Feeding Philosophies-Melanie R. Silverman MS, RD, IBCLC

In addition to her fantastic nutrition programs, Melanie is also an excellent lactation consultant. I highly recommend calling her at the first sign of a problem or even if you just have questions. I would not have succeeded at breast feeding my baby for over a year without Melanie’s help. My baby refused to breast feed from day one and was not gaining enough weight after we left the hospital. I found Melanie less than a week after my baby was born, but I felt like it had already been an eternity of sleeplessness, worrying and tears. Melanie came to my home the same night (11pm) that I called her and was so professional, comforting and supportive. She really helped me understand why my baby wasn’t eating and gave me some very specific techniques and solutions to try that were easy and not overwhelming. What I really appreciated about Melanie was her compassion, supportiveness and positive energy. In the hour that she was with me I went from feeling like a failure and totally hopeless to feeling confident and determined to be successful at breast feeding my baby. She gave me recommendations that were tailored to my specific issues, and I was able to implement and see results immediately. The next two weeks were still rough, but Melanie was there to support me and ultimately help me succeed.

When I first called Melanie, I was panicked, tired and stressed! After 3 months of breastfeeding, my newborn son went on a full-​out hunger striker. He wouldn’t nurse for more than a few seconds at a time, his weight had totally plateaued and my milk supply was, as a result of him not nursing, beginning to dry up. Lots of well-​meaning friends and family members advised me to just stop nursing. I was told to be proud I had made it a full 3 months and to just switch to formula.
During a late-​night phone consultation with Melanie (don’t all emergencies for new parents happen late at night???), she calmly helped explain possible causes of my son’s nursing aversion and she recommended two supplements to help increase my supply. She didn’t let me hang up the phone until I was completely comfortable with my new game plan and she encouraged me to call back with updates or with more questions (which I did!). Talking to Melanie was like talking to a good friend. She was calm, patient, totally non-​judgmental and very reassuring. In addition to helping get breastfeeding back on track, she had wonderful advice to make the whole process easier… like guidance on storing breastmilk and how often to wash breast pump accessories. She also gave me a few tips on what solid foods to introduce first, when the time came for solids.
When I recommend her to friends (which I do all the time), I always tell them that Melanie has a gift… within 3 days my milk supply was increasing and my son was nursing for longer and longer stretches. And within a week my milk supply was completely back and my son was nursing like a champ.
Thanks to Melanie, I’m proud to say I was able to breastfeed for a full 14 months! Friends and family mean well, but Melanie has the information and patience to really help you get through any feeding issue.

Without being overdramatic, I might not have made it through my first year as a parent without the help and guidance of Melanie. I often felt that she was my own personal cheerleader for breastfeeding. I suffered from constant clogged ducts for months until Melanie prescribed lecithin and cabbage leaves. (Who knew??) I am proud to say, with her help and support I nursed my son until he was almost 20 months old! We discussed not just the technical side of nursing, but also the emotional benefits for both me and my son.
When my son was ready for solid foods, Melanie was my source. She gave me the best material to slowly introduce foods and made the whole experience enjoyable. She sent me recipes that were catered to babies who weren’t able to have certain foods yet. What more could a parent want? She caters her service with great care.
I would recommend Melanie Silverman to everyone (and I have!). Many of my friends have benefited from her wisdom and all feel the same about her: She is patient, caring and most importantly, knows what she is talking about.

Melanie is not your typical nutritionist. She is has a program that empowers you to help your picky or finicky eater/​child. As a parent, I feel that the one area that my children have held me captive is when it comes to eating. After all, as parents, we want them to eat and if at all possible eat well and eat healthy. Therefore we will use whatever means necessary to ensure that they do. Which sometimes involves a gamut of things from bribery to punishment. Melanie teaches you not only what to eat but how to eat or feed and that paradigm shift is what I considered to be a priceless lesson that I hope to learn and master while teaching it to my kids.
If you struggle with nutrition, feeding problems or have a poor relationship with food, give her a call and opportunity to help. It may just be the one thing that makes a breakthrough. But be forewarned, it takes active participation but just like a good exercise program, results can be very tangible!