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10 Bright Stars Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 16 2006 Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline Posts: 728
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Posted: Aug 06 2012 at 2:26pm | IP Logged
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My son William is almost 3 years old. He was an exclusively formula fed baby, which I only mention because out of my 10 children, he doesn't really seem to like any food at all! He is a chubby little fella and looks healthy enough, but for the longest time, he just like milk, milk, and more milk. I have tried to really cut that out almost entirely..i.e..getting milk bottles..again...being a bottle baby, he seemed to take a bottle a really long time despite rigorous attempts. Anyway, he is into "comfort foods", mainly, just mac-n-cheese, pbj's, and then, he does, oddly enough, like field green salad with ranch dressing. He does not really enjoy meat of any kind, getting most of his protein from peanut butter and then the cheese he does love. I give him a vitamin each day, and try to hide stuff in his mac-n-cheese, and we have to still feed him it seems to get him to eat!!! Very difficult when he decides he doesn't want to also! He hates eggs, no chicken, no hamburger...he does like pizza and sometimes spaghetti, and he does like all fruit. I have never had such a picky eater! My 16 month old, who is very petite and, looking at him, you would think HE was the picky eater, eats everything in site and then some!
Any advice about getting him to eat more things? Links to recipe sites for kids who don't seem to enjoy meat? As I said, he "looks" healthy enough, but I noticed at the last doc appt. with my 16 month old, the nurse specifically asked about the chicken, meat etc. He was being so terrible, that I didn't really get to chat to ask about what to do about that for the older brother. Thought maybe some of you all may have encountered with with a child or two.
Thanks!
__________________ Kim married to Bob (22y)
Mom of 11 blessings:
Bobby 19, David 17, Noah 14,
Mary 12, Gracie 10,
Isabelle and Sophia 8,
Gabrielle 6,
William Anthony 4, Joseph 3 and Luisa Marie - born in M
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10 Bright Stars Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 16 2006 Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline Posts: 728
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Posted: Aug 06 2012 at 2:27pm | IP Logged
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Oh,and he really likes yogurt too, and will even eat greek yogurt.
__________________ Kim married to Bob (22y)
Mom of 11 blessings:
Bobby 19, David 17, Noah 14,
Mary 12, Gracie 10,
Isabelle and Sophia 8,
Gabrielle 6,
William Anthony 4, Joseph 3 and Luisa Marie - born in M
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Barbara C. Forum All-Star
Joined: July 11 2007 Location: Illinois
Online Status: Offline Posts: 882
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Posted: Aug 06 2012 at 9:39pm | IP Logged
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My four-year-old daughter (exclusively breastfed) will not eat any meat, fruits, vegetables, or dairy (except Dean's Tru Moo Chocolate Milk and whipped strawberry yogurt). She only eats chips, crackers, candy, and some peanut butter. So, your son seems like an eating champ compared to her.
First I would recommend talking to your pediatrician. He/she will let you know if there are any concerns about your son's weight/BMI. Since my daughter was slightly over-weight and had a limited number of foods she would eat, our pediatrician sent her for a nutritional consult. She has been recommended for weekly feeding therapy due to sensory issues.
However, we are unable to start therapy at this time (new baby + scheduling issues). So they gave me a list of tips that I will pass on to you.
1) Make sure everyone in the house is on a regular eating schedule with snacks/meals two to three hours apart. No eating in front of the television or computer, and only water in between times. Everyone sits at the table.
2) Start with foods that your son likes and try new variations. For instance, if he likes regular goldfish crackers have him try Parmesan, pretzel, or colored ones. If he likes one type of yogurt, try the same type in a different flavor or the same flavor of a different type.
3) Limit the amount of milk he is drinking to 8-16 ounces.
4) Let him "play" with new foods. Let him start by touching it, picking it up, touching it to different parts of his face with lips being last. If it is a crunchy food, let him crumble it, put a little dot on his finger, and then coax him to eat the little dot on his finger.
5) Only introduce new foods at snack times. Meal times should be about nutrition punch while snack times are about extra calories and experimentation.
Hope some of this helps.
__________________ Barbara
Mom to "spirited" dd(9), "spunky" dd (6), "sincere" dd (3), "sweet" dd (2), and baby girl #5 born 8/1/12!!
Box of Chocolates
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10 Bright Stars Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 16 2006 Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline Posts: 728
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Posted: Aug 06 2012 at 10:03pm | IP Logged
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Thanks for the tips! I totally agree about limiting milk! He seems to have a problem with eczema when he drinks a lot of milk too, I have noticed.
Oddly enough, after writing this post, I had some issues with him at dinnertime, as usual. It was a really delicious white chicken breast spaghetti with the chicken sauteed in fresh roasted garlic, fresh tomatoes from a garden, and things like that. He poked around with the noodles, as usual, but didn't eat any of the other stuff. I talked him into letting ME feed him, and he ate the whole plate..chicken and all! He doesn't usually like chicken, so I wondered if it was because I had roasted the garlic, and then sauteed the chicken in that...making it taste a lot less like chicken? Anyway, I was so happy that he ate that!!
Will definately try some of your tips as I DO think it is odd that he only eats things he doesn't usually like if I sit there and feed him when he is almost 3, AND, he has such a limited diet...that worries me health-wise. He is due for a check-up soon, so will definately ask the doc too!
__________________ Kim married to Bob (22y)
Mom of 11 blessings:
Bobby 19, David 17, Noah 14,
Mary 12, Gracie 10,
Isabelle and Sophia 8,
Gabrielle 6,
William Anthony 4, Joseph 3 and Luisa Marie - born in M
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Erica Sanchez Forum All-Star
Joined: March 05 2005 Location: California
Online Status: Offline Posts: 1538
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Posted: Aug 07 2012 at 1:32am | IP Logged
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Kim,
My youngest turned 3 today and sometimes the only way he eats is when his 11 year old sister feeds him. Maybe it is an attention thing. I think it's sweet and I know he will grow out of this soon so I try not to worry about it.
At this age, I'm happy to let them dip their food in dressing or ketchup if it helps them eat the healthier stuff. Within reason anyway. :)
__________________ Have a beautiful and fun day!
Erica in San Diego
(dh)Cash, Emily, Grace, Nicholas, Isabella, Annie, Luke, Max, Peter, 2 little souls ++, and sweet Rose who is legally ours!
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mom2mpr Forum All-Star
Joined: May 16 2006 Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline Posts: 1550
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Posted: Aug 07 2012 at 6:23am | IP Logged
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He looks like a pretty good eater to me.
I found my kids needed variety and I would put 3-4 bites of 5-6 things on their plates when young. It seemed to make eating more interesting, because you know playing is a whole lot more fun than eating
__________________ Anne, married to dh 16 years!, ds,(97), Little One (02), and dd (02).
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