BLOOM Framework Creator Reveals the Feeding Struggles Many Adoptive Families Face

Lena Livinsky, speech pathologist, BLOOM framework creator and host of The Livin'sky Podcast, shares why adopted children often struggle with food and what parents can do about it.

Feeding Challenges in Adoption

When Lena Livinsky prepared a meal for her son and saw fear on his face instead of excitement, everything shifted. That single moment changed the way she approached feeding, parenting, and her own health. Now a speech pathologist and holistic feeding specialist, Lena helps families look beyond the surface of picky eating to understand what's actually driving it.

Connection Before Correction

In this episode of Voices of Adoption with host Donna Pope, Lena introduces her BLOOM framework, a five-part system designed to assess Balance health, Learned oral motor skills, Optimal microbiome, Open exploration, and Mealtime boundaries. She explains why adopted children may face unique feeding challenges tied to early trauma, separation, and nervous system dysregulation, and why connection must come before correction at the table.

A Mother's Own Healing

Lena also opens up about her health transformation. After years of hormonal struggles, postpartum depression, and autoimmune flare-ups, she lost 50 pounds by addressing her gut health through the GAPS diet. Her story is a reminder that parents cannot pour from an empty cup and that self-care is not optional when raising children who need stability and safety.

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