Exploring Life & Business with Maria Podolan of Whole Practice Feeding Therapy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Maria Podolan.

Hi Maria, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I have been an Occupational Therapist specializing in feeding therapy for over 15 years. I started specializing with complex infants and toddlers admitted to the hospital for feeding tubes, all the way to helping babies eat better in the NICU so that they could go home. I earned my lactation credentials over 10 years ago to better assist my families who were breastfeeding. When my oldest son was born in 2016, he had an unexpected NICU stay that was short however very traumatizing. After I returned to work, I had a hard time returning back the NICU right away therefore I transitioned to working with babies and toddlers on the outpatient setting. In this setting, I was able to work more closely with other specialized providers such as breastfeeding medicine and was able to specialize into working more closely on improving oral motor skills, navigating oral ties, and implementing more bodywork skills to help baby overall move better so that they could improve their feeding skills. I became more aware of specialists providing in home services, and it made so much sense to be able to provide these services especially to newly postpartum families, as well as families with siblings or busy schedules in the in home setting, where everyone is so much more comfortable and scheduling is more flexible.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Connections are Key!!! Building a network with providers and families has been huge in getting your name and business out there. Not having a business background, navigating running a business is a whole new ballgame. However learning along the way and especially from the network I have built has been so important.

As you know, we’re big fans of Whole Practice Feeding Therapy. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Whole Practice Feeding Therapy offers feeding therapy to infants and young toddlers who may be having difficulty at breast and/or bottle as well as difficulty with transitioning to table foods or having food refusal. We also offer techniques to assist with improving these skills including but limited to, craniosacral therapy.

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
My favorite childhood memories include road trips to Lake Erie and having a Beach Day!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.wholepracticefeedingtherapy.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wholepracticefeedingtherapy/