Happy Hungry Hippos: Pediatric Feeding Clinic

Happy Hungry Hippos: Pediatric Feeding Clinic Happy Hungry Hippos: Pediatric Feeding Clinic bringing hope and healing to children who struggle to Pediatric Feeding Clinic
(1)

08/07/2026

'I was picky too and I turned out fine!'

I hear this from parents constantly. And I get it. 💙

But typical picky eating and severe food restriction are not the same thing.

If your child eats fewer than 20 foods, has anxiety around meals, or is losing weight — that's a red flag, not a phase.

🦛 Save this if your family history is making you second-guess your instincts and grab my free guide, the link is in the bio.

08/05/2026

Something happened after my session this morning that I had to share.

A 12-year-old boy finished his third session with me. When it ended, his mom walked over and gave me a hug. A real hug. And she said: "Everything has changed in our home."

After his evaluation, they went home and made one simple change: mealtime rules. No more grazing throughout the day. No more eating on the sofa or up in his room. Everyone sits together at dinner.

That's it. That was the rule.

And what happened? The family started laughing together. Talking together. Gathering in a way they hadn't before. And slowly, he started becoming more willing to try foods. Added a couple of new ones at home.

Today, he overcame a big fear and ate a peanut butter sandwich for the first time. He now has a new food to take to school.

One rule. Three sessions. Everything changed.

If mealtimes feel chaotic in your home right now, start there.

Structure creates safety. And safety is where progress begins.
Have you ever made one small change that shifted everything at the dinner table?

Tell me about it. 👇

If you're in the thick of mealtime battles, my free guide was made for you. Link in bio.

🦛 See you at the table.

08/04/2026

Ten years ago, I would have told parents to keep pushing. More exposure. More encouragement. More structure.

I wasn't wrong. But I wasn't seeing the whole picture.

What I know now: the pressure we put on mealtimes is doing more damage than the picky eating itself.

The watching. The bribing. The "just one more bite." The chart on the fridge. The special plate. The hiding vegetables in the sauce.

All of it, well-intentioned. And all of it building a child who associates food with stress.

What changes everything? Removing the pressure. Showing up at the table without an agenda. Letting them lead at their own pace.

Simple. Not easy. But it works.

What's one thing you wish you had known earlier about feeding your picky eater? 👇

Grab my free guide. 5 Mistakes Parents Make at Mealtimes, and What to Do Instead. Link in bio. 🦛

07/31/2026

'She's doing it for attention. She knows exactly what she's doing.'

This one stings — especially when it comes from someone you love. 💙

But here's the truth:

A child cannot manufacture a sensory gag response.
A child’s nervous system isn’t something they can switch on and off for attention.

What looks like manipulation at the table is a dysregulated nervous system doing exactly what it was built to do — protect itself from perceived threat.

Behavior is communication. Before assuming a child is being defiant or manipulative, ask: “What might their nervous system be telling us?”

That question can change everything.

🦛 Save this for the next time someone says your child is 'doing it on purpose.

07/30/2026

One of my favorite moments is sharing stories that help children see themselves.

Hugo’s Brave Bite isn’t just about reading a book—it’s about opening conversations, reducing fear, and helping children discover that trying something new can happen one small step at a time. 💙

Watching little faces light up as they meet Hugo reminds me why I wrote this story in the first place.

If Hugo helps even one child feel a little braver at the table, every page was worth writing.

📖 Hugo’s Brave Bite is available on Amazon.

Have you read Hugo’s Brave Bite with your child yet?

I’d love to know your favorite part—or which character your little one connected with most! 📖🦛💙

🦛 See you at the table.




07/28/2026

One of my favorite places to build food confidence isn’t the dinner table…

It’s the grocery store. 💙

Shopping with Finley takes a little longer—and we wouldn’t change a thing.

Every trip includes knocking on squash, smelling oranges and lemons, squeezing avocados, and carefully choosing the “just right” pepper.

It may look like play, but something important is happening.

Every touch, smell, and moment of curiosity helps children become more familiar with food—without the pressure to eat it.

Those small experiences help build confidence one grocery trip at a time.

What’s your child’s favorite thing to investigate at the grocery store? 🍎🥑 Smelling fruit? Choosing the biggest apple? Pushing the cart?

Tell us below! 👇

🦛 See you at the table.




07/24/2026

One gag and that food gets banned forever. 😬 Sound familiar?

Here's what that gag actually means: new sensory input. Not rejection.

For many kids with sensory-based feeding challenges, occasional gagging can be a normal protective response as they learn about new textures.

Gradual, pressure-free exposure is how tolerance builds.

🦛 Save this before you give up on a food after one try.

07/22/2026

One of my favorite places to build food confidence isn’t the dinner table…

It’s the kitchen. 💙

Baking with Finley means every cup gets leveled with a butter knife (her rule, not ours 😉), Mimi quietly helps with the vanilla, and yes…every batch requires at least one M&M “quality check” before it ever reaches the dough.

But here’s what I love most.

When children help measure, stir, smell, pour, and explore ingredients, they’re learning about food without the pressure to eat it.

Those little moments build familiarity, confidence, and curiosity—one recipe at a time.

🦛 See you at the table.




That wandering? That squirming? That refusal to sit still? It might not be behavior — it might be support. 🪑When little ...
07/21/2026

That wandering? That squirming? That refusal to sit still? It might not be behavior — it might be support. 🪑

When little bodies don't have a stable base, their core muscles are working overtime just to stay upright — leaving almost nothing left for the hard work of eating.

The fix is simpler than you think:
✅ Hips, knees, and ankles at 90°
✅ Feet flat and supported
✅ Same consistent spot at the table every meal

When the body feels supported, the mouth can finally focus on food.

🦛 See you at the table.

07/17/2026

Sit there until you eat it.

It's old-school. It feels firm. And it absolutely does not work for sensory-based picky eaters. 😔

Here's why:

Forced exposure without a sense of safety doesn't build tolerance — it builds anxiety and dread around mealtimes.

Time at the table ≠ willingness to eat.

Pressure-free, structured exposure is what actually creates progress.

🦛 Save this if dinnertime has become a standoff.

Address

20 Whitlock Place Ste 101
Roswell, GA
30064

Opening Hours

Tuesday 9am - 6pm
Wednesday 9am - 6pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Happy Hungry Hippos: Pediatric Feeding Clinic posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Happy Hungry Hippos: Pediatric Feeding Clinic:

Shortcuts

Share

Category