Clementine Pediatrics, LLC

Hi, I am Miss Sara. I am a licensed Occupational Therapist and Lactation Counselor and mama of two. I graduated from Rockhurst University with my Master’s in Occupational Therapy and have since been working in Chicago for over a decade, specializing in treating the whole child through sensory integration, motor development, and feeding. My experience with becoming a mother led me down this path to specialize in feeding, sensory integration, and movement for babies and beyond. My first son struggled with sleep. After shifting through many specialists just to hear “he will grow out of it”, I felt alone and needed answers. I started to dive into the connections between feeding, sleep, regulation, and breathing. It opened my eyes to see the essential pieces that were missing for my child and so many families alike. Using my previous experiences as a pediatric occupational therapist and extensive specialized training, I gained the understanding of: Our body is all connected, from our tongue all the way to our toes. Feeding is not just an intuitive process and that it takes time for the dyad and/or family to learn about one another from the first hours of life to family mealtime after school. Early movement patterns can tell us so much about how the baby feels about their body and the world. Developmental milestones are built off of one another and going back to the foundation of movement is essential to support little ones social, emotional, and cognitive growth beyond infancy. Everything we do involves our sensory system and how focusing on our body and breath creates security to interact with the world. The importance and power of connecting our breath with our movement to cultivate change within ourselves. By creating body awareness, we provide the chance for children to take on emotional, social, and cognitive obstacles with more clarity and confidence. I believe that bodywork is essential for infants and children to feel comfortable and secure with movement and sensory stimulation in order to discover their world through movement, develop foundational feeding skills, and make emotional connections with others. I am trained in sensory integration, infant massage, reflex integration, neuromuscular development techniques, myofascial release, and musculoskeletal techniques. All these types of interventions help babies release tension that they developed in utero, during the birth, and in their initial interactions with the world. I help parents and babies find sensory strategies and movements that create a regulated space and connection for the baby to grow and learn. I apply these same strategies to to older children who are experiencing challenges processing the world around them, regulating their emotions, completing daily routines, enjoying movement and play, and interacting with others. I am passionate about treating the whole child by addressing the foundational skills required to support healthy development through play, engagement, and mind-body connections. I specialize in pediatric feeding including breast and bottle feeding, starting solids, and problem feeders. I am a Certified Lactation Counselor providing the breast/bottle feeding dyad lactation support while parent and baby try to navigate this novel and sometimes challenging experience. I am trained in pre and post frenectomy care, oral motor skills required for safe and efficient eating, sensory integration related to feeding, and social emotional techniques to support the families routines. I can't wait to meet you and your family!