Trouble feeding toddler

[sdelorenzo]

I used the Nuby cups for my son. They seem to be a cross between a bottle and sippy cup. I bought mine at Right Start but I also saw them at Walmart.

A good book to read is Child of Mine by Ellyn Satter. You can get it on Amazon. It really helped me remain patient and calm with second with cf. I think it really helped him be a good eater. I was a mess getting enough food down for my first baby.
Sharon, mom of Sophia, 5 and Jack, 3 both with cf

 

[Ratatosk]

DS hated sippy cups. In fact I gave them all away to coworkers for their grandkids 'cuz we never used them. Fortunately, he mastered the straw early on and I bought lots of flexible straws and reused the cups and lids we got from restaurants and I also got some first year ones that came with straws, but I just used disposable straws. And I DID use a bottle for a long time for the morning feeding.

 

[Ratatosk]

DS hated sippy cups. In fact I gave them all away to coworkers for their grandkids 'cuz we never used them. Fortunately, he mastered the straw early on and I bought lots of flexible straws and reused the cups and lids we got from restaurants and I also got some first year ones that came with straws, but I just used disposable straws. And I DID use a bottle for a long time for the morning feeding.

 

[Ratatosk]

DS hated sippy cups. In fact I gave them all away to coworkers for their grandkids 'cuz we never used them. Fortunately, he mastered the straw early on and I bought lots of flexible straws and reused the cups and lids we got from restaurants and I also got some first year ones that came with straws, but I just used disposable straws. And I DID use a bottle for a long time for the morning feeding.

 

[folione]

My son w/CF is 3 1/2 and used a bottle at nap and bedtime much longer than we wanted. We were just starting to ween him off bottles and bedtime rocking at about 14 months when he had to spend 3 weeks in the hospital so we just said forget it and let him keep them both. Ultimately, it turned out that battles over the mechanisms of how he eats were just not worth having - he pretty much eats and drinks like any other tot now and food is not a battleground; we just had to buck up and clean bottles a bit longer than we'd expected.

As for getting him to do it - we just offered the new stuff and encouraged him until he decided he wanted to do it; It's been that way with potty training too: once it was his decision, it was pretty easy.

 

[folione]

My son w/CF is 3 1/2 and used a bottle at nap and bedtime much longer than we wanted. We were just starting to ween him off bottles and bedtime rocking at about 14 months when he had to spend 3 weeks in the hospital so we just said forget it and let him keep them both. Ultimately, it turned out that battles over the mechanisms of how he eats were just not worth having - he pretty much eats and drinks like any other tot now and food is not a battleground; we just had to buck up and clean bottles a bit longer than we'd expected.

As for getting him to do it - we just offered the new stuff and encouraged him until he decided he wanted to do it; It's been that way with potty training too: once it was his decision, it was pretty easy.

 

[folione]

My son w/CF is 3 1/2 and used a bottle at nap and bedtime much longer than we wanted. We were just starting to ween him off bottles and bedtime rocking at about 14 months when he had to spend 3 weeks in the hospital so we just said forget it and let him keep them both. Ultimately, it turned out that battles over the mechanisms of how he eats were just not worth having - he pretty much eats and drinks like any other tot now and food is not a battleground; we just had to buck up and clean bottles a bit longer than we'd expected.

As for getting him to do it - we just offered the new stuff and encouraged him until he decided he wanted to do it; It's been that way with potty training too: once it was his decision, it was pretty easy.

 

[Ratatosk]

I also didn't worry so much about how DS ate, as long as he ate. Continued using a bottle for a long time after he turned one. In fact we continued to have him on formula until he was closer to 1 1/2 years old to get extra calories in him.

He really had issues with texture. Anything with ground meat or things like toast. He gagged like he had a huge hairball. So I continued to grind up his food very fine, fed him lots of yogurt and things that slid down easily -- spagettios, mac & cheese. Stage 2 baby foods with butter & salt added. He also liked juice and fruit.

And then one day he decided he liked burgers, bread, casserole.... And he very well MAY have had us as parents snowed. He'd eat things at daycare that he wouldn't for us. In fact DH stopped by one day to drop off some extra clothes and DS was eating chefs salad and a sandwich. Huh!

 

[Ratatosk]

I also didn't worry so much about how DS ate, as long as he ate. Continued using a bottle for a long time after he turned one. In fact we continued to have him on formula until he was closer to 1 1/2 years old to get extra calories in him.

He really had issues with texture. Anything with ground meat or things like toast. He gagged like he had a huge hairball. So I continued to grind up his food very fine, fed him lots of yogurt and things that slid down easily -- spagettios, mac & cheese. Stage 2 baby foods with butter & salt added. He also liked juice and fruit.

And then one day he decided he liked burgers, bread, casserole.... And he very well MAY have had us as parents snowed. He'd eat things at daycare that he wouldn't for us. In fact DH stopped by one day to drop off some extra clothes and DS was eating chefs salad and a sandwich. Huh!

 

[Ratatosk]

I also didn't worry so much about how DS ate, as long as he ate. Continued using a bottle for a long time after he turned one. In fact we continued to have him on formula until he was closer to 1 1/2 years old to get extra calories in him.

He really had issues with texture. Anything with ground meat or things like toast. He gagged like he had a huge hairball. So I continued to grind up his food very fine, fed him lots of yogurt and things that slid down easily -- spagettios, mac & cheese. Stage 2 baby foods with butter & salt added. He also liked juice and fruit.

And then one day he decided he liked burgers, bread, casserole.... And he very well MAY have had us as parents snowed. He'd eat things at daycare that he wouldn't for us. In fact DH stopped by one day to drop off some extra clothes and DS was eating chefs salad and a sandwich. Huh!

 

[zoeg]

Thanks for all the ideas. I guess what has me the most stressed is that my daughter goes to daycare on Fridays only and they want her to be eating tablefood in that room all the time. If it wasn't for the daycare I would think we are making decent progress. They have suggested just putting her in the one year old room full time (since she is almost 14 months) and hoping she'll get the hang of it. My problem with that is that a CF kid not eating is kind of a big deal. She already is only in the 10th percentile. I don't know what to do. Besides the eating issues, everything else is perfect with her!!!

Zoe mom to Kate wCF

 

[zoeg]

Thanks for all the ideas. I guess what has me the most stressed is that my daughter goes to daycare on Fridays only and they want her to be eating tablefood in that room all the time. If it wasn't for the daycare I would think we are making decent progress. They have suggested just putting her in the one year old room full time (since she is almost 14 months) and hoping she'll get the hang of it. My problem with that is that a CF kid not eating is kind of a big deal. She already is only in the 10th percentile. I don't know what to do. Besides the eating issues, everything else is perfect with her!!!

Zoe mom to Kate wCF

 

[zoeg]

Thanks for all the ideas. I guess what has me the most stressed is that my daughter goes to daycare on Fridays only and they want her to be eating tablefood in that room all the time. If it wasn't for the daycare I would think we are making decent progress. They have suggested just putting her in the one year old room full time (since she is almost 14 months) and hoping she'll get the hang of it. My problem with that is that a CF kid not eating is kind of a big deal. She already is only in the 10th percentile. I don't know what to do. Besides the eating issues, everything else is perfect with her!!!

Zoe mom to Kate wCF

 

[JRPandTJP]

Let her decide and ignore the advice of a daycare center. They are looking at convenience and it is probably more about them then her. It is hard, but she is still her own little self and will come to things on her own. Tell them you are not concerned and believe in her unique development process.

Ben really jumped in weight right around 18 months when things all stared clicking (we did start GSH around then as well and I believe that helped).

Hang in there...you're doing a great job.

 

[JRPandTJP]

Let her decide and ignore the advice of a daycare center. They are looking at convenience and it is probably more about them then her. It is hard, but she is still her own little self and will come to things on her own. Tell them you are not concerned and believe in her unique development process.

Ben really jumped in weight right around 18 months when things all stared clicking (we did start GSH around then as well and I believe that helped).

Hang in there...you're doing a great job.

 

[JRPandTJP]

Let her decide and ignore the advice of a daycare center. They are looking at convenience and it is probably more about them then her. It is hard, but she is still her own little self and will come to things on her own. Tell them you are not concerned and believe in her unique development process.

Ben really jumped in weight right around 18 months when things all stared clicking (we did start GSH around then as well and I believe that helped).

Hang in there...you're doing a great job.

 

[Ratatosk]

I didn't have problems with daycare so much as with our clinic's dietician. She kept going on and on about how DS was NOT drinking enough formula (volume-wise), not calories. Drove me nuts 'cuz I'd give him a bottle and he'd only drink 2-3 ounces and then I'd worry. DS was still in the 50th percentile for height and weight, but apparently wasn't drinking enough formula according to her figures. That and it was the WRONG formula. We'd tried pregistimil for a few days and he'd scream and shut his mouth when that bottle came toward him. Every clinic appointment they'd announce that DS was going to switch from regular formula to pregistimil. And we'd refuse. Bleah! Tasted like vomit and the way road kill smells.

You just have to figure out what's right for your child. What works and what doesn't. We weren't going to make meal times a traumatic experience and try to force feed him. Fortunately our daycare would sneak in extra calories (still does). And when DS is in an especially picky eating mood they'll sneak him milk shakes, PB sandwiches, cheese. 'Course his FAVORITE snack there is... carrot sticks. Sigh!

 

[Ratatosk]

I didn't have problems with daycare so much as with our clinic's dietician. She kept going on and on about how DS was NOT drinking enough formula (volume-wise), not calories. Drove me nuts 'cuz I'd give him a bottle and he'd only drink 2-3 ounces and then I'd worry. DS was still in the 50th percentile for height and weight, but apparently wasn't drinking enough formula according to her figures. That and it was the WRONG formula. We'd tried pregistimil for a few days and he'd scream and shut his mouth when that bottle came toward him. Every clinic appointment they'd announce that DS was going to switch from regular formula to pregistimil. And we'd refuse. Bleah! Tasted like vomit and the way road kill smells.

You just have to figure out what's right for your child. What works and what doesn't. We weren't going to make meal times a traumatic experience and try to force feed him. Fortunately our daycare would sneak in extra calories (still does). And when DS is in an especially picky eating mood they'll sneak him milk shakes, PB sandwiches, cheese. 'Course his FAVORITE snack there is... carrot sticks. Sigh!

 

[Ratatosk]

I didn't have problems with daycare so much as with our clinic's dietician. She kept going on and on about how DS was NOT drinking enough formula (volume-wise), not calories. Drove me nuts 'cuz I'd give him a bottle and he'd only drink 2-3 ounces and then I'd worry. DS was still in the 50th percentile for height and weight, but apparently wasn't drinking enough formula according to her figures. That and it was the WRONG formula. We'd tried pregistimil for a few days and he'd scream and shut his mouth when that bottle came toward him. Every clinic appointment they'd announce that DS was going to switch from regular formula to pregistimil. And we'd refuse. Bleah! Tasted like vomit and the way road kill smells.

You just have to figure out what's right for your child. What works and what doesn't. We weren't going to make meal times a traumatic experience and try to force feed him. Fortunately our daycare would sneak in extra calories (still does). And when DS is in an especially picky eating mood they'll sneak him milk shakes, PB sandwiches, cheese. 'Course his FAVORITE snack there is... carrot sticks. Sigh!

 

[amber682]

Liza, my son too with the carrot sticks...
at least he dips them in Ranch dressing, but I wish his favorite snack had a few more calories than carrots!