Welcome to Thrive Little!
About Us
Thrive Little is run by Marielle Marquez, a pediatric occupational therapist based in Los Angeles. Marielle specializes in feeding and swallowing as well as developmental treatment for infants and young children.
Explore the resources on our site to learn how you can best support your child!
How can we help your little one thrive?
From the blog
Can You Mix Baby Led Weaning and Spoon Feeding?
Have you heard that you have to choose between baby led weaning and spoon feeding? This is not true! It is absolutely okay to combine baby led weaning and purees. Let me explain why! Babies are smart. Some people claim that babies will be…
Encouraging Independence Reduces Picky Eating
Picky eaters like to be in control. The more independence you allow your child to have, the more you can reduce picky eating. Promoting independent eating skills is not a guaranteed solution to reduce or prevent picky eating of course. Picky eating can occur…
Should Toddlers Use Knives?
Should a 2-year-old use a knife? Should a 3-year-old use a knife? What age is appropriate to introduce a knife to your child? Toddlers can absolutely use knives! You can introduce a knife to a child as early as 2 years of age. Maybe…
Tummy Time for Newborns: When and How to Start
Do newborns need to do tummy time? Yes, even newborn babies need tummy time! But tummy time looks very different at 4 weeks compared to 4 months. If both mom and baby are stable and physically able to, baby should be placed skin-to-skin on…
Fastest Way to Teach Baby to Drink From a Straw
If your baby is 6 months of age, sitting up on their own, and eating solid foods, they are ready to drink from a straw! Did you know that traditional spout sippy cups are not recommended? The shape prevents a mature swallow pattern from…
How to Find Professionals Who Treat Tongue Tie
If you are confident that your baby or child does have a tongue tie and are looking for help, you have come to the right place! I know how challenging it can be to find a good tongue tie professional. You may have no…
Grasp and Release Activities for Babies
Babies are born with the reflexive ability to grasp. While a newborn grasping your finger will melt any new parent’s heart, your 3-week-old baby isn’t doing this intentionally. Around 2 months of age, their grasp does become more intentional. And around 3-4 months of…
Why Does My Baby Cough When Drinking Water?
It is more common for babies to cough with water than with any other food or drink. Keep reading to find out why babies cough when drinking water and if you should be concerned. They’re Learning a New Skill If drinking water is a…
Why Forcing Kids to Eat Doesn’t Work
Did you grow up with adults telling you to “clean your plate”? How about guilt tripping you into eating because there are children starving somewhere and you should appreciate what you have? While this may be true, it’s not a very effective strategy for…
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