Hi girls i really need some advice , i will start at the beginning , when my little girl was born two years ago , she was having problems with her milk formula so she was put on a lactose free milk , i was told by the dietician that i would have problems weaning her and i did it took me till she was one to get her on to solids , It took me even longer to get her off the horrible milk ,any way she is now finally on normal milk but i can not get her to eat at all , she wants milk all the time , the specialist said cut the milk down and starve her , i have tried this and its horrible and cruel and she crys all the time , I was wondering if anyone else have had problems getting there children to eat and if so how did you manage to get food into them , Any ideas would be greatly welcomed am pulling my hair out and really worried . thank you in advance karen
Hi girls i really need some advice , i will start at the beginning , when my little girl was born two years ago , she was having problems with her milk formula so she was put on a lactose free milk , i was told by the dietician that i would have problems weaning her and i did it took me till she was one to get her on to solids , It took me even longer to get her off the horrible milk ,any way she is now finally on normal milk but i can not get her to eat at all , she wants milk all the time , the specialist said cut the milk down and starve her , i have tried this and its horrible and cruel and she crys all the time , I was wondering if anyone else have had problems getting there children to eat and if so how did you manage to get food into them , Any ideas would be greatly welcomed am pulling my hair out and really worried . thank you in advance karen
Hi Karen,
What I mare, my little one had reflux and was on staydown milk and older one was on soya. I find Libby (15mths) likes her food quite creamy so I put food in the blender with milk so process it together (ie veggies etc). You dont say how if she is taking the milk (ie cup or bottle). Have you tried offering her a drink of milk with the food, just a small amount. If she is taking it from a bottle try watering it down. Also try more finger food rather than spoon/fork food I know my older one much prefered food she could stick in her mouth and if I gave her spaghetti she would eat it the same way lol.
I would suggest finger food too, plus use the milk as a reward for her trying new things. Only put a few things onto the plate and start off small - you could also have a plate with the same things on it and use it as a bit of a game. You can then very slowly reduce the amount of milk you give. At this point I'd say that it'd probably be only snacks til she builds up to eating more, also does she eat with you at meal times? If she does, continue to put out whatever she usually has, if she doesn't then sit her at the table with you, she may pick up on what other people are doing.
Ali
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"POZZIE" - HAPPY AND LOVIN IT!
I'm sick of following my dreams, I'm just going to ask them where they're going and hook up with them later
Prior to coming to Oz 9 weeks ago I worked as a registered health visitor and am also a qualified paediatric nurse and your problem with your little girl is not uncommon. What you have to identify is this a behavioural issue or a feeding issue chances are its a mixture of the two. If she is being seen by a specialist then I'm assuming they have monitored her growth and development and are happy that she is making progress. I'm not sure if your little one is still on formula or full fat cows milk? By your post. The problem is that while she is having milk, milk is classed as food in a way and it will fill her up and so she will not want to eat. Is she waking in the night for milk as well? Is she having a bottle or a cup?
What I would normally suggest in my professional capacity is this:
1. Speak to your health visitor and get a base line weight and height.
2. If she wakes for milk in the night and has a bottle she will be full up in the day and will refuse food during the day as a consequence. At night give her half strength milk make it more diluted. I would never advse this with a baby or infant under one but as she is 2yrs this is fine. This will make her less full, the milk will become more of a drink rather than food. Gradually replace this with water. Offer her small portions of food during the day say five as opposed to three, iron rich food, fruit and finger foods, cheese yoghurt.
3. Fussy eaters and food wars are really common, try not to let it takeover your life or hers. We are approaching the terrible twos. Get your OH to back you up. Consitency is the key present a united front. Praise her when she eats initially but don't go overboard
4. Its important to ensure that she gets the vitamins and minerals she needs and unfortunately iron deficiency anaemia is common when children tend to have a very high concentration of in their diet, because the large volume of milk stops iron being absorbed. See about giving her a mulit vitamin every day a childrens brand like abidec is fine.
5. Finally it will be really hard and it wont happen over night you may have a few lapses and give in to her. But just start again when you do. Good luck with everthing.
Prior to coming to Oz 9 weeks ago I worked as a registered health visitor and am also a qualified paediatric nurse and your problem with your little girl is not uncommon. What you have to identify is this a behavioural issue or a feeding issue chances are its a mixture of the two. If she is being seen by a specialist then I'm assuming they have monitored her growth and development and are happy that she is making progress. I'm not sure if your little one is still on formula or full fat cows milk? By your post. The problem is that while she is having milk, milk is classed as food in a way and it will fill her up and so she will not want to eat. Is she waking in the night for milk as well? Is she having a bottle or a cup?
What I would normally suggest in my professional capacity is this:
1. Speak to your health visitor and get a base line weight and height.
2. If she wakes for milk in the night and has a bottle she will be full up in the day and will refuse food during the day as a consequence. At night give her half strength milk make it more diluted. I would never advse this with a baby or infant under one but as she is 2yrs this is fine. This will make her less full, the milk will become more of a drink rather than food. Gradually replace this with water. Offer her small portions of food during the day say five as opposed to three, iron rich food, fruit and finger foods, cheese yoghurt.
3. Fussy eaters and food wars are really common, try not to let it takeover your life or hers. We are approaching the terrible twos. Get your OH to back you up. Consitency is the key present a united front. Praise her when she eats initially but don't go overboard
4. Its important to ensure that she gets the vitamins and minerals she needs and unfortunately iron deficiency anaemia is common when children tend to have a very high concentration of in their diet, because the large volume of milk stops iron being absorbed. See about giving her a mulit vitamin every day a childrens brand like abidec is fine.
5. Finally it will be really hard and it wont happen over night you may have a few lapses and give in to her. But just start again when you do. Good luck with everthing.
Milk is a food not just a drink so she will be getting lots of nutrients from it...Have you thought about gradually watering the milk down..That way she wont be so full from it and maybe begin to be hungry...Gabz was underweight for years, thinking if she had a bowl of soup that was all she needed for the day..She still doesnt eat much, has days where she eats nothing apart from breakfast and yet other days she wont stop...She eats to survive and food has never played a major part in her life..She also has never really had any major illnesses and although gets ill sometimes she bounces back pretty quick..i do think this is due to her not eating lots of crap... Sorry to have gone on a bit there, as I said try water down the milk and maybe her hunger will return..I was thirsty in the car the other day and had a bottle of Oak strawberry milk...it filled me up for the whole afternoon HUGZ Jo x
I agree wih Monty's advice. I am a nurse who works in a local child and family team. I guess you will be feeling a level of anxiety too, after all all we want is our child to eat. In addition to Monty's advice try to relax and make meal times fun, fun, fun,. You will get there in the end but it will be hard work so make sure you have plenty of support around you.
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Chrissy
Chrissy ( nurse) ,Simon (Health care assitant), Josh 6 years and Sam (20 months)
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OOOOOH Been there (and not too long ago.) Monty & Chrissy are so wise. I also wonder how your daughter is taking the milk. My youngest who is now 3 had this problem as well but we found it had to do with the comfort he received from sucking the tomee tippee cup. I broke the problem by throwing out all lids to cups and found that then he almost refused to drink. It was horribly heart wrenching ( we told him that other babies needed them and for a few weeks, he would ask if the other babies were finished and would give them back.) However, it made all the difference and within a week he was eating like he had never eaten before. FOr us, it was medical but became behavioural and comfort and we hadn't even noticed the transition. Add it to your list of things they never warn you about parenthood!!!
Prior to coming to Oz 9 weeks ago I worked as a registered health visitor and am also a qualified paediatric nurse and your problem with your little girl is not uncommon. What you have to identify is this a behavioural issue or a feeding issue chances are its a mixture of the two. If she is being seen by a specialist then I'm assuming they have monitored her growth and development and are happy that she is making progress. I'm not sure if your little one is still on formula or full fat cows milk? By your post. The problem is that while she is having milk, milk is classed as food in a way and it will fill her up and so she will not want to eat. Is she waking in the night for milk as well? Is she having a bottle or a cup?
What I would normally suggest in my professional capacity is this:
1. Speak to your health visitor and get a base line weight and height.
2. If she wakes for milk in the night and has a bottle she will be full up in the day and will refuse food during the day as a consequence. At night give her half strength milk make it more diluted. I would never advse this with a baby or infant under one but as she is 2yrs this is fine. This will make her less full, the milk will become more of a drink rather than food. Gradually replace this with water. Offer her small portions of food during the day say five as opposed to three, iron rich food, fruit and finger foods, cheese yoghurt.
3. Fussy eaters and food wars are really common, try not to let it takeover your life or hers. We are approaching the terrible twos. Get your OH to back you up. Consitency is the key present a united front. Praise her when she eats initially but don't go overboard
4. Its important to ensure that she gets the vitamins and minerals she needs and unfortunately iron deficiency anaemia is common when children tend to have a very high concentration of in their diet, because the large volume of milk stops iron being absorbed. See about giving her a mulit vitamin every day a childrens brand like abidec is fine.
5. Finally it will be really hard and it wont happen over night you may have a few lapses and give in to her. But just start again when you do. Good luck with everthing.
Montyx
Thank you so much for your advice monty , she is still on the bottle for milk and beaker for juice . tryed to put milk in beaker but she wont have it . Have watered it down but not half and half .will try a cup tonight think the bottle can go to the baby ducks again thank you so much ... karen
