Eating Issues

As some of you know we are still experiencing some feeding issues and trying to transition the boys from jarred foods to actual foods but they don't want anything to do with it. We are also loosing the battle with the sippy cup transition but I'm not as concerned about that.

I've been supplementing with Similac Go & Grow formula 8oz bottles in the am and pm with 8oz of milk or juice during the day. Breakfast is usually yogurt and the rest of the meals were jarred foods with crackers as a snack after their nap.

Now, they've just decided to knock everything out of my hands, throw the bread I give them on the floor, rip their bibs off (even the ones that have no clasp and go over their heads like a shirt), drink half a bottle and push it back and won't take more. I know they are hungry because when I put them in their high chairs they cry for food but won't eat it. The only sure thing I can get in them is a couple of crackers at snack time.

So maybe they want just finger foods now?? If that's the case what do you recommend? Bread items don't work I've tried things like pancakes and grilled cheese and they play with it and feed it to the dogs. Small things like cheese sticks and triscut crackers or graham crackers they will eat no problem.

So what would you guys do and what are your suggestions?? I'm desperate and incredibly frustrated! :headbang:

 

Have you tried any fruits? My picky boy mostly likes crackers and cheerios, but he loves cut up bananas, grapes, and peaches as well as blueberries, raisins and craisins. Otherwise, most of his calories come from milk and yogurt! He also does ok on eggo waffles and french toast sticks (we buy the walmart brand). They may also be grabbing because they want the spoon. Sometimes I let them hold one spoon and use another to feed with. Mine also started not wanting a lot of milk at one time so I just keep it on the table and let them take drinks throughout the meal (they are on sippies, but you could do the same with a bottle).

 

Well I've been giving them regular yogurt that has fruit in it, blueberries and strawberries, bananas, etc. but they spit that part out of the yogurt. So I'm at a loss.

If I give them anything to hold while feeding them they throw it on the floor or focus so much on the thing in their hand that they won't even pay attention to what I have on the spoon.

They still gag on things like noodles, don't ask me why.

I swear they have ADHD...I can see it already.

 

My guys went through a terrible phase when they would *not* wear bibs no matter what. I finally gave up and just resigned myself to changing their shirts after meals. ardon: It made for a lot of laundry, but happier babies.

I have 1 boy that is a total carnivore; maybe meat would tempt your boys. You can give them crumbled hamburger, bits of sausage, cut up bologna, shredded chicken, etc.

If they still eat jarred food, I wouldn't sweat the transition. I topped my guys up with baby food for *months* after they turned 1, then finally they wouldn't let me spoon feed them any more and they were totally self-fed! You can use crackers and such to let them practice self-feeding, then continue to spoon-feed them for the bulk of their nutrition for a bit while they get used to the idea of table foods. :good:

 

X will still spit out chunks in his yogurt or baby food but he will pick the fruit up off his tray and eat it. Boys can be so strange. My daughter will eat almost anything.

 

I had to give up on the bib battle too, once mine knew they could take it off, it was over
I also supplemented with baby food for a few months after my two turned one and I agree with Valerie, I would give them the finger foods and supplement with the baby food for now. I stopped the baby food when my two were not into it anymore. I would also offer small, cut bits of meat, fruit, veggies, waffles, pancakes, etc. along with the baby food for them to try. You might have said this already, but have you tried scrambled eggs...I used to make their scrambled eggs with milk and cheese and my kids loved eating that with their fingers. A TS mom provided a nice a little recipe for an apple, to cut it up in small pieces and add a little butter with cinnamon and sugar & and heat in the microwave (I do it for about a minute) and serve, my kids still love that.

 

We do lots of finger foods, peaches, bananas, pears, carrots, peas, green beans, small bits of pizza, crackers, cheeze, waffles with syrup, pancakes with syrup, poptarts, ceral bars (all cut up into small peices of course), they'll eat the gerber meat sticks too. They are super soft and mush as soon as it hits the mouth (sometimes in their hands).

 

I would still offer them cut up fruits just to try... it's different when they put it in their own mouth expecting that texture. My kids will often refuse stuff that's spoon fed to them, only to eat the exact same thing when I put it on their tray for them. I would also try meat.. there's lots of different textures there.. shredded chicken, diced roast beef, crumbled hamburger. I make bean burritos and cut them up into bits for them, or pizza. I also makea casserole with alphabet pasta, ground meat, diced mixed veggies and cheese on top with tomato sauce. It's something we can all eat, but hte kids like it because they can pick one or two things out of there to try at a time.

In the end, all you can do is give them a variety of things over and over and over until they find something they like. I know it can be frustrating, but I think that the more fun mealtime is for them, the more they'll be willing to try. They won't starve themselves!

 

I feel your pain. If they like drinking from straws, you might try smoothies for snacks and sneak yogurts, fruits inside (with some wheat germ and flaxseed for fiber)...those saved us for a while. We have been dealing with poor eating for a couple months. There are some great packaged foods by a brand named Dr. Praegers. Like broccoli bites, spinach rounds, etc. And the veggie burger by the same brand has whole veggies in it. Again, low sodium real food so you don't have to feel like you are feeding them a bunch of other ingredients. I can only find that brand at whole foods here. Have you done pasta with different sauces and cheeses? I think mine tend to get bored with things so I have had to work harder. Eating has become literally the toughest thing by far. Good luck!

 

Change is hard, and I know how frustrating this stuff is. I started with fruits and vegetables when we went to solids. I would give mine pears, bananas, tomatoes, strawberries, avocados, sweet potatoes. I made sure every thing was chopped small enough, and put it on their trays to eat on their own. I would also take pinto beans from the can and rinse them, and heat them up a little bit. They loved those. I stayed away from typical kid foods at first, in hopes that they would develop a palate for more of a variety. It worked, because now they would prefer fruits and veggies over grilled cheese, mac & cheese, and quesadillas. In fact, it is a challenge for me to find protein and carbs for them. They get picky with that stuff. I can get them to eat grilled cheese one day, but they will not eat the next. But I can put some chopped up tomatoes down, and they will inhale them. I started with the fruits and veggies because they are similar to the jarred baby food. Maybe they will like it, since it is a similar taste. Good luck!