November 21-23, 2019 – Orlando, FL – American Speech Language Hearing Association

Seminars & Events

November 21-23, 2019 – Orlando, FL – American Speech Language Hearing Association

Apr 22

“My kid is never truly hungry” - as a parent, do you ever feel that way?❤️
picky eating / feeding therapy / toddler behavior / appetite / low appetite kids

✨I want you to hear this first:
You’re not doing anything wrong.
Some kids truly don’t feel hunger the way we expect.

But here’s what I’ve learned after 25+ years as a pediatric feeding therapist👇
There is almost always a reason behind low appetite.

Sometimes it’s environmental:
👉 grazing all day
👉 milk, snacks, pouches filling them up

And sometimes it’s physical:
👉 constipation
👉 reflux
👉 nutrient deficiencies
👉 medications

And often?
It’s a combination.

And here’s something I failed to mention in the slides above - ✨ One thing that plays a BIG role? Anxiety.

What questions do YOU have about appetite vs hunger and how important they are to becoming an adventurous eater (and overcoming picky eating too)? DROP THEM IN THE COMMENTS.

🥰Melanie

✨ Thank you for following me for weekly feeding guidance grounded in 25+ years of feeding therapy, helping parents and therapists help kids find joy in food. ...

39 11

mymunchbug_melaniepotock

View

Apr 21

Open

Hi baby and toddler parents, what’s your favorite brand of high chair, and why? How long do you use your highchair as a “feeding chair”??? ...

30 9

mymunchbug_melaniepotock

View

Apr 19

Open

If you’re a parent…Maybe you think raising an adventurous eater is about what you cook…
But it’s really about what’s consistently available. It has to keep showing up!
Picky eating / ARFID / feeding therapy

I get why this feels overwhelming.
You’re busy. You don’t have time to prep “perfect” meals all day. But let’s try to simplify it.

Here’s the shift:
👉 Exposure does not have to be complicated ❤️It just has to be consistent
🫑These sliced peppers?
They’re doing more than you think ✨
✔️ They build familiarity
✔️ They reduce pressure at meals
✔️ They make it easier to offer vegetables again & again

✨And that’s how kids learn to eat new foods.
❌Not from one perfect meal…But from hundreds of low-pressure exposures over time.

✨ Small, boring steps = BIG progress in feeding

👉 💬Tell me in the comments…
What’s one good you’re motivated to prep each week because you’re seeing it make a difference for your child?

❤️Melanie
✨ Thank you for following me for weekly feeding guidance grounded in 25+ years of feeding therapy, helping parents and therapists help kids find joy in food. ...

26 9

Follow Melanie on Instagram