emotions. Like so many mothers I work with today, I internalized my fears, felt alone, and that I simply wasn’t built for this. I yearned for information, access to help, and an empathetic supporter.
As I learned with my own three children, my passions grew. I evolved my Occupational Therapist career to solely focus on feeding difficulties, whether it be breast and bottle difficulties, challenges with managing solids, general oral motor difficulties, or helping a picky eater.
Over the course of my career, I have learned that there is not enough information or support to help guide families along their feeding journeys. A foundational component of my approach, and the Happy Feeding OT’s philosophy, is to service families with an empathetic ear; to understand and connect with caregivers in addition to the child. I know how critical parents’ well being is to foster a healthy and happy relationship with their child.
I never want another mother to feel the way I did as much as I want to see happy and healthy children. I started Happy Feeding OT to provide a holistic approach to feeding, to help empower and equip parents with the tools and support necessary to navigate the challenges that feeding little ones can bring, so caregivers can feel the joy, blessings, and satisfaction as well.