Hey daddy. . .my birthday is coming up.
I was wondering if you remembered about that pony.
The tiny one?Not too much to report today. Olivia has been sleeping a bit better at night. Now she is refusing any kind of baby food. She will sit in her highchair with her lips tightly closed. Even the popular pears and prunes are getting rejected. I'm not sure why that happened all of the sudden. At first I thought that she just wasn't hungry, but she'll take her bottle without any problems. Has this happened to any of you? She used to be a pretty good eater.
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9 comments:
Emery took foods for a while and then refused. He's always taken the bottle, though.
You can try what we did and just touch the spoon to her mouth, not forcing her to eat, and do it 10 times 3 times a day. He was back to taking foods orally within a few days.
He still needs feeding therapy (but he has many more tummy issues than Olivia and never really gets hungry because of the G-tube) but man I wish I would have tried this in the beginning rather than letting it get so bad. Or, maybe she's just not feeling well or asserting her independence. As long as she's taking bottles, though, I wouldn't get too discouraged. She looks so healthy and looks to be growing really well.
Sounds like Sarah's idea to still continue the feeding process is a really great idea. That way if it's Olivia asserting her independence she learns that she will still have to "go through the process." It is odd though, considering she hasn't been throwing up lately or showing any signs of discomfort from eating. She's always seemed to know what's best for her though so maybe it's just a phase and she will be eating like a champ again soon.
Cute pictures. And, Olivia, if dad doesn't remember about the tiny pony, I do! I'll remind him!
actually- Nate just stopped pretty much eating anything but a bottle just a couple days ago too.... He'll be 1 on Aug.9th- so... I dont really think much of it- cause I figure that he's getting enough nutrition through the bottle, and when he wants to, he'll eat! I know that with her being a preemie and everything that it could be different- but if she was already eating baby food alright, then I wouldnt think that an "eating disorder" would just arise... but thats me! ALSO! Maybe its a tooth! Nate doesnt eat hardly anything when a tooth is coming thru.... good luck!
Ryan did the same thing except he also pretty much quit the bottle too. We discovered it was related to teething and was also a developmental stage that happens around 9-12 months. We didn't do much other than offer bottles and food often.
Sydney's done that a few times. We just keep offering...wish I had better advice.
hey jodi,
conner has done that a few times lately too. of course, i freak out every time (because he has NEVER turned his head away when food is coming!), but he'll take a bottle instead, so I try not to worry as long as he is still eating. I attribute it to either teething, or maybe this stuffy nose that he had. Either way, some days are good and some days are bad on the eating front, but if she's still getting the bottle, i wouldn't worry about it too much.
Both my girls have done it at various times, Enya was the worst she kept it going for 2 weeks. Sarah's advice sounds good. In the end they went back to eating again in a couple of days so long as we didn't try and force feed them.
All babies develop differently. Some start solid foods sooner than others - some seem to have huge appetites... and others don't!
A baby's appetite can vary from day to day and is influenced by such things as
teething (which can make eating uncomfortable)
temperature and humidity
how active he is
feeling unwell
developmental stages (including "growth spurts")
With so many factors affecting his appetite, it makes no sense to compare the amount of food your baby is eating with any other baby, or to try and fulfil a rigid recommendation.
Instead, you need to establish what is the right amount for HIM.
How much should my baby be eating? - The problems with trying to adhere to guidelines
If you are told that babies of 8 months should be eating a certain amount - but your baby only eats half that amount - then you are going to worry! Inevitably, you'll be concerned that you may be "starving" your child, which could result in your trying to cajole/trick/force your baby into eating more.
This can create all sorts of problems.
Babies are born with a natural ability to judge for themselves just how much food they need...
Studies have shown that healthy babies will eat the perfect amount for them, if presented with a range of healthy foods. When your baby has had enough to eat, he will usually let you know, by...
refusing to open his mouth
turning away from the spoon/pushing the spoon away
becoming restless in his highchair
leaning back in his highchair
It is far better to respect these cues from your baby than to try to continue to feed him when he is full, which could leave him with that bloated, uncomfortable feeling we are all familiar with if we've over-eaten.
But by giving him more calories than he really needs, you also risk excessive weight gain, a problem which could stay with your child for some time to come. He may lose the ability to discern for himself when it's time to stop eating.
This is particularly significant if you introduce solid foods to your baby before he actually needs them - studies show that obesity can be the result of early solid feeding.
How much should my baby be eating? - Concerns that your baby is not eating enough
First and foremost, it's important to remember that breastmilk or formula should be your baby's primary source of nutrition for much of the first year.
So, as long as he is nursing regularly or consuming an adequate amount of formula, then it should not present any major problems if he's not eating as much solid food as you feel he should. For a good part of the first year, the purpose of giving solid foods is mainly to introduce your baby to new tastes and textures and to help him master the techniques needed to eat solid food, in preparation for the full transition from his "liquid diet"!
Besides, he may be eating more than you think...
Some doctors recommend making a list of everything your baby eats over the course of 3 or 4 days. You may find that your baby actually ate quite a lot on one of those days - and very little on the others! But the quantity of food consumed across those 4 days was probably sufficient for that time period... even though your baby ate it all in one day!
Even if your baby isn't a "binge-eater", you may still discover that the small amounts he manages to eat each day actually add up to more than you realize!
This happens with every baby. I am on my 3rd and while none were premature or had health issues, I firmly believe that babies are the most independent and stubborn creatures around! She is simply stating a fact - she is 'bored' with the purees, or she wants to try feeding herself etc. the most important thing is to stick to the same routine and persist with the feeding. Perhaps give her her own spoon with some food on the tip.
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