My Feeding Philosophies

Welcome to MelanieSilverman.com where I share my feeding philosophies… A Customized Approach to Your Child’s Nutritional Health.   You can be sure that the advice I offer on how and what to feed your kids is supported by valid studies, clinical practice and most importantly, good common sense.

Many people ask me what my basic feeding philosophies are on raising nutritionally healthy children.  I do not take this question lightly.  I have compiled these philosophies for over ten years and from hundreds of patients from all over the country, dozens of research articles and books on pediatric nutrition and conversations with the best and brightest in nutrition.  So here they are:

Children should:               

1.)  eat when they are hungry and stop when full

2.) eat a variety of different foods

3.) behave at the table. 

From the very first time you feed your infant either breast milk or formula, you begin to shape the child’s relationship to food.  Parents have high hopes for their children when they are born, but understandably, very few think critically beyond if they will breastfeed or bottle feed until an issue presents itself either 6 months or 15 years later.  I believe we need to shift our thinking.  Considering 1 in 3 children in the United States are overweight or obese, there are millions of children with severe food allergies and picky eating toddlers can easily reduce mothers to tears, we need to overhaul the relationship we all have with food.

I became a pediatric registered dietitian and started my private consulting business to take care of children in the most fundamental way possible…through food.  Allow me to help you help your children nutritionally so they can live long, happy, and productive lives.

About Melanie Silverman

Melanie is a pediatric registered dietitian nutritionist (RD) and a board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC) working primarily in pediatric nutrition for well over 15 years. She spent seven years as a clinical dietitian at The University of Chicago Medical Center in the neonatal intensive care unit, pediatric intensive care unit, adult and pediatric burn units, and high risk pediatric follow-up clinic. She also served as an adjunct faculty member at Loyola University Chicago. Melanie has presented at state and national meetings for the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN), March of Dimes, Prader-Willi California Foundation, Texas Prader-Willi Association, Oklahoma Prader Willi Syndrome Association, Foundation for Prader-Willi Research (FPWR) in the United States and Canada and the Prader-Willi Syndrome USA (PWSA). She worked hard for her Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry and Spanish from Indiana University and a Master’s degree in Clinical Nutrition from Rush-Presbyterian St. Luke’s Medical Center. A member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, California Dietetic Association, Pediatric Nutrition Practice Group, Women’s Health Group, Nutrition Entrepreneurs and an active member of the International Lactation Consultant Association.