FOOD (for babies)

[polson]

Jul 25, 2018 15:15:20 GMT -6 mrsmonogrammed said:

I don’t plan to start until 6m, and I’ll probably skip cereal again and go right to veggies.

this is my plan too and it’s what we did with dd1.
eta we did mostly blw but i did mix in purees at some point. she did not particularly care for them though and still won’t eat things like applesauce. i will say it hasn’t particularly prevented pickiness in our case, but i think it’s probably mostly my fault for not being persistent about presenting her with different foods. like once she really showed a preference, i kind of went with those things and i really wish i hadn’t done that. something to do differently this time around.

[cornpop]

At the 2 month appointment, our Ped said at 4 months we could start introducing food. I guess the recommendation has changed recently from 6m to 4m due to allergy prevention?

We skipped cereal with E, well we tried it once, she hated it and decided to not even bother and went right to veggies. I'm just going to skip it entirely with N.

I do homemade puree so we'll probably start that sometime soon, I just have to dig all of the stuff out of our basement which is no easy task.

[mintyblueair]

cornpop DS has allergies to some nuts and eggs. We've seen two allergists for him and they both recommended introducing food, including nut butters and eggs, at 4 months, especially in babies with eczema (which both DS and N have).

[polson]

www.aappublications.org/news/2017/01/05/PeanutAllergy010517

they’ve (aap) updated recommendations for introduction of common allergens in the last couple of years

[auri]

With DD we started at 4 months. We started with vegetables. I think we skipped the rice cereal and did other grains instead. I remember that I was making my own baby food for a few months, until I decided it was too much work. I will probably do something similar this time too, although I might wait a few weeks for him to get a little better at sitting up.

[katietopaz]

I’m actully really intrigued that so many pediatricians are recommending starting solids at 4 months. At least when DS1 was born in 2015, all the current research/recommendations from the AAP/WHO/etc were 6 months, even with the new research of introducing common allergens (peanut butter, eggs, etc) right off the bat. I wonder if that’s changed - I’m curious to see what our pedi says at DS2’s 4m checkup next week.

[polson]

katietopaz i agree. my pedi still recommended 6 months at our 4 month. i personally don’t think dd is developmentally ready at this point (4.5 months). every kid is different and i don’t necessarily think that there is/should be a hard line recommendation

[sunshinedaisies]

Okay....I don’t mean to offend anyone with my post but I need to say something. I see a lot of “I gave my kid everything we ate and I think this is why they aren’t picky eaters” here.

I know no one said this directly but the implication with these statements is that if you have a picky eater, then you (the parent) must have done something to contribute to this. I’ve heard that a lot IRL and seen it repeatedly on the boards I’m on as well. This rubs me the wrong way for a lot of reasons (admittedly I may be projecting because of my own circumstance but I also feel the need to say something to clarify some misconceptions).

I have that EXTREMELY picky eater in DS1. And as a child, I WAS that kid (also I was the youngest and my older siblings ate like champs). Believe me my parents tried everything they could to get me to eat. Nothing worked. Now my kid is the same way. I was pretty proud of us through about 15 months because DS1 would try anything and everything, loved everything (hell he even ate sushi at that point), and then we hit a wall. They say infants’ taste buds change around 12 months and that is definitely when I began noticing a difference. One by one I’ve watched my kid stop eating foods he used to LOVE and the number of foods he would eat dwindled down and down to at its lowest - 5 different foods. We work extremely hard to introduce new foods every single day. We work extremely hard to broaden his palate and get him to like different things. Almost nothing works. Almost nothing worked for me as a kid either. I’ve finally accepted that some people are just picky eaters and, much like me as a kid, my kid is one of them. We work around it as much as we can because I know that for ME, as I got older, it got better.

We still try to give him new foods. Just now at 3, he is finally a bit more willing to try new things. Sometimes he will try them. Most of the time he won’t. Sometimes he likes the new food. Mostly he doesn’t. If he doesn’t, we keep trying (since a new taste can take several attempts to like).

And we’ve also tried “only giving him what’s on our plate.” That’s laughable when you have an extremely picky eater. My kid refused food for 3 days straight when we tried that until we caved because I can’t starve my kid.

So I guess I’m posting this to offer a different perspective because I see this a lot from people with nonpicky eaters (just give them wha you eat and try new foods and they will be fine) and that’s just not true. And if you do have a picky eater - or this current baby becomes one - it’s not your fault. It just is.

Brought to you by the weary parent of a very stubborn, tenacious, picky 3 year old who will refuse to eat rather than eat something if he doesn’t want it (case in point - he refused dinner completely last night and went to bed with no substitutes).

(I’m still holding out hope that this current baby will be my good eater!!!!!!! It’s only fair right?)

[snowmoon]

Jul 26, 2018 9:22:05 GMT -6 katietopaz said:

I’m actully really intrigued that so many pediatricians are recommending starting solids at 4 months. At least when DS1 was born in 2015, all the current research/recommendations from the AAP/WHO/etc were 6 months, even with the new research of introducing common allergens (peanut butter, eggs, etc) right off the bat. I wonder if that’s changed - I’m curious to see what our pedi says at DS2’s 4m checkup next week.

I was surprised too. But our doc says a lot of things I agree with and other things where I just smile and nod.

[polson]

sunshinedaisies this is where we’re at with our 2.5 yo. she ate everything up until about 18-20 months and now not so much. we’ve tried everything. we just had our 2.5 yr appt for her and my pedi really helped me with our frustrations. it’s hard to remember that it’s our job to present them with a variety of foods and it’s their job to take/eat what they need and to focus on what they’ve eaten over a week or 2 and not get caught up on each meal. having a picky kid is so hard!

eta: if you haven’t already ready the ellyn satter book already i recommend it - i reread the toddler chapter ever few months or so.
www.amazon.com/How-Get-Your-Kid-Eat/dp/0915950839

[snowmoon]

sunshinedaisies I totally appreciate your persepctive. A lot of it is probably personality. My kids is super cautious in all areas of life but he is always willing to try new food. Because of that I do credit the way we introduced him to solids and the approach we took and how we eat. But, maybe we did just luck out and get an adventurous eater and this baby will totally throw me off and only eat goldfish despite doing everything the same.

My SO and I were both picky eaters growing up. He still is! I have to encourage him to try new things and eat his veggies even more than I do with our three year old. I've worked really hard as an adult to learn to make good food choices. A lot of the time I would still rather have a bowl of cereal or a piece of fruit more than anything else.

[cornpop]

sunshinedaisies, you're so right. We always give E whatever we eat (except for like...our fancy steak because that would be a waste of $$) but she's still pretty damn picky. She'll try things but actually eating, is very different. It's totally just like everything else, some kids are going to be rockstars at eating, some, not so much. Of course exposing them to lots of food helps, but you can only do so much.

[snowmoon]

It's also relevant to say that my ds has absolutely gone through picky phases though they have fortunately been short lived.

[snowmoon]

E ate a handful of grass just now.

[stardust84]

@sunshinedaises I totally agree with you. I think pickiness comes and goes with kids. K went from loving meat to hating it and now he loves it again (especially our expensive steak). He also decided to start eating mixed veggies all by himself. We offer what is on our plate but dont force it. At 3 years we usually modify what we are eating slightly because we like spicy foods. He is willing to try foods even the spicy ones but is not a fan of most vegetables.

[calendula]

I think there isn't a one-size-fits-all solution to preventing picky eaters because not all kids are picky for the same reasons. I genuinely believe that the pickiest kids are dealing with sensory issues, and that parenting has NOTHING to do with that. Some kids are picky eaters because its a behavioral, power/control type thing that they grow out of. And others are picky eaters because their parents aren't adventurous eaters and that's what they are used to.

My thinking on it is that we offer the biggest variety of tastes, textures, flavors and nutrients as early as we can safely do so (for us, that looks like pureeing simple foods as soon as they are ready and moving quickly to pureeing the family meal and gradually adding in finger foods). We all eat together as a family as often as possible. We set a good example and make mealtime family time. And then you just give it to the gods, right? That's the best we can do.

[Leaf 🌱]

I’m sorry if I made you feel that way sunshinedaisies - when I’m talking about food stuff - it’s specific for my kid and family. Nothing is one size fits all and if there’s anything I’ve learned as a parent it’s that you cannot force a kid to eat or sleep (and when PTing: or use the bathroom.) People 100% thought that I made DD1 a bad sleeper. Nope. We did everything by the book but that kid fucking broke me. Sleep deprivation was making me depressed and crazy so I gave up after months and months of horror. This is just one of the very very few things they can control and they have to figure it out on their own. But she finally STTN at almost three and no kid is going to college only eating pop tarts, yogurt, and chicken nuggets (my cousin’s only foods for a bit.)

[sunshinedaisies]

Jul 26, 2018 12:13:18 GMT -6 calendula said:

I think there isn't a one-size-fits-all solution to preventing picky eaters because not all kids are picky for the same reasons. I genuinely believe that the pickiest kids are dealing with sensory issues, and that parenting has NOTHING to do with that. Some kids are picky eaters because its a behavioral, power/control type thing that they grow out of. And others are picky eaters because their parents aren't adventurous eaters and that's what they are used to.

My thinking on it is that we offer the biggest variety of tastes, textures, flavors and nutrients as early as we can safely do so (for us, that looks like pureeing simple foods as soon as they are ready and moving quickly to pureeing the family meal and gradually adding in finger foods). We all eat together as a family as often as possible. We set a good example and make mealtime family time. And then you just give it to the gods, right? That's the best we can do.

I do agree a lot of extremely picky eaters have sensory issues. That was not the case for me. As a kid I just simply didn’t like the taste of most foods - it was never texture for me. I also don’t think DS1 has sensory issues from what I’ve seen from him. I have gotten SO much better with age and I will now try anything. I also like a long list of stuff I hated as a kid including most veggies. So I’m hoping it’s the same for him. He is much more adventurous now and will usually “taste” something if we encourage. But he rarely likes it. It’s also gotten easier as his communication has gotten better to encourage him to try at least a bite per item. Sometimes we can get him to. Sometimes it’s an hour at the table without a single bite. Like you said, we offer and that’s the best we can do right now 😊

[sunshinedaisies]

Jul 26, 2018 13:11:37 GMT -6 Leaf 🌱 said:

I’m sorry if I made you feel that way sunshinedaisies - when I’m talking about food stuff - it’s specific for my kid and family. Nothing is one size fits all and if there’s anything I’ve learned as a parent it’s that you cannot force a kid to eat or sleep (and when PTing: or use the bathroom.) People 100% thought that I made DD1 a bad sleeper. Nope. We did everything by the book but that kid fucking broke me. Sleep deprivation was making me depressed and crazy so I gave up after months and months of horror. This is just one of the very very few things they can control and they have to figure it out on their own. But she finally STTN at almost three and no kid is going to college only eating pop tarts, yogurt, and chicken nuggets (my cousin’s only foods for a bit.)

You specifically didn’t!! It was a general vibe I was (probably over)reading into several posts. And like I said, I’m a bit sensitive about this because of my experience with DS1. He is not the typical toddler picky. He’s a lot more extreme. I’ve done a lot of research and he falls into what are called problem feeders. We do our best and that’s all we can do. Even with his eating issues, he’s a thriving three year old so I’ve learned to just accept the kid I have and keep encouraging new tastes. And like I said, I get it because I was him. I turned out (mostly) okay!

And yes I like your sleep comparison. I can feel pretty smug from time to time bc DS1 is the best sleeper and goes down so easy and has since about 8 months. Some of it may be what we did when we sleep trained. Some of it may just be luck of the draw that he took to it! Every kid is different and each has his/her own challenges.

Thanks for the encouragement from everyone.

[auri]

@sunshinedaises I understand where your coming from. Dd used to eat everything, except beef. Now it’s a fight to get her to eat most nights. I usually make something that I know she likes for each meal. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Yesterday I made spaghetti and meatballs with peas and garlic bread. She decided that she wasn’t hungry and wasn’t going to eat. She just made up for it this morning by eating all of her breakfast and asking for seconds. I don’t necessarily think that there’s anything that you can do to prevent a picky eater.

[woodenshoes]

sunshinedaisies your DS1 sounds a lot like my DS1 he is 4.5 . I thought he was going to be a good eater because he tried everything until he was about 1. After that refusal set in. I try and try to get him m to eat. Getting him to eat the smallest nibble of a new food causes tears. He had been willing to try some things now but he never likes it...even if he picks out what he tries. When he eats what he likes he eats very little and will then be done He eats like a bird and is more of a grazer than meal eater. In my mind I say he is just trying to be in control but I really don’t know. It isn’t a sensory thing. I put so much weight on my shoulder that I messed up his eating at some point. Our pediatrician isn’t concerned because he is growing along his curve and eats at least one thing from most food groups. He still eats puréed toddler pouches for veggies. I hope he grows out of it but my pediatrician/family doctor tells me not to stress about it. He knows I have generalized anxiety and if I stress about it too much I will be a mess. I hope DS2 is a more adventurous eater so I don’t feel like it is me.

[mintyblueair]

sunshinedaisies I just want to echo what everyone else said about not meaning to sound as though my approach to food is the be-all-end-all solution to picky eating, so I'm sorry if it came off that way! I was just presenting what I did with my DS as an alternative perspective on BLW because we did do a lot of purees and don't have a picky eater (yet). In my opinion, whether one feeds their baby pureed food or doesn't probably has no impact on their eating as a toddler and older. I do think that having family meals, parents who set a good example of non-picky eating, offering variety, etc. is the best we can do (just as calendula said) but it by no means guarantees your kid will be a good eater.

I think that, as parents, it's very easy to have these commitments to certain approaches or parenting values and then when we see the outcome we expect, we take it as proof of our pre-existing beliefs... when in reality it may have been to random chance or some combination of other factors. I personally think that most of the differences in parenting choices around food and sleep in particular are negligible in the big scheme of things.

[sunshinedaisies]

Jul 26, 2018 19:21:34 GMT -6 woodenshoes said:

sunshinedaisies your DS1 sounds a lot like my DS1 he is 4.5 . I thought he was going to be a good eater because he tried everything until he was about 1. After that refusal set in. I try and try to get him m to eat. Getting him to eat the smallest nibble of a new food causes tears. He had been willing to try some things now but he never likes it...even if he picks out what he tries. When he eats what he likes he eats very little and will then be done He eats like a bird and is more of a grazer than meal eater. In my mind I say he is just trying to be in control but I really don’t know. It isn’t a sensory thing. I put so much weight on my shoulder that I messed up his eating at some point. Our pediatrician isn’t concerned because he is growing along his curve and eats at least one thing from most food groups. He still eats puréed toddler pouches for veggies. I hope he grows out of it but my pediatrician/family doctor tells me not to stress about it. He knows I have generalized anxiety and if I stress about it too much I will be a mess. I hope DS2 is a more adventurous eater so I don’t feel like it is me.

Yep they sound very similar. I’m sorry you are here too. It’s super frustrating for sure. But it definitely is NOT on you.

Also - we definitely used those pouches for veggies too for a long time. He stopped liking them a few months ago (sigh) and I’m still searching for a replacement for his veggies. He just started liking my “ice cream” (aka protein shakes) I make so I’m thinking of trying a modified one for him and sneaking veggies in that way.

[stardust84]

Jul 26, 2018 23:52:43 GMT -6 sunshinedaisies said:

Jul 26, 2018 19:21:34 GMT -6 woodenshoes said:

sunshinedaisies your DS1 sounds a lot like my DS1 he is 4.5 . I thought he was going to be a good eater because he tried everything until he was about 1. After that refusal set in. I try and try to get him m to eat. Getting him to eat the smallest nibble of a new food causes tears. He had been willing to try some things now but he never likes it...even if he picks out what he tries. When he eats what he likes he eats very little and will then be done He eats like a bird and is more of a grazer than meal eater. In my mind I say he is just trying to be in control but I really don’t know. It isn’t a sensory thing. I put so much weight on my shoulder that I messed up his eating at some point. Our pediatrician isn’t concerned because he is growing along his curve and eats at least one thing from most food groups. He still eats puréed toddler pouches for veggies. I hope he grows out of it but my pediatrician/family doctor tells me not to stress about it. He knows I have generalized anxiety and if I stress about it too much I will be a mess. I hope DS2 is a more adventurous eater so I don’t feel like it is me.

Yep they sound very similar. I’m sorry you are here too. It’s super frustrating for sure. But it definitely is NOT on you.

Also - we definitely used those pouches for veggies too for a long time. He stopped liking them a few months ago (sigh) and I’m still searching for a replacement for his veggies. He just started liking my “ice cream” (aka protein shakes) I make so I’m thinking of trying a modified one for him and sneaking veggies in that way.

Dark coloured fruit with spinach or kale?

[nevertoomanyshoes]

sunshinedaisies everything you wrote is/was so us too. I did everything “right” food wise for DS1 and he still is picky (ish- has gotten better). I roll my eyes when people say things like “my baby is a good sleeper/eater/magician because I...”

Even my sleep consultant was like ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ re: DS’s cat napping that nothing fixed. And believe me I tried everything for a long long time. Food was a similar issue.

PS he loves his “green shake” (banana and spinach smoothie)

[ArielMermaid]

I tried everything and my kid is picky AF, so I feel you sunshinedaisies.
We will introduce foods at 4 months because this baby wants them bad. (Unless the doctor says no.) I did oatmeal and purées with DD1 plus random chunks of food whenever it was something I though she could handle. I guess my approach is the lazy Mom approach. I give whatever is around.

[sweetc129]

Our pedi told us at 4m we can start if we feel he’s ready, but can wait a month or two if we want (we are until I feel he’s ready, so I don’t know when we’ll start). When my oldest was born in 2013 it was no no to peanuts and eggs before 1, but when my middle was born in 2015 it was early and often. I’ll start introducing when we start solids.

[Rama]

Ped said we can start giving her foods at her 4m, but we're planning to wait until at least 6m because we want to do BLW and girlfriend needs to sit better for it. We might cheat around 5.5m, though, 'cause we're going to a local creamery and we want to have some family ice cream. ^_^ I do think that peds often give the go ahead for solids at 4m, with the stipulation that your kid is ready/no longer has the tongue repulsion reflex for allergy reasons? Whereas AAP still recommends 6m.

I'm hoping she's not a picky eater like I was, but we'll see. I'm glad you said something, sunshinedaisies, because I was thinking a lot along the same lines of "feed baby what you eat and they'll want to eat everything" and I know if she turned out to be a picky eater, I'd have felt like a failure. So, thank you for heading off my mom guilt. <3

[cornpop]

I just realized I was wrong, we started E on purees at 4m too. I apparently forget everything from 3 years ago.

[ArielMermaid]

Our doctor retired before we had DD2, new doc fresh out of med school says 6 months so we will wait til then this time. I honestly don’t care either way. (I’m lazy so that’s less mess for me.)