Would you/your Ped recommend Pediasure?

One of my guys is a great drinker and not as good an eater and the other (Peter) is kind of the opposite. Although they have both finally figured out how to use sippy cups, I haven't completely transitioned them from bottles because of their weight. They've been at the 3-5th percentile (or below) on the growth curve since birth. At their one year well visit, they were both less than 18pounds. 2 weeks later, Michael had gained 4 oz and Peter only 1 oz. Now, Peter's drinking around 10oz of milk/formula every day and I wouldn't say he's eating much more in solids. I've tried giving his milk/formula in a sippy, no dice so it's not the bottle. I've tried 100% formula and 100% whole milk, doesn't drink more with either and actually probably hasn't gotten used to the taste of whole milk yet. So, now I'm mixing whole milk with Good Start 2 formula to hopefully move completely to milk one day.

Anyway, I've brought this up to 2 Pediatricians (my regular Pedi is on maternity leave and she works in a practice with 5 others) and none of them seem too concerned. They say that 10oz/day is ok (even though the regular Pedi said at their 12mo checkup they should get at least 18oz/day) or it's just a phase due to teething.

So, I'm wondering, should I be that concerned? Those of you in similar situations, do you use Pediasure or Carnation Instant Breakfast? If so, how often (every time they get a cup/bottle)? Are you worried they'll be hooked on the sweet stuff?

TIA!

 

My girls were very small at 1 yr and not big eaters. They were 15lbs and 15lbs 8oz. With the Dr's recommendation we started giving them 2 pediasures a day until they started eating more on their own. They liked it and it definitely helped with their weight gain.

 

Mine have also been hovering around the 5th percentile (when they were on the charts at all) since birth.

Is your little eater having trouble actually mastering table foods, or simply not that interested?

I would be weary of trying to meet daily quotas of milk/formula. I was so "intake obsessed" that I really made the whole eating experience miserable for all 3 of us (make that 4 of us...DH dreaded it too). I totally recommend Ellyn Satter's book Child of Mine, at least the 100 pages of feeding your 12-36mo toddler. It allowed me to let go of the BOTTLE NAZI the NICU morphed me into and enjoy mealtime with the boys. They are not enormous kids, but they are eager, happy, adventurous eaters.

That being said, I did give Nick a Pediasure Nutripals bottle today because he's been sick/teething and simply hasn't been able to tolerate food to well b/c he's not feeling well. He gulped the entire 8 oz down with pleasure. I'm sure he enjoyed the taste. If you're on it long term, you may find you have to phase them back off of it.

 

My Jessy eats ALOT of table food but she just ude so much energy (her heart murmur is part of that problem) that she has trouble gaining weight she has been drinking pediasure for about 2 months and has put on a pound. I have switched her over to carnation instant breakfast though because its cheaper but still has more protien and calcium than just milk(I'm hoping she'll still keep gaining on the Carnation). I'm going to try to get the pedi to write a wic sript for pediasure though next tuesday. I usually do 1 bottle on good days 2 bottles on bad days. SHe likes plain milk and drinks it jsut fine too.

 

Another thing we did when they were on pediasure was to make them double strength milk. It is whatever regular milk you give them mixed with powdered milk, and we'd mix the powdered milk into just about everything they ate too. It's pretty tasteless, so they don't notice it and very cheap when compared to the cost of pediasure. The pediasures were in addition to everything else.

 

The nutripals are different and are to be used with regular diet. My Jessy has no problems switching between pediasure and milk :umm:

 

My ds has food sensory issues so he really doesnt eat much of anything and if he does eat its snack type things like cheerios. Hes been on pediasure for almost 2 years now 3xs a day and his wieght is so much better. We tried experimenting to take him off of it to see if he will eat but he still wont and his wieght just drops too much.

If you qualify for WIC and you get a presciption from a ped they will cover the expense of pediasure

 

QUOTE(SweetpeaG @ Apr 14 2007, 05:00 AM) [snapback]219434[/snapback]
Is your little eater having trouble actually mastering table foods, or simply not that interested?

I would be weary of trying to meet daily quotas of milk/formula. I was so "intake obsessed" that I really made the whole eating experience miserable for all 3 of us (make that 4 of us...DH dreaded it too). I totally recommend Ellyn Satter's book Child of Mine, at least the 100 pages of feeding your 12-36mo toddler. It allowed me to let go of the BOTTLE NAZI the NICU morphed me into and enjoy mealtime with the boys. They are not enormous kids, but they are eager, happy, adventurous eaters.

That being said, I did give Nick a Pediasure Nutripals bottle today because he's been sick/teething and simply hasn't been able to tolerate food to well b/c he's not feeling well. He gulped the entire 8 oz down with pleasure. I'm sure he enjoyed the taste. If you're on it long term, you may find you have to phase them back off of it.

Thanks, SweetpeaG. I'm going to check out one of Ellyn Satter's books. I know, we can get so obsessed with feeding our children.

And, thanks to all who responded. I think we'll do a little experimenting with an occasional Pediasure/Nutripals or CIB and see how it goes.

 

Hailee drinks Boost Plus, it has all the vitamins and 14g fat & around 350 calories! She has a specific reason for this though, so I would ask your pedi as you don't want to start bad food habits that will stick with them later.

 

My son is on pediasure. He was gaining and then just fell off his curve (which was not on the chart yet) now his curve is going downhill so they have him on 4 pediasure's a day and a medicine called Peryactin to increase his appetite. I will find out on Tues if its working. The carnation instant breakfast doesn't have all the vitamins and stuff does it? I gave it to him once but he didn't seem to like it, he LOVES the pediasure though.

Good luck!

 

Funny story about this....Addison was really not eating very well since she has been teething, so DH thought we needed to put her on some pediasure. They loved it. Well, there is a little bear on the front of them, so now our girls beg for "bear...bear" which in our household now means, Milk! I have to explain this to everyone, grandparents, etc so when they girls are asking for bear...bear, they know what they mean. She still gets about 1 a day as she just doesn't seem to be eating a lot. We alternate throughout the day between pediasure and milk without any problem.

 

I give mine nutripals by Pediasure when they are going through a non-eating phase, just so they get enough calories and dont' wake up in the middle of the night starving. They seem to really like them. I think 10 oz. of milk is good. I try not to take what the book say completely to heart because are a basic guideline. I like how one of the pp's said the Bottle Nazi the NICU morphed her into. It's so true. They are so schedule, ounce (or ml) oriented that you forget that each child is different and don't all require the same amount.

My pedi is not very crisis-oriented. Meaning he really kind of takes the sit back and wait approach. Which is great for me as I am easily worried. I have a friend whose daughter is not gaining as fast as they like (and she is gorgeous, just petite) and a nutritionist told them to slather butter on everything and gave her these flakes that add extra calories. To me, I think that's the wrong approach and I don't think butter is all that healthy.

I think if you talk to your pedi when she comes back and talk to her about the Pediasure she'll probably be okay with it. In the meantime, it can't hurt to give it to them if you want. Like I said mine love them.

 

QUOTE
I have a friend whose daughter is not gaining as fast as they like (and she is gorgeous, just petite) and a nutritionist told them to slather butter on everything and gave her these flakes that add extra calories. To me, I think that's the wrong approach and I don't think butter is all that healthy.

That may seem extreme but sometimes to just get some weight on them its a quick approach to see if they are capable of gaining weight. Also, once they stop gaining or fall of the curve it can affect brain development. I thought it was way extreme as well when they told me this but I have since learned that there is a reason behind it!