Laguna Hills, CA

Pediatric Feeding
Occupational Therapy
Lactation Consulting

Supporting families, infants, and toddlers to THRIVE from the start.

Contact me!

I understand the science behind feeding, development, and lactation —but with the heart and empathy of a mom.

Testimonials

"Lizzie is truly a lifesaver. I was lucky enough to find her while I was in the midst of navigating breastfeeding difficulties with my newborn. I was feeling desperate and defeated and Lizzie picked me back up and helped me piece together a rather complicated feeding situation. She helped me navigate my daughter’s oral-motor challenges and gave invaluable insight into my daughter’s potential food sensitivities. She also helped me with different nursing positions to optimize milk intake. When I first met with Lizzie my daughter was only gaining 0.4 oz/day but after only 3 sessions she was gaining 0.85 oz/day! My pediatrician was thrilled with our progress (as was I). Besides being ridiculously knowledgeable in the world of OT and lactation consulting, Lizzie is a blast to work with. She is kind, reassuring, hilarious, and patient. Truly a perfect pediatric therapist (and honestly mom therapist too). She makes an often stressful situation (feeding issues) fun and is the true definition of an optimist. I am forever grateful I found her and I truly couldn’t recommend her more."

-AK
"Thriving beginnings lives up to its name! If you’re at your wits end and you’re not sure if your baby is getting enough to eat, or making weird noises while eating this is the place to get resources and solutions. My story is too long to post but I will sum up by saying at 11 weeks my newborn was in deep pain, not able to coordinate eating and overall not thriving. Now our 5 month old baby is healthy and thriving. This is due 100% to Lizzie. My husband calls Lizzie our MVP. If you’re looking for help or, as was my case, desperate for help: reach out today, and you will not be disappointed."

-CM
"Lizzie was a great help with my picky-eating 14 month-old. I was so stressed about how my baby ate and Lizzie was able to provide us with wonderful strategies and tips to introduce foods in a way that was individualized to my baby. We are now eating meals with less stress and it's a more positive experience for the whole family."

-KJ
"Lizzie is an outstanding source of guidance and support, while embodying a cheerful and friendly approach, and showing tons of patience and empathy as we tried to learn and overcome our (first) newborn baby challenges with feeding. Her being a mom was clearly evident too, in the bond she had with our baby. We needed help with our little one eating more and better and Lizzie was key in evaluating what the hospital doctors and their lactation consultant advised us (hint: it was wrong and led us down the wrong path), asking us the right questions, and suggesting simple but effective alternative options. We worked through getting the right tools/parts that made all the difference and trying simple step-wise fixes to building better habits. Lizzie being a dual lactation consultant and occupational therapist was hugely beneficial and streamlined our game plan and frankly saved us tons of time, energy (and probably money). Totally happy we found Lizzie!"

-BN

How I can help you or your loved one…

Providing not only professional guidance, but genuine understanding, support, and a shared journey towards the best outcomes for your child.

Who I Work With

Infants and toddlers ages 0-2 years with feeding challenges (breast, bottle, solids, transition to cup/straw, picky eating)
Caregivers who want support navigating the “transition to solids” journey
Recent NICU graduates

How I Can Help

Completion of a thorough evaluation to pinpoint the root cause of feeding and/or lactation difficulties
Development and implementation of a treatment plan that aligns with your family values and goals
Collaboration with your medical team

What I Specialize In

Pediatric feeding and swallowing
Infant & toddler motor and sensory development
Lactation
Tethered Oral Tissues (TOTS)

Learn More About Our Services

Meet Lizzie

Elizabeth “Lizzie” Pluskalowski, M.S. OTR/L, SWC, IBCLC

Owner, Occupational Therapist, and Lactation Consultant

Lizzie is a double board-certified pediatric occupational therapist and lactation consultant (IBCLC). She specializes in treating both typically developing and medically complex infants and toddlers with feeding challenges. Prior to starting private practice, Lizzie was working both outpatient and inpatient at a large children’s hospital.

Lizzie is an East Coast transplant, enjoying the West Coast lifestyle! After growing up in New York, she lived in New Hampshire, Washington DC, Virginia, and Chicago before relocating to the California in November 2015. She is happy to now call Mission Viejo “home” where she lives with her husband Brett, 2 sons (Ari and Emmett), and their rescue dog “Larry.”

For more information on Lizzie’s education, certifications, and experience, CLICK HERE!