Zoe's Food issues...

[PrincessFiona]

So...I'm totally blaming the NICU for this but Zoe has some real eating issues. Basically, she doen'st really give me "I'm hungry cues at all". I try and feed her every couple of hours (either a bottle/biter biscuits/jars or some finger foods). The things is...as soon as she knows she's going to be fed, she screams hysterically to be fed. Example...I put her in her highchair...she screams as if she is starving and then begins snarfing the food down. She can't eat it fast enough.

She drinks her bottles very fast...and she eats her food very fast..so fast, in fact, that sometimes I actually put liquid formula in the baby food, put it in a bottle and give it to her that way. That isn't quick enough for her either...She is happiest if I literally leave the fruit, etc in the baby food jar and tip the jar at her lips so that she can...drink it from there

I feel concerned. Part of the overly-hysterical part of me worries she'll develop bulimia or something ...but I just don't know how to settle this down. They were so into force-feeding her, quick feeds and filling up her little tummy and she just seems to have this little pattern for herself.

Kris

[Sheherezade]

I'm so far out of the baby parenting stage that I probably can't offer anything useful. But I won't let that stop me from trying.

I don't think you should get too concerned about eating habits with a baby. I worried endlessly about my porker baby boy.....32 lbs at 6 mos old. He was still 32 lbs at 3 years old. Heck, he may be 32 lbs now at 10 years old. He's that skinny. He could take or leave food most of the time. He has a strong affinity for fruits and veggies. In short, all my worries were for naught. His babyhood food personality didn't stick around.

Since you've had 4 kids before this, I'm sure you are doing all the right things. She's just.....very, very hungry!!! :> Give her that food jar - or if the screaming doesn't drive you mad, just let her wait while you slowly dole it out. I'm sure it's just a phase.

[PrincessFiona]

I'm so far out of the baby parenting stage that I probably can't offer anything useful. But I won't let that stop me from trying.

And that's one of the reasons that I love you so much

[migirl]

We're having sort of the opposite problem with Jack, I feel like I can hardly get him to eat anything. I know that this is 'normal' toddler behavior, but in the last 6 months he's barely gained 4 pounds (at 12 months he's now about 20.5 lbs). I have all kinds of visions of him being the smallest one in his class because he's not getting enough nutrition to grow properly.

I agree with Angie, I don't think you should be too worried about Zoe. It sounds like she just likes her food and loves to eat!!

[JaneDoe]

My son cries in his high chair while I prepare his food too. Every meal time I say when I'm making his food and he's crying, "poor Aidan, you're never fed". The minute the food hits his mouth, he's a happy camper again.

I never given it any thought other than thinking this kid is demanding at meal times. Personally, I think it's a little early to worry about eating issues. I'm sure like many other things babies do this is a phase that she'll grow out of. I hope so, for my son's sake too.

Sylvia does that too.

She has no patience for the amount of time it takes me to actually put together her food and will completely lose it while waiting. You'd think I never fed her!

[Amiens]

Kris,

Brigham was the same way, and he seems fine, in fact he is as skinny as a rail. I couldn't feed him fast enough. I got so frustrated when he was 10 months old, I gave him the spoon and bowl so he could feed himself. It's no wonder the kid figured out how to use a fork and spoon at 10 mos, and drank from a cup. However, we have the exact opposite problem with Reed. The kid literally lives off of some fruit, bread, crackers, milk (he will drink 4-5 8 oz. cups of it, sometimes 3 in a sitting), YoBaby, and the occasional cheese. He is essentially on a all-white diet. The only meat and veggies he gets are the ones we feed him from the baby food meals we give him. It's usually he sticks his tongue out when he sees something we KNOW he likes, we shove a bite in, and then he will eat it. Oh, and finger food- that is limited as well. That isn't as a big deal to me as his "diet," seeing the kid still only has 2 teeth.

Good luck!

Crystal

[Michele]

Re: Zoe's Food issues...

I don't have any advice but I wanted to say...

So...I'm totally blaming the NICU for this

If that place can make an awesome 4 time experienced mother doubt her abilities with the 5th...it clearly is an evil, evil place!! Sorry Jlynnb....no offense to the docs (or good nurses there)!

[PrincessFiona]

Crystal,

I've just started giving Zoe sippy cups too I've never experienced anything like this with any of my other children. She also now eats ramen noodles, spaetzle and she has no teeth...anything she can gum herself. Of course she gets babyfood jars too, but I am letting her drink them if she just can't wait.

I think the NICU is just one of those...necessary evils I'm sure that ultimately, the only person who really suffers is...mom. I hope.

Thanks for your feedback...I do feel better knowing that others have experienced this (bummer that I can't blame the nicu now :> ) I know it's irrational to sometimes worry about future eating issues, but sometimes I can't help myself and the neurotic Kris takes over.



kris

[Amiens]

Crystal,

I've just started giving Zoe sippy cups too I've never experienced anything like this with any of my other children. She also now eats ramen noodles, spaetzle and she has no teeth...anything she can gum herself. Of course she gets babyfood jars too, but I am letting her drink them if she just can't wait.

I think the NICU is just one of those...necessary evils I'm sure that ultimately, the only person who really suffers is...mom. I hope.

Thanks for your feedback...I do feel better knowing that others have experienced this (bummer that I can't blame the nicu now :> ) I know it's irrational to sometimes worry about future eating issues, but sometimes I can't help myself and the neurotic Kris takes over.



kris

Brigham not only hated the texture of baby food, but hated the fact that it couldn't be fed to him fast enough. The only "baby" food he would eat was Yo Baby. Everything from 7 months on was table food, he had 2 teeth, and I think by 12 mos he had 4, and he is the fastest of my three kids. Brigham knew that if he did the job he could do it faster. It meant more of a mess on some occasions, but I would rather deal with a mess than a screaming child.

[Phoebe]

I asked DH and he said it is very common for babies to react that way with food/drink. He said to pace them like giving 5 swallows and then let them swallow it. That is what they do in their unit now.

However, I dont' know if that would work with food or older babies.

I can see why you think the NICU is a necessary evil.

ETA: DH tells regularly tells pregnant women that they don't want to see him at their delivery.