You want the best for your child; we do too.

Raising a healthy child and providing a nurturing environment for them to flourish requires ongoing support and resources.

From pregnancy, birth and beyond, Sleepy Eye Medical Center provides developmental, educational, social and emotional support for children and families.

We offer classes, support groups, and services with the intent of giving your child the best start in life.

Support Groups and Classes

Breastfeeding Support Group

To provide ongoing support for breastfeeding moms in the weeks and months following birth, we offer a Breastfeeding Support Group. This free group meets on the first Tuesday of every month at 6 p.m. in the Lower Level at Sleepy Eye Medical Center. Meetings are facilitated by our International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant but driven by the conversations initiated by moms.

Some concerns addressed during support group gatherings include milk supply, teething, latch, breastfeeding, returning to work, pumping and more.

To learn more about our lactation services, contact Chiloe Kotte, RN, IBCLC, at 507-794-8478.

Toddler Tea Time (Toddler Group)

SEMC’s Toddler Tea Time provides support for parents as well as age-appropriate activities for their growing toddlers. Play and explore with your toddler, share and hear experiences from other parents, and learn about your toddler’s health, growth and development.

This free group is for 1 to 3-year-olds and their parent(s) and meets from 6-7 p.m. on the third Tuesday of every month. Location and activities vary based on weather and time of year. For event updates, check the SEMC Facebook page as well as our “Toddler Tea Time” Facebook event postings.

To learn more about Toddler Tea Time, contact Leah Fischer or Katie Bloedow.

Prenatal Classes

Our prenatal classes help parents prepare for the physical and psychological changes associated with pregnancy, birth and parenthood. We offer a class in the spring, summer and late fall/winter.

Topics that we cover:

For more information or to register, please contact Amanda Christensen, RN. Classes are free of charge for SEMC patients.

Therapy Services

Pediatric Physical Therapy

We offer pediatric physical therapy services for a variety of conditions including plagiocephaly, torticollis, developmental dysplasia, developmental motor delays and athletic injuries.

Postnatal Physical Therapy for Women

During pregnancy, a woman’s body undergoes many physical changes and physical stressors. This can result in common post-partum issues including pelvic pain/dysfunction, urinary incontinence, diastasis recti, and lower back/hip pain. If you experience pain in the pelvic, groin, hip, or low back region after the birth of your child, we encourage you to speak with your provider about whether postnatal physical therapy is appropriate for you. The same is true if you experience incontinence or leakage, a palpable bump over your stomach (especially when you clench your abdominal muscles), pain/difficulty during sexual activity, or if you feel a full or heavy sensation in the pelvis or a bulging in the vaginal area.

Please contact Ariel Brandl, PT at 507-794-8466 or speak with your provider if you have questions about physical therapy after childbirth.

Pediatric Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy services help treat a variety of physical, sensory and cognitive conditions.

• Fine Motor Delays: handwriting, cutting, playing games, playing with age-appropriate toys
• Sensory Integration: textures, loud noises, over-stimulation of lights and people, etc.
• Feeding difficulties: limited food choices due to texture or particular food groups, difficulties transitioning to the next stage of age-appropriate food
• Self-Care Skills: dressing, bathing, grooming, tying shoes and more
• Visual Perceptual Dysfunction: eye-hand coordination, reversals with writing, copying and more
• Self-regulation: calming strategies, organizing and managing time, self-control, following routine
• Reflex Integration: hyperactivity, impulsivity, poor sequencing skills, poor motor planning

Please contact Abby Schwartz, OT at 507-794-8466 or speak with your provider if you have questions about occupational therapy at SEMC.

Pediatric Speech Therapy

We offer speech therapy services for a variety of conditions such as speech and language delays, receptive language disorder, expressive language disorder, childhood apraxia of speech, speech sound disorders and stuttering.

Please contact our therapy department at 507-794-8466 or speak with your provider if you have questions about speech therapy at SEMC.

We encourage you to talk with your provider about any questions or concerns you have about your child’s health and development. Staying up to date on well-child visits is one important way to track your child’s growth and developmental milestones, discuss any concerns about your child’s health, and stay current with recommended immunizations. To schedule your child’s next visit or inquire about any of the above offerings or services, please call the SEMC Clinic at 507-794-3691.