Bridging Pediatric Physical Therapy, Infant Development & Breastfeeding Support
Meet Dr. Rebecca “Becca” Turkel, pediatric physical therapist, early intervention specialist, Certified Craniosacral Fascial Therapist, founder of Warm Heart Wellness, and graduate of the International Parenting & Health Institute’s Integrative Breastfeeding Educator Certification Program.
Based in Natick, Massachusetts, Becca has devoted much of her professional life to helping babies, children and families navigate development with compassionate, individualized support.
Her professional background brings together disciplines that are deeply interconnected during the earliest stages of life:
Pediatric physical therapy.
Early intervention.
Infant development.
Breastfeeding education.
Infant massage.
Neonatal behavior.
Craniosacral fascial therapy.
Family-centered care.
Today, through Warm Heart Wellness, Becca provides pediatric physical therapy and Craniosacral Fascial Therapy while continuing to draw upon nearly two decades of experience supporting children and families.
But her path toward this work began long before she became a physical therapist.
A Love for Children That Began Early
When Becca was in second grade, she dreamed of becoming a pediatrician.
She loved babies and recalls being the person in her family who could often soothe a crying baby and help them settle. By age 12, she had completed a babysitting course and begun caring for other people’s children.
At the same time, another important part of her childhood was developing:
figure skating.
Becca had been skating since she was four and eventually began teaching Learn to Skate classes.
Then, at approximately 14 years old, an experience on the ice gave her an early glimpse into the kind of work that would eventually become her profession.
Her coach asked her to provide additional one-on-one support to a young skater with mild cerebral palsy.
Becca still remembers the day the child successfully landed her first waltz jump—and seeing the girl’s grandfather moved to tears as he watched.
Years before Becca knew she would become a physical therapist, she had experienced the profound impact of helping a child accomplish something meaningful through movement.
Finding Her Way Into Child Development
Becca initially entered college still thinking about medical school, but her academic path eventually shifted toward psychology.
While pursuing graduate education, she discovered a Child Development program and through it, Early Intervention.
That discovery would become pivotal.
Becca began working as a Developmental Specialist, supporting areas including early cognitive development, play, behavior and language.
She loved the work.
She also experienced burnout.
That period prompted Becca to reflect on the specialists she regularly collaborated with speech therapists, occupational therapists and physical therapists—and reconsider where her own strengths might fit.
Then the pieces began connecting.
Her athletic background.
Her understanding of movement.
Her love of children.
Her experience in child development.
Her desire to work directly with families.
Physical therapy brought them together.
Becoming a Pediatric Physical Therapist
From the first day of physical therapy school, Becca knew she wanted to work with children.
She recalls being the only person in her class who identified pediatrics as her intended area of practice.
Her professional journey eventually brought her to Boston Children’s Hospital, beginning with an internship in the Pediatric Pain Rehabilitation Clinic and progressing through outpatient and inpatient care before she ultimately returned to Early Intervention.
And returning to Early Intervention brought Becca back to something she deeply valued:
working alongside families in the environments where everyday life actually happens.
She describes its home-care model and close family collaboration as where her “heart truly belonged.” Recent professional information from Warm Heart Wellness now credits Becca with more than 19 years of experience working with families in Early Intervention as a Developmental Specialist and Physical Therapist, along with 15 years of experience as a Physical Therapist at Boston Children’s Hospital.
Over the years, Becca’s professional education expanded beyond conventional pediatric physical therapy.
Her current credentials include:
Certified Early Intervention Specialist
Certified Educator of Infant Massage
Certified in Neonatal Behavior Observation
Certified Craniosacral Fascial Therapist
Integrative Breastfeeding Educator
Recent professional materials also identify her as a Certified Tummy Time Method Practitioner. Warm Heart Wellness
Rather than existing as unrelated credentials, these areas intersect around the developmental needs of babies and young children.
Movement can affect how an infant interacts with the environment.
Positioning can influence daily routines.
Feeding requires complex coordination.
Touch contributes to caregiver-infant interaction.
Development unfolds within relationships.
And parents often need more than a single professional lens when something isn’t going as expected.
Adding Integrative Breastfeeding Education
Becca expanded this interdisciplinary foundation through the International Parenting & Health Institute’s Integrative Breastfeeding Educator Certification Program.
Today, she publicly includes Integrative Breastfeeding Educator among her professional credentials on Warm Heart Wellness, alongside her clinical and developmental specialties.
For a pediatric physical therapist and Early Intervention professional, breastfeeding education adds another valuable dimension to understanding the experiences of infants and their caregivers.
Feeding does not occur separately from the rest of the body or family experience.
It can intersect with positioning, movement, comfort, development, caregiver confidence and the infant’s individual needs.
The addition of breastfeeding education therefore complements a professional career already centered on looking at babies and children from multiple perspectives.
Creating Warm Heart Wellness
Becca is the owner of Warm Heart Wellness, a private practice in Natick, Massachusetts, where her work currently centers primarily on Craniosacral Fascial Therapy and Pediatric Physical Therapy. Warm Heart Wellness
The mission behind the practice reflects the philosophy Becca has carried throughout her career:
compassionate, individualized care.
Her own description emphasizes honesty and empathy while honoring each client’s values and culture. She believes every child should have an opportunity to thrive from the beginning of life and envisions a broader community where families can support one another while respecting their differences. Warm Heart Wellness
That philosophy is particularly relevant when working with parents.
Families don’t arrive with identical circumstances.
Babies don’t develop identically.
Parents don’t have identical beliefs.
And what one family needs may be very different from what another family needs.
Supporting Development Through the Whole Child
At Warm Heart Wellness, Becca works with infants and children experiencing developmental differences or delays, providing individualized pediatric physical therapy intended to support movement and developmental milestones.
Her work also incorporates Craniosacral Fascial Therapy.
Recent descriptions of her practice emphasize areas including early motor development, nervous-system regulation, sensory processing, parent-child connection and practical routines that families can incorporate into daily life. TUMMYTIME!™
This creates a professional philosophy that extends beyond treating one isolated concern.
Instead, the question becomes:
What does this particular child and this particular family need in order to move forward?
Where Development and Feeding Meet
Becca’s combination of pediatric physical therapy, early intervention and breastfeeding education is particularly meaningful because infant development doesn’t divide itself neatly into professional categories.
A baby is not simply a feeding issue.
Or a movement issue.
Or a developmental issue.
Or a regulation issue.
These experiences can overlap.
Warm Heart Wellness has included breastfeeding support and developmental milestone monitoring among its family services, alongside pediatric physical therapy, Craniosacral Fascial Therapy and infant massage education. Chrysalis Orofacial
Becca’s broader education gives her the ability to view family concerns through several complementary lenses while remaining grounded in her professional scope.
Compassion at the Center
Perhaps the strongest connection across Becca’s professional journey isn’t a particular modality.
It’s how she works with people.
Her mission emphasizes compassion.
Individualization.
Honesty.
Empathy.
Respect for culture and values.
And helping children thrive from the very beginning of life.
That same family-centered philosophy appears in an independent 2026 professional spotlight from another Greater Boston practitioner, which describes Becca’s practice as individualized and relationship-centered across pediatric, pregnancy, postpartum and adult care. Wholesome Healing Chiropractic
For families navigating developmental or feeding challenges, that relational component can matter enormously.
Parents aren’t simply looking for information.
Often, they’re looking for someone who will listen.
Someone who will observe their child carefully.
Someone who recognizes that parents know their child in ways no professional ever can.
And someone who can bring professional knowledge into the relationship without taking the family out of the decision-making process.
From the Ice Rink to Early Intervention and Beyond
There is something especially fitting about Becca’s professional story.
As a teenager, she experienced the joy of helping a young girl with cerebral palsy achieve a physical milestone on the ice.
She went on to study child development.
She became a Developmental Specialist.
Then a pediatric physical therapist.
She worked at Boston Children’s Hospital.
She returned to Early Intervention.
And over the years, she continued expanding her education into infant massage, neonatal behavior, Craniosacral Fascial Therapy, breastfeeding education and other approaches to supporting babies and families.
Different settings.
Different credentials.
Different stages of her career.
But the underlying purpose has remained remarkably consistent:
helping children and families thrive.
Professional Profile
Dr. Rebecca “Becca” Turkel
Pediatric Physical Therapist | Craniosacral Fascial Therapist | Early Intervention Specialist | Integrative Breastfeeding Educator
Location: Natick, Massachusetts, USA
Practice: Owner, Warm Heart Wellness
Current Professional Focus: Pediatric Physical Therapy, Craniosacral Fascial Therapy, Infant & Child Development, Family-Centered Care
IPHI Certification
Integrative Breastfeeding Educator
International Parenting & Health Institute
Additional Credentials & Training
Licensed Physical Therapist
Certified Craniosacral Fascial Therapist
Certified Early Intervention Specialist
Certified Educator of Infant Massage
Certified in Neonatal Behavior Observation
Certified Tummy Time Method Practitioner
Professional Experience
19+ years supporting families in Early Intervention as a Developmental Specialist and Physical Therapist
15 years of Physical Therapy experience at Boston Children’s Hospital
Areas of Professional Focus
Pediatric Physical Therapy
Early Intervention
Infant Development
Developmental Milestones
Integrative Breastfeeding Education
Infant Massage
Neonatal Behavior
Craniosacral Fascial Therapy
Tummy Time & Early Movement
Parent Education
Family-Centered Care
Helping Children Thrive From the Very Start
Becca’s career illustrates what can happen when professional education continues to build around a central purpose.
Her work isn’t defined by a single modality.
It’s informed by years spent observing children, listening to parents, supporting development, studying movement and expanding her understanding of the interconnected experiences surrounding infancy.
And her Integrative Breastfeeding Educator education adds another piece to that larger picture.
Because supporting an infant isn’t only about movement.
Or feeding.
Or development.
Or connection.
It’s about understanding the whole child within the context of the whole family.
💙 Congratulations, Becca!
We are proud to recognize Dr. Rebecca “Becca” Turkel as a graduate of IPHI’s Integrative Breastfeeding Educator Certification Program and celebrate the compassionate, multidisciplinary work she continues to provide to children and families.
