I am at the point where I've become just really frustrated and need some solid, good, tried, and true advice from mommies who have already been down this road. So here's what I am currently dealing with - I call it the Gag Reflex - and my son Hudson is incredibly talented using this tool while eating!
Like I said before, my buddy is 11 months old. He does really really well eating pureed foods. In fact, he LOVES most of them (except bananas). Since our 9 month appt I have been trying to get him to eat more solid foods including food that my husband and I eat. Boy's just like his mama and loves carbs - give him any type of cracker-like food - and he is in heaven. He self feeds only with these types of foods. Loves cheerios, goldfish, ritz crackers, animal crackers, and bread. Um, who doesn't?
Anything else I attempt to put into his mouth and here comes the good old GAG REFLEX, followed by...VOMIT everywhere! I usually try new foods at lunchtime so that if he does vomit he doesn't have a belly full to throw up. My attempts have included fruits like cut up bananas, pears, mandarin oranges and veggies like cooked green beans, corn, peas, and lima beans.
I have discovered he likes to eat cut up bites of grilled cheese sandwiches. I usually try and throw in a slice of ham or turkey in the grilled cheese in order to add some protein to his diet and he USUALLY does a good job of self feeding. Sometimes I'll have to stick the first bite in his mouth but of course I always run the risk of him gagging it up for whatever reason.
These are some trends I've noticed:
- anything cold or wet he refuses to pick up including meat
- he'll only pick up crackers, dry cereal, bread while sitting in his high chair
- Gags on most jarred "3rd Foods"
- Tastes the first bite of whatever I'm feeding him. If he likes it, great. If not, hands go up to cover his mouth and if I try and shove it in anyway he can instantly gag and vomit the food up.
I guess I'm just starting to stress because my pediatrician said by his one year appt (coming up at the end of April) he should no longer be eating baby foods, should be self feeding most every meal, and basically should be eating whatever solid foods we eat. I know this is not going to happen in a month and will most likely take more time since I do have a picky eater on my hands but any suggestions or advice would be gladly taken. Please! I just want Hudson to have a better, more well-rounded diet and of course I'd love for all the gagging and vomiting to stop too:)
Thanks!
Erica
Erica - we skipped the 3rd food entirely - Jack didn't like the texture of the puree plus the chunks of food. So - we stopped doing baby food around 9-10 months. For breakfast - he will eat bananas, pears, peaches, or apples - cut-up. He also likes waffles, pancakes, nutri-grain bars, and cereal. He will eat yogurt and applesauce too. For lunch - we do peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, string cheese, fruit, and goldfish or organic cheetos. He also loves teddy grahams. He also will eat lunch meat or the Gerber meat sticks (they make me gag - but he loves them). Slowly - we started introducing more "adult finger foods" at dinner. He will eat mixed veggies (from the can - with lima beans, carrots, and peas). He still won't eat eggs though. I have read that sometimes it takes up to 10 times before a child will eat and like a new food. I would keep doing what you are doing - but just introduce new things here and there. Hope this helps :)
ReplyDeleteDon't give up! It took about 10-15 attempts with tomatoes to get my boys to eat them. Same thing with avocados. Still at almost 17-months they will love something at one meal and won't touch it at the next.
ReplyDeleteTry cereal bars. They are dry and soft to the touch (and look like a regular carb) put have good for you fruit inside.
I still give my boys foods that have to be feed with a spoon (like cottage cheese and oatmeal). Not everything they eat must be a finger food. It just takes time for them to get used to eating a new way and new foods. I pray they won't be as picky as me! ;)
Good luck!
Hey Erica! I know we talked a little about this subject this past weekend, but Hudson sounds so much like Will, I had to comment. Will would throw up or gag on slimy food, like pasta or vegetables and wouldn't eat any meats. He loves carbs and sweets just like all humans:) We even went to a texture therapist, or food therapist or something because the doctor said it would make meal time less stressful. The only thing I really learned from her was not to end a meal on a throw up, cause then he will figure things out. I do have to say with age things have gotten a little better, especially between 16- 18 months. He even ate half a chicken nugget- huge for us! My sister-in-law is super picky, so I kind of think it's hereditary too;) nutra grain bars, applesauce, and yogurt have been really successful. I worry about the protein thing too, and Will does eat peanut butter and grilled cheeses, but for the meats, I try to lure him with different sauces and sometimes that helps- honey, BBQ, ketchup and ranch ( he didn't like the ranch though). The therapist said that some kids like the skinless sausage sticks and Le Sueur peas and carrots ( they are in a silver can at the grocery), but Will didn't go for those either, but it's worth a try. Like I said before, I think what has helped the most is age. Please call me anytime if you need to talk. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteHa! I was reading another blog and somehow, I am
ReplyDeleteThinking fate, I came across your blog! I went to high school with Micah, I was in the same class with Colleen! Anywho, my son Noah is going to be a year April 27th and I'm freaking out! A month ago this process of slowly going to real foods was fine. Now all of the sudden, I can't even mince up banana in his oatmeal without him spitting it out or digging it out with his hand! I'm am hoping you get a ton of responses and I can learn a little something too! I'm not wanting a picky eater, and I am thinking that I have complete control over that when he is as young as he is.
Erica,
ReplyDeleteReady for this awesome advice?!
Feed him whatever doesn't make him barf :)
If he is still on formula/breast milk, he gets all the nutrition he needs - food is a bonus. If it helps to ease your mind, give him a daily vitamin as well.
I can TOTALLY appreciate your situation - the stress you feel to make the best choices for Hudson - and you are a stellar mama for feeling that way! It is clear you love him and take your parenting seriously. You are awesome!
I used to be like you :) I would leave 3 pages of instructions for my mom and MIL when they kept only-child Lexi. It was insane. And a hard lesson in control. We can do our best - like offer well-rounded meals - but in the end, the control isn't ours. It is partially Hudson's. But, more to the point, it is all God's. Trust him to take care of your little man. Do your best, and then rest in the Lord's goodness.
Love ya!
Thanks everybody! I suppose its the overachiever in me that likes to do things by the book...and basically I've figured out that with babies, you really can't expect to do things by the book. There is no owners manual so to speak. And every baby is different I've learned. So I am going to just embrace my little bundle of vomit and relax for a bit. I did want to share a link regarding picky eaters my friend Jennifer found. It's got some helpful advice/tips. Good luck!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.askdrsears.com/html/3/t030800.asp