When Your Babies Won't Eat with Shannon Goldwater of Feeding Matters

LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE

Shannon Goldwater was a first time mom with micro preemie triplets who would not - and could not eat. She spent years with her babies getting bumped around various inpatient feeding programs while getting increasingly frustrated with their fractured care. All of this led her to found Feeding Matters, the first organization in the world uniting families and healthcare professionals to improve the system of care for children with pediatric feeding disorder. In this first of two episodes, Shannon shares her personal story and immense feeding challenges that she experienced with her own children.

SUMMARY OF EPISODE

In this episode we’re talking about:

• How Shannon struggled with feeding her micropreemie 26 week gestation triplets from the moment they came home from the NICU

• Why feeding care has historically been so fractured in the US and how this affected Shannon’s family for years

• What she did to connect with other families of children who could not - and would not eat and how they became a movement

ABOUT THE GUEST

• Shannon Goldwater is the Founder of Feeding Matters, the first organization dedicated to raising awareness about pediatric feeding disorder.

• As a new mom to triplets born 4 months premature, Shannon spent years seeking help for her children who could not - and would not eat.

• Shannon founded Feeding Matters in 2006 to help children with feeding disorders and create a support system for families.

• In 2018 “Pediatric Feeding Disorder: Consensus Definition and Conceptual Framework” was published, declaring the term & stand-alone diagnosis for PFD

• Pediatric feeding struggles are now treated as a symptom to over 300 other conditions, such as autism, cerebral palsy, and cystic fibrosis

LINKS FROM EPISODE

• Learn more about Feeding Matters at https://www.feedingmatters.org/ 

• Learn more about Pediatric Feeding Disorder at https://www.feedingmatters.org/what-is-pfd/ 

• Read Sharon’s bio here: https://www.feedingmatters.org/members/founder/ 

• Pediatric Feeding Disorder: Consensus Definition and Conceptual Framework https://www.feedingmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/2019-01-JPGN-PFD-Consensus-Definition-and-Framework.pdf 

• The Infant and Child Feeding Questionnaire Screening Tool https://www.feedingmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/ICFQ-Rack-Card_08-2020-print.pdf

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TRANSCRIPT OF EPISODE

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