Calling all Parents (Advice needed)

ngwife4life · June 2009

Let me start this with: please don't judge me. I'm trying me best to take care of my daughter the best way that I know how!

She's 10 months old and came into this world in the 95th percentile for weight (that means she weighed more than 95% of all other babies at similar gestational stages). She is now in the 99th percentile for weight and the 98th percentile for height. Basically, she looks like a toddler. And she thinks she should eat like one, too. It's important to me that she eat healthy and as little processed crap as possible. One obstacle for me is that I am an extremely picky eater and therefore I'm not very creative in what I think to offer her. She is no longer eating many pureed foods but when she did, there was very little she wouldn't eat. Now that she's into finger foods, she's gotten picky. She won't eat veggies - raw or cooked - or meat (we've tried chicken, turkey and beef all cooked various ways). I've offered her cooked whole wheat pastas and she didn't care for that, either. Nor does she care for bread.

If I'm incredibly persistent and patient and she's in a really good mood, I can still get her to tolerate some pureed veggies. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can offer her to help balance out her meals better? She eats the Gerber Pasta Pick Ups for dinner and I hate her eating processed crap but I'm also not going to let her starve. And yes, she often thinks she is starving despite taking in at least 32 ounces of formula a day on top of the solid foods she eats! I generally try to offer her some of whatever I am eating, as long as it's not a choking hazard and can be prepared in a way that is safe for her to eat it but she's rejected most of what I've given her.

Here is what her menu looks like on a typical day:

Breakfast: Baby Oatmeal made w/ formula & pureed fruit or veggie (or plain)
8 oz bottle
Lunch: Cut up fruits and cheeses and a handful of baby cereal puffies or two crumbled crackers
8 oz bottle
Dinner: 1/2 bowl of Gerber Pasta Pick Ups or Pureed Vegetables/Dinner w/ vegetables if she'll eat it. Another small handful of cereal puffies or a few yogurt melts. More cut up fruit. Sometimes more crackers if she thinks I've starved her half to death...
8 oz bottle
Bedtime Snack: Baby oatmeal made with formula and pureed vegetables
8 oz bottle

She drinks water all day long and does not get juice at all. She still is not allowed to have seafood, nuts, eggs or cow's milk per Dr's orders. Any ideas or similar experiences? Did your kids suddenly get picky about foods when they started eating solids but wouldn't go back to pureed foods? Sorry this was so long!!!

kimber607 · June 2009

Hey

Just my .02 as a mom of a 4 and 5 yr old and I can't even remember when they were 10 mnths old
BUT try not to worry...sweat too much
ALL kids are picky and never eat exactly how we want them to...it's only going to get worse as they get older....

My niece was off the charts (on the high end) when she was young..sounds awful but we used to joke she was a Jerry Springer baby....she is now 6 and slim
My dd was the 95th percentile for height and weight as a baby, and now she is 4yrs old and about 40 pounds....she is VERY tall for her age but slim (you can see her pics on my profile)
She is constantly told how tall she is and people often mistake her for being 5/6....

Good luck...it's not easy being a parent and I understand we all want what is best for our kiddies..

Kim

MTGirl · June 2009

This is just my opinion - but I have 3 that survived infant and toddlerhood. That should count for something! Sounds like she is getting adequate nutrition. There is a texture issue for a lot of babies at this age - it takes them awhile to get used to "real" food and flavors and textures. Just keep offering her healthy stuff - little bits and let her play with a little. Mash it up in her mouth, mash it with her hands. Probably spread a little in her hair lol! The more exposure they get and the more familiar they get with foods, they will eventually start putting them in their mouth and ingesting them.

As long as she is growing and healthy - your good. Just keep giving it to her, she'll get used to it.

My oldest dd is extremely picky and always has been. But some of the foods she would gag on at first are now her favorites. Cauliflower for one - she hated it. Would gag and retch and get all gross over it. I just made her take 1 bite of it everytime I served it. After a couple of months she started liking it and now it is her very favorite veggie. Exposure has a lot to do with it!

Cindysunshine · June 2009

Hi, I have a now 10 year old daughter that was 9 pounds 14.5 oz at birth. She was 22.5 inches long. She was in the 99th percentile all through her baby and toddler years. As I stated she is now 10 and weighs 90 pounds and is near 5 feet tall. She is thin and healthy. Is you Dr. saying anything about your daughters diet? My daughter did get super picky when she started eating solid foods. As a matter of fact she still is. I was told by many Drs to just relax and offer her things many times as it takes a few times for any child to like a certain food. I think you should ask your Dr. what he/she thinks. But in my opinion just relax. Is your daughter healthy? Happy? Loved ? I imagine the answer is yes to all of those questions.

Your covered then.

Cindy

aymie24 · June 2009

I know I've mentioned this but I teach nutrition and breastfeeding and this is so totally common.

New textures can throw things "off", teething, growing, exploring and realizing they have some control over their lives all can be factors in little ones becomming "picky".

Not going back to pureed foods after eating finger foods is VERY common.

I make my munchkins their own parmesan chicken nuggets or fingers. Allrecipes has a good recipe. I use ground oats and whole grain bread crumbs and they LOVE them. You could make them whatever size is appropriate for her.

What about dipping? Does she like to dip? Most babies/toddlers do. Hummus, again with the hummus right, lol? It is good and my own toddler thinks it's golden. Hummus and pita are totally age appropriate.

There are tons of toddler foods that can be homemade. Does she like mac and cheese? Chop broccoli finely and throw it in. Chicken can be chopped and added to anything pasta and saucey as well.

I make healthy ranch dip by pureeing tofu and adding enough milk to make it dippable. Then throw in a ranch packet, or your own homemade ranch seasonings, again the net is a good resource for that too. The kids in my son's preschool class ate this all year long and never knew it was tofu!

What about mini egg muffins? Beat eggs with whatever cheeses and veggies you'd like, pour them into sprayed mini muffin tins and bake at 350 until set, about 12 minutes. These freeze wonderfully.

Don't beat yourself up over her size. I see moms all the time who have the opposite issue and doctors are freaking out because their child is in the 25% percentile.

Keep in mind that those growth charts are DECADES old and modern medicine needs to catch up and update those charts.

Good luck. If you want more resources, please feel free to message me, I have volumes of things I could scan and email you or send you links to.

amybeth45 · June 2009

I am the mom of 2, ages 10 and 13. my dr used to always say you have to look at their food intake over the course of a week, not just a day at a time. Just keep trying new foods, and eventually she'll like them. try to stay calm and not frustrated, even if you are, as they can pick up those vibes from us. sounds like you are doing all the right things

AlmostHot · June 2009

I am A mother of 3 aged 11, 10 and 2. My 2 years old was 10 pounds and 59 cm long, dont know in inches. so she was big for a long time but at about the same age as yours she evened out to be about adverage sixe at about 2. she is very healthy. She is still picky, but I love by the rule that they will eat if they are hungry, the wont stave to death. there are time when she seema to eat next to nothing and then times she will eat heaps(usually when we have spaghetti). Just stay consistant, and let them try all different types of food. Also around 10 months they seem to go off pureed food make it a little chunkier, it might make all the difference. Also try adding a but more flavour, they do get bored of plain veggies when they realise that there is more exciting food out there. Anyway hope it helps (and you can understand my crazy writing!):happy:

LosingIt4good · June 2009

I would offer her the fruits and veggies as much as possible before giving her the other stuff. Maybe try giving it to her first. Try peas and greenbeans, they are soft and easy for little ones to handle and offer them to her often even if she doesnt eat them all, getting a few bites in may be all it takes to get her to say "hey, this isnt so bad...I kinda like it.." The more often she tries it the better. Once she gets used to eating one thing, try something else.

Another suggestion, if she likes pasta.. try making a small batch at home to keep on hand for her. You could do curly noodles with some canned chicken or turkey, peas and homemade sauce which will cut the sodium and processed stuff out and you can even sneak in some whole wheat noodles.

Maybe mix in some fresh banana with her oatmeal instead of the puree.

Otherwise, dont worry...she is growing and her healthy appetite is a great sign. Your doing a wonderful job mom! She is obviously loved!

Heather125 · June 2009

I used to dress up the fruit and veggies for example a pear cut in half as a mouses body a carrot sliced make great ears blue berries for the eyes and a peice of sliced pepper for the tail just one off the top of my head but my little guy liked the idea

Chenoachem · June 2009

My daughter wouldn't eat meat when she was around 1. I bought her vegitarian meats. Veggie corn dogs, quorn nuggets and the like. My daughter is underweight, over tall and eats like a 1st grader. She is only 2. I hope this helps.

Good Luck.

beckythebunny122 · June 2009

Have you tried other kinds of pasta? My brother went nuts over couscous (and couscous salad) and quinoa when he was about that age. We were able to put tons of finely chopped veggies with them and he would eat it up!

ngwife4life · June 2009

Thanks for all your responses!!! I think I forgot to mention that at one point in time, she devoured cooked vegetables and then one day just decided she didn't like them anymore. I'll keep offering them to her first as you suggested, though. I did find that she doesn't like cantaloupe very much but if I offer it to her first or with pineapple, she'll eat it. And she always gets crackers/treat type foods after she's eaten everything else now. I made that mistake before! Oooopsss! Wish someone would've warned me but it's true what they say - kids don't come with instruction manuals. :laugh:

I think maybe I just needed a little reassurance that she's not going to be harmed at all while she goes through her texture phase. While I know in my head that formula is still her primary source of nutrition, I still get panicked thinking about her being completely on solid foods. I think that part of her control is also that her Daddy is deployed right now and she probably enjoys manipulating me with food since she can't manipulate him.

I keep telling myself that at least she loves all the fresh fruit. It could be worse! I'm taking all of your suggestions and thoughts in, though. And I'll see what I can do with her! :bigsmile:

Edit: I also forgot to say that her Dr. is incredibly happy with her growth. She appears to be healthy and growing normally, no concerns about her size other than the huge dent in our wallet on a bigger wardrobe and diapers! :laugh:

ngwife4life · June 2009

Have you tried other kinds of pasta? My brother went nuts over couscous (and couscous salad) and quinoa when he was about that age. We were able to put tons of finely chopped veggies with them and he would eat it up!

I've never even tried those things myself! I guess I should look into that, huh? :happy: Thanks!

ilike2moveit · June 2009

I am a mother of 4 and all of my children were picky when they transitioned from pureed foods to solid foods. A pediatrician once told me that children will get tired of eating the same foods just like adults do and that when children transition from pureed foods to solid foods they are no longer interested in pureed yet their palettes haven't adapted to all of the new foods, textures, and flavors. I have also watched food studies where children will refuse a food repeatedly but if you keep offering it to them they will eventually eat it. The study also showed that most children were offered the food 30 times before they started eating it! Hope this helps some. Good luck honey.

hiddensecant · June 2009

My older son was in the 98th and 99th percentile when he was a baby. As soon as he started to walk, all that weight melted off and he's been underweight since :laugh:.

Keep introducing new foods every week, and re-introduce them periodically. As her sense of taste develops further, she'll start to be more open to eating other foods ... but she wont get a chance to if you don't keep putting them in front of her. Also, be sure she sees you eating the foods she refuses; they tend to want to try things more often if they see parents enjoying it.

dclarsh · June 2009

I have one son, who is now 8. He was an incredibly picky eater as a small child. There was a time that he would only eat round chicken nuggets... if I tried to give him the little dinosaur shaped ones, he'd look at me like I was from outer space.

It sounds like you are feeding her a pretty well rounded diet already. Like everyone else said, just keep giving her small amounts of other foods... she may come to the conclusion that she likes them all on her own. Don't make a fuss or try and coax her into eating anything, just put it on the plate. If she doesn't eat it, throw it away and try again at the next meal.

kelligirl · June 2009

Such good advice from everyone! I'm proud of the good support system we have here.

And ngwife4life, I'm impressed that you're concerned about what you're feeding - or think you should be feeding - your child. Keep up the good work - and use the suggestions given here.

My son was always in the 99th percentile as well in height and weight up until he was in the 9th grade -and we rarely had junk in the house to eat - then he started really watching what he ate (especially in school), lost 60 pounds and sprouted up! He's 6' 7" now and is thin as can be (his pic is in my profile).

Good luck - it sounds like you'll manage just fine.

Calling all Parents (Advice needed)

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