Nurtured Feeding Approach™ Academy
When you understand feeding development, the next step becomes clearer.
Twenty-seven years of pediatric feeding practice, built into on-demand courses and clinical tools. Learn what is actually typical from first foods through chewing, textures and cups, so you know what a child can manage now and what comes next.
Feeding Should Not Feel This Hard
Parents ask
“Why is breastfeeding or bottle feeding so hard?”
“Why is my baby refusing the bottle or not taking the volumes they’re supposed to?”
“They’re gagging and I’m afraid they’ll choke.”
“Why can’t my child move past purées or progress to more textures?”
“Why have mealtimes become such a battle or source of fear?”
“Are they eating enough and growing well? Why are they dropping percentiles?”
Providers ask
“How do I help a family struggling with breast, bottle, solids, or feeding aversion?”
“How do I assess suck, swallow, breathe coordination and choose the right nipple or feeding system?”
“Why is this child stuck, and what skill should I target next?”
“How do I know if this is sensory, oral motor, medical, behavioral, or a combination?”
“How do I help a child progress from liquids and purées to chewing, textures, and family foods?”
“How do I know when feeding patterns, intake, growth, reflux, or discomfort are part of the problem?”
What We Help With
Infant Feeding
- Breast & Bottle Feeding
- Reflux & Allergens
- Coughing, Gulping & Clicking
- Tongue Ties & Oral Function
- Weight Gain, Intake & Growth
- Limited or Inconsistent Hunger Cues
- Feeding Aversion
- Prematurity, IUGR/SGA & Medically Complex Infants
- Feeding Tubes
Feeding Refusal & Aversion
- Bottle & Breast Refusal
- Feeding Refusal & Aversion
- Long, Stressful Feeds
- Not Meeting Growth or Volume Goals
- Limited Repertoire & Low Volume
- Fear or Distress Around Feeding
Solids, Textures & Mealtimes
- Transition to Solids
- Gagging, Chewing & Textures
- Picky Eating & Limited Foods
- Stressful Mealtimes
- Anxiety & Worry About Food
- Sensory Regulation
- ARFID
- Tube Feeding & Transition to Oral Eating
Two Paths. One Approach.
What Families and Clinicians Say
The Nurtured Feeding Approach™
Build skills. Protect trust. Support feeding development.
Start with the relationship
Feeding is reciprocal. Observe the child, the caregiver, the cues and the meal before changing what happens next. Trust and confidence grow when both child and caregiver feel understood.
Analyze the whole picture
Look beyond a single symptom. Feeding patterns, intake, growth, comfort, sensory needs, oral motor skills and the feeding relationship all help explain the why and guide the plan.
Match expectations to development
Feeding skills develop over time from breast and bottle feeding through solids, chewing, cups and family meals. Understanding what is developmentally realistic reduces fear and helps adults support the next skill at the right time.
Progress with trust and confidence
Use responsive feeding to build skills without pressure. The goal is not simply more bites or more volume. It is a child and caregiver who trust each other, feel confident at the table and build the foundation for happy, healthy eating.
Ann Marie Presberg-Martinez, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech & Language Pathologist · Pediatric Feeding Specialist · Mom of Five Boys
27+ years of pediatric feeding experience
NICU & hospital · Early Intervention · Private practice
Ann Marie brings clinical expertise and a compassionate, evidence based approach shaped by decades of clinical practice and her own experience as a mom of five boys. She empowers families and professionals with the understanding, tools, and confidence to uncover the why and what behind feeding challenges.
Founder
FirstSTAGES Feeding Specialists, LLC
Developer
Nurtured Feeding Approach™
Infant Feeding Success™
Toddler Feeding Success™
Creator
FirstSTAGES Proprietary Tools™
Age & Evidence Based Guide™
Feeding Calculator™
Feeding Tracker™
Tools for Your Toolkit™
Where would you like to start?
Every course here is built on the same approach.