Stopping formula soon, but fighting the purees now

Ok, so the ped told us to stop the formula around 14 months. Tomorrow we go to 25% formula 75% soy milk bottles and we have enough formula for about 2 more weeks. That puts us right around the 14 month mark.

Here is my concern. They are still doing a lot of purees because Max just fights every finger food we give him except carbs like crackers, but now they are both fighting the purees. After each puree feeding they are covered and so are my walls, floor, & the dog.

If we put any finger food in front of Lily see eats everything on the first try. I know for Max it is a texture thing. It took a month for him to eat banana slices, but he still won't eat a noodle after 2 months. With his milk allergy I have to really watch their finger food choices.

So since they are fighting the purees so bad right now should I finish what we have and keep feeding what they will eat for finger foods in hopes Max will catch on? If not do I force the purees just for the nutrition?

We don't have another doctors appointment for 6 weeks and my MIL is the main nurse at our ped's office and blocks calls to the doctor. So when I mentioned this to her she said to keep them on only bottles til they were close to 18 or 24 months, WTF, if I do that they will never learn to eat. She is all about what is easier for the caregiver, not the child. I hate to say she doesn't stay up to date on her education and it sometimes amazes me that she is still employed, but that is another story. Plus DH insisted we go to her ped. office because she has been working there 25 years, so I couldn't fight that issue.

Sorry so long, but what would you do about the purees? I have to grocery shop tomorrow and I am wondering if I should buy any more.

 

Mine weren't eating any purees by 14 months. I'd give them lots of finger food options and stop the purees. They will get it and eat enough to be fine.

ETA: I've never heard of any medical recommendation to keep children on solely bottles until 18 or 24 months. I know it's not necessarily a big deal for them t drink out of bottles until that time - as opposed to sippies - but I think they are supposed to be getting most of their nutrition from food after a year. My pedi actually told us limitations on the amount of milk per day to insure they eat food.

 

one trick i used as we were transitioning to finger foods was to spread their purees onto bread, crackers, rice cakes, pancakes, whatever, and then cut or breack that up into smaller pieces. that way they got to practice all the skills required for finger foods, it was a texture my girls liked & would eat, and they were still getting the nutritional value of the fruits & veggies. GL!

 

Maybe this is one of those "Mommy confessions" but I still give my kids some purees at 17 months. They get finger food too but the purees are something i KNOW they will eat and some days you do what you gotta do.
So anyway... with my boys I think that was the time that food started becoming difficult because they were just starting to realize that they wanted THIS food, not THAT food but had no way of telling me what they wanted. They have gotten over that quite a bit lately but for a while we were wasting an awful lot of food because they would reject food after food until I figured out what they wanted at that precise moment. I just had to keep offering them different things. Stuff they spit out one day was the only thing they would eat the next day.
Good luck, I know I felt like an idiot mom when i couldn't figure out what to feed them but we muddled through.
Oh and I agree that i have NEVER heard the advice to just keep them on bottles, I'm not sure a doctor would agree with your MIL.

 

I would offer finger foods and give them some time to try it. And at the end of the meal, if you see they haven't had enough, give the purees. I was doing this for a while, and eventually they just started eating all finger/table foods and I stopped the purees. Just be persistent and patient. Some days are much easier than others, but it'll work out.

 

I have always viewed --- food/ bottles / etc to really be a choice for the mother based on her children. I dont' really think or see how any Pedi should be giving opinions on the topic unless asked for it, or if the child has low weight issues. My two had low weight issues and one twin still does. I have chosen to keep them on some formula & milk to keep up their calorie intake. I still give them bottles for milk becaue to me sippy cups ARE bottles just different shape. To me only a CUP is a cup. My two don't have an attachment to bottles it just allows me to fully measure how much they drink. They drink room temperature, warmed milk, two different types of formula depending on what is on sale.... so a variety of "milk" tastes...

For fingerfoods I put some on their trays or in a bowl and then when they seem like they are playing with their food I finish off with feeding them. Depending on what they have had that day I might give them a jar of baby food, something I've made, yogurt, etc. I just look at the entire day and try to get grain, fruit, veggies, meat and lots of calcium. I don't expect to get each of these at each meal but more over the entire day.

I continue to try new things and don't get in the trap of feeding them the same thing day in and day out. Works some days and not others. Just find what works for you based on what you think is important.


Heather

 

I agree. This is what we did, we offered the finger foods first and then did the purees to supplement. Mine were not off of purees completely until 17 months. Over time, they grew less and less interested.

 

Who knows what the issues are when they can't tell you! Both mine are really good eaters, but sometimes my girl pitches a fit... and swats at you as you try to spoon feed her... yogurt etc, sometimes SHE wants to put the spoon in her mouth, which is a complete mess... but how else do they learn? anyway, today, I gave her a small toy to hold and she let me feed her the soupy food I had for them... lentils & yogurt (yummy!)

also, some foods you cook, you can get to me pretty mushy, I wonder if you could start finger foods with those... like acorn squash and sweet potatoes, both can be cooked so much that they will be mushy if that helps... I also baked peaches last night and they were really mushy, I had to spoon feed them! Good luck!!

 

Oh, I forgot to add... they my girl will take what's in her mouth out and toss it on the floor if she's offered something new that looks better... so for her, I am doing just one thing at a time... I can't even let her see the bowl of 'choices' I have in front of me...

ah, they are fun, aren't they!