Comments on: My daughter hates food, and broccoli pasta http://www.weeklydish.com/2008/01/27/my-daughter-hates-food-and-broccoli-pasta/ What I'm making for dinner each week, and how it gets to the table Sat, 19 Jul 2008 08:15:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0 by: Becky Lane http://www.weeklydish.com/2008/01/27/my-daughter-hates-food-and-broccoli-pasta/#comment-64071 Wed, 12 Mar 2008 08:26:34 +0000 http://www.weeklydish.com/2008/01/27/my-daughter-hates-food-and-broccoli-pasta/#comment-64071 Jennifer, you were saying in Sunday School you were thinking of who might need Wilhelmina's clothes now that Josie has outgrown them. The Wilsons might be a good candidate. Now that they are expecting again, they could probably use the clothes again, at least some of the generic baby clothes.....just a thought. Best, Becky Lane Jennifer, you were saying in Sunday School you were thinking of who might need Wilhelmina’s clothes now that Josie has outgrown them. The Wilsons might be a good candidate. Now that they are expecting again, they could probably use the clothes again, at least some of the generic baby clothes…..just a thought. Best, Becky Lane

]]> by: Meg http://www.weeklydish.com/2008/01/27/my-daughter-hates-food-and-broccoli-pasta/#comment-62305 Wed, 27 Feb 2008 06:50:04 +0000 http://www.weeklydish.com/2008/01/27/my-daughter-hates-food-and-broccoli-pasta/#comment-62305 If her eyes are bright, she's growing and happy and curious... well, you're fine. (obviously, check with your pediatrician). We went through some SERIOUS picky eating with our son, and she assessed our boy carefully. His eyes were bright. His hair was shiny. He was curious, interested and happy, happy, happy. She said we could give him a multivitamin if we were really worried, but otherwise, to let go a bit. Sometimes it's our wishes for them, more than their actual health. Your babe looks beautiful. Just gorgeous. And, as a bad parent aside, I used to feed my boy strained peas in front of other people just to show the way he would hang his tongue out and attempt to scrape them off. It was hilarious, if a bit sadistic. If her eyes are bright, she’s growing and happy and curious… well, you’re fine. (obviously, check with your pediatrician). We went through some SERIOUS picky eating with our son, and she assessed our boy carefully. His eyes were bright. His hair was shiny. He was curious, interested and happy, happy, happy. She said we could give him a multivitamin if we were really worried, but otherwise, to let go a bit. Sometimes it’s our wishes for them, more than their actual health. Your babe looks beautiful. Just gorgeous.
And, as a bad parent aside, I used to feed my boy strained peas in front of other people just to show the way he would hang his tongue out and attempt to scrape them off. It was hilarious, if a bit sadistic.

]]> by: aunt em http://www.weeklydish.com/2008/01/27/my-daughter-hates-food-and-broccoli-pasta/#comment-60836 Fri, 15 Feb 2008 22:44:00 +0000 http://www.weeklydish.com/2008/01/27/my-daughter-hates-food-and-broccoli-pasta/#comment-60836 great day in the morning!! I am so glad i finally got around to reading all of this...give that child a drumstick and let her have at it. she is from the deep south ya know. BTW prissy I have some vanilla beans for you, I think I have about 35. josie is a doll great day in the morning!! I am so glad i finally got around to reading all of this…give that child a drumstick and let her have at it. she is from the deep south ya know. BTW prissy I have some vanilla beans for you, I think I have about 35. josie is a doll

]]> by: culinarybookworm http://www.weeklydish.com/2008/01/27/my-daughter-hates-food-and-broccoli-pasta/#comment-59590 Wed, 06 Feb 2008 00:49:26 +0000 http://www.weeklydish.com/2008/01/27/my-daughter-hates-food-and-broccoli-pasta/#comment-59590 Happy update! I tried Jody's suggestion of putting the food just on the top of her lip with pureed sweet potatoes, and after a few minutes, she took it into her mouth happily. I thought maybe Alex was right -- that she just hadn't been hungry enough -- because after three more tiny bites of sweet potato, she was clearly finished. However, she was hungry again soon after, so perhaps she just still prefers breast milk? Maybe we'll try to cut out a feeding and see if that encourages her to want other food more. It feels like progress, though, and I know that you all are right -- she will learn, and all of this is just part of that process. Thanks for your support of that learning (for both her and me!) Happy update! I tried Jody’s suggestion of putting the food just on the top of her lip with pureed sweet potatoes, and after a few minutes, she took it into her mouth happily. I thought maybe Alex was right — that she just hadn’t been hungry enough — because after three more tiny bites of sweet potato, she was clearly finished. However, she was hungry again soon after, so perhaps she just still prefers breast milk? Maybe we’ll try to cut out a feeding and see if that encourages her to want other food more. It feels like progress, though, and I know that you all are right — she will learn, and all of this is just part of that process. Thanks for your support of that learning (for both her and me!)

]]> by: Aunt Prissy (the favorite aunt) http://www.weeklydish.com/2008/01/27/my-daughter-hates-food-and-broccoli-pasta/#comment-59560 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 21:05:32 +0000 http://www.weeklydish.com/2008/01/27/my-daughter-hates-food-and-broccoli-pasta/#comment-59560 Ha! This has been fun reading all this chatter - sounds like Miss Josie has a mind of her own. Wonder where she got that from?..... She'll eat when she's ready. Jenny, I need some vanilla beans to make extract. Seems like I remember reading something in weeklydish about where you can order them cheaper than in stores. Please advise o' wise one. love you Ha! This has been fun reading all this chatter - sounds like Miss Josie has a mind of her own. Wonder where she got that from?….. She’ll eat when she’s ready. Jenny, I need some vanilla beans to make extract. Seems like I remember reading something in weeklydish about where you can order them cheaper than in stores. Please advise o’ wise one. love you

]]> by: MyKitchenInHalfCups http://www.weeklydish.com/2008/01/27/my-daughter-hates-food-and-broccoli-pasta/#comment-59381 Mon, 04 Feb 2008 10:50:32 +0000 http://www.weeklydish.com/2008/01/27/my-daughter-hates-food-and-broccoli-pasta/#comment-59381 Trust yourself and trust Josie. From her photos - Josie is healthy! She'll eat when she's hungry. There is a great deal of learning going on right now. Don't teach her you're all worked up about her not eating. I can't say don't worry because we all do. I will say Josie is gorgeous! Trust . . . she will eat. Trust yourself and trust Josie.
From her photos - Josie is healthy! She’ll eat when she’s hungry. There is a great deal of learning going on right now. Don’t teach her you’re all worked up about her not eating.
I can’t say don’t worry because we all do.
I will say Josie is gorgeous!
Trust . . . she will eat.

]]> by: Alex http://www.weeklydish.com/2008/01/27/my-daughter-hates-food-and-broccoli-pasta/#comment-59218 Sun, 03 Feb 2008 00:25:10 +0000 http://www.weeklydish.com/2008/01/27/my-daughter-hates-food-and-broccoli-pasta/#comment-59218 I agree with Jody -- it just seems like Josie is not hungry. Babies are born with a great instinct for when their bodies have gotten enough of what they need. Since you're still breastfeeding, most likely she's simply just still getting enough nourishment with her feedings. You could try going a little longer between breastfeedings to stimulate her appetite, and see how she goes with the puree -- another part of the instincts they're born with is that babies won't let themselves go hungry! Or, you could just not worry about it. Josie isn't doing anything out of the ordinary. All signs suggest that she's simply not hungry. And that's a good thing, really -- for her to overeat would be worse than for her to be fussy. I agree with Jody — it just seems like Josie is not hungry. Babies are born with a great instinct for when their bodies have gotten enough of what they need. Since you’re still breastfeeding, most likely she’s simply just still getting enough nourishment with her feedings. You could try going a little longer between breastfeedings to stimulate her appetite, and see how she goes with the puree — another part of the instincts they’re born with is that babies won’t let themselves go hungry! Or, you could just not worry about it. Josie isn’t doing anything out of the ordinary. All signs suggest that she’s simply not hungry. And that’s a good thing, really — for her to overeat would be worse than for her to be fussy.

]]> by: Jody http://www.weeklydish.com/2008/01/27/my-daughter-hates-food-and-broccoli-pasta/#comment-59116 Sat, 02 Feb 2008 03:37:58 +0000 http://www.weeklydish.com/2008/01/27/my-daughter-hates-food-and-broccoli-pasta/#comment-59116 I wouldn't start cheerio-type cereal until she can handle other textures such as puree, then mashed, then soft chunks (i.e. diced and peeled ripe, soft vegetables and fruits etc.) and work your way up. Strawberries and other "seedy" fruits and veggies, peels and skins we suggest introducing later...as it is a different texture. Glad to hear that you started to introduce solids at 6 months. Sometimes however, when feeding/readiness cues are missed at around 6 months (common), babies don't start learning how to eat until a little later. It is a developmental (oral) stage that babies go through - simple as that. Some other feeding/readiness cues are: (the one's I mentioned) leaning forward when food is offered on a spoon, putting hands in mouth, sitting with assistance, can hold head up on own, opening mouth wide when you are putting food into your mouth, breast feeding more than 10 times/day and baby is still hungry and ... baby can hold food in mouth and swallow. Is Josie using her tongue to push the food out of her mouth or can she hold the food in her mouth and swallow it? If she is pushing it out with her tongue (a baby's natural reflex and a sign they are not ready to start eating) then I would wait a couple of days and try again with a pureed texture introduced on a spoon (first "solid" food is preferably iron-fortified infant cereal - soupy consistancy: 1T cereal with 2-3 T water or breast milk). I must say that Josie is on her way -- the fact that she is showing interest in what you are eating and watching you chew! That's great because babies learn how to eat from watching their parents! I am also glad to hear that you eat together as a family - I recommend this as well, because babies/toddlers/children learn good eating habits if they have good role-models. So keep it up! Another thing to consider is the length of the feedings. If baby is showing disinterest in food, take it away, baby is done. Babies know when they have had enough and remember their tummies are a lot smaller than ours. Long, drawn-out feedings just don't always work for children. When baby turns their head away and closes their mouth, your baby is telling you they are done. Even if they have only had a little bit. Also, make the high chair a place for eating, not playing. 20 minutes is a good amount of time for a baby to be in the high chair eating. Don't get me wrong though, as children progress with textures they will play, hand feed themselves and make big messes! ;O) Do you mind if I ask you to try something? Try this when Josie has shown the feeding cues above and see what happens. Take a time during the day after Josie has been breast fed (or formula fed), so she is not hungry nor tired, but is curious and has a bit of energy. Sit facing Josie at eye-level. Have Josie sitting comfortably in her chair for eating with no toys or distractions. Put a small amount of pureed food on the end of a spoon. Let Josie see the spoon and food coming towards her and place a little on the top of her lip, let her do the rest. Is she interested in this food? Talk and encourage her. If she is not interested, try again tomorrow doing the same, still talking and encouaging her. If she shows signs of wanting more, offer her a little again on her lip. Keep giving postive words. If she is oblivious to the food, try again in a couple of days. I hope all this is helpful! I wouldn’t start cheerio-type cereal until she can handle other textures such as puree, then mashed, then soft chunks (i.e. diced and peeled ripe, soft vegetables and fruits etc.) and work your way up. Strawberries and other “seedy” fruits and veggies, peels and skins we suggest introducing later…as it is a different texture.

Glad to hear that you started to introduce solids at 6 months. Sometimes however, when feeding/readiness cues are missed at around 6 months (common), babies don’t start learning how to eat until a little later. It is a developmental (oral) stage that babies go through - simple as that.
Some other feeding/readiness cues are:
(the one’s I mentioned) leaning forward when food is offered on a spoon,
putting hands in mouth, sitting with assistance, can hold head up on own, opening mouth wide when you are putting food into your mouth, breast feeding more than 10 times/day and baby is still hungry and … baby can hold food in mouth and swallow. Is Josie using her tongue to push the food out of her mouth or can she hold the food in her mouth and swallow it? If she is pushing it out with her tongue (a baby’s natural reflex and a sign they are not ready to start eating) then I would wait a couple of days and try again with a pureed texture introduced on a spoon (first “solid” food is preferably iron-fortified infant cereal - soupy consistancy: 1T cereal with 2-3 T water or breast milk). I must say that Josie is on her way — the fact that she is showing interest in what you are eating and watching you chew! That’s great because babies learn how to eat from watching their parents! I am also glad to hear that you eat together as a family - I recommend this as well, because babies/toddlers/children learn good eating habits if they have good role-models. So keep it up!
Another thing to consider is the length of the feedings. If baby is showing disinterest in food, take it away, baby is done. Babies know when they have had enough and remember their tummies are a lot smaller than ours. Long, drawn-out feedings just don’t always work for children. When baby turns their head away and closes their mouth, your baby is telling you they are done. Even if they have only had a little bit. Also, make the high chair a place for eating, not playing. 20 minutes is a good amount of time for a baby to be in the high chair eating. Don’t get me wrong though, as children progress with textures they will play, hand feed themselves and make big messes! ;O)
Do you mind if I ask you to try something? Try this when Josie has shown the feeding cues above and see what happens.
Take a time during the day after Josie has been breast fed (or formula fed), so she is not hungry nor tired, but is curious and has a bit of energy.
Sit facing Josie at eye-level. Have Josie sitting comfortably in her chair for eating with no toys or distractions.
Put a small amount of pureed food on the end of a spoon. Let Josie see the spoon and food coming towards her and place a little on the top of her lip, let her do the rest. Is she interested in this food? Talk and encourage her. If she is not interested, try again tomorrow doing the same, still talking and encouaging her. If she shows signs of wanting more, offer her a little again on her lip. Keep giving postive words. If she is oblivious to the food, try again in a couple of days. I hope all this is helpful!

]]> by: culinarybookworm http://www.weeklydish.com/2008/01/27/my-daughter-hates-food-and-broccoli-pasta/#comment-58891 Thu, 31 Jan 2008 03:28:15 +0000 http://www.weeklydish.com/2008/01/27/my-daughter-hates-food-and-broccoli-pasta/#comment-58891 Hey everybody, thanks for the encouragement. It helps to hear that she isn't the only baby who's ever had a hard time getting used to solid food. DM's suggestion to give her things she can feed herself is one I've considered, but I'm concerned that her swallowing isn't sophisticated enough to handle Cheerio-type cereal. Thoughts? And, Deirdre, you are probably exactly right that she's picking up on my concern. I will try not to worry so much; the last thing I want is for her high chair to be a place that causes us both stress! K, I had completely forgotten that Barbara had written about little Kat's forays into food! I am going to dig through her archives this weekend and see what advice she has. Thanks for pointing me in that direction. Hi Jody! To answer your questions: We started trying solids when she turned 6 months. One of the reasons I thought she was ready is that she seemed so interested in what we were eating, grabbing my spoon, watching me chew, etc. But even now, she doesn't lean forward to accept a spoon into her mouth, except on very rare occasions. Do you think that means she just isn't ready yet? The signs she's giving that she's had enough often come before she's eaten anything at all. We try to get her to at least put a little of the food in her mouth, but we don't force it, so many times, she'll have only had a tiny bite of food and then the feeding is over. We just try again later. I'm hoping that she's still gaining the skills you mention and that you're right, she'll get the hang of it eventually. Thanks for all the great advice. I'll have to report back if there are any developments...please chime in with more suggestions if you have them! Hey everybody, thanks for the encouragement. It helps to hear that she isn’t the only baby who’s ever had a hard time getting used to solid food.

DM’s suggestion to give her things she can feed herself is one I’ve considered, but I’m concerned that her swallowing isn’t sophisticated enough to handle Cheerio-type cereal. Thoughts?

And, Deirdre, you are probably exactly right that she’s picking up on my concern. I will try not to worry so much; the last thing I want is for her high chair to be a place that causes us both stress!

K, I had completely forgotten that Barbara had written about little Kat’s forays into food! I am going to dig through her archives this weekend and see what advice she has. Thanks for pointing me in that direction.

Hi Jody! To answer your questions: We started trying solids when she turned 6 months. One of the reasons I thought she was ready is that she seemed so interested in what we were eating, grabbing my spoon, watching me chew, etc. But even now, she doesn’t lean forward to accept a spoon into her mouth, except on very rare occasions. Do you think that means she just isn’t ready yet? The signs she’s giving that she’s had enough often come before she’s eaten anything at all. We try to get her to at least put a little of the food in her mouth, but we don’t force it, so many times, she’ll have only had a tiny bite of food and then the feeding is over. We just try again later. I’m hoping that she’s still gaining the skills you mention and that you’re right, she’ll get the hang of it eventually.

Thanks for all the great advice. I’ll have to report back if there are any developments…please chime in with more suggestions if you have them!

]]> by: Jody http://www.weeklydish.com/2008/01/27/my-daughter-hates-food-and-broccoli-pasta/#comment-58890 Thu, 31 Jan 2008 02:55:03 +0000 http://www.weeklydish.com/2008/01/27/my-daughter-hates-food-and-broccoli-pasta/#comment-58890 1. A quick question: how old was Josie when you started introducing solids? 2. Did Josie show you some of the typical feeding cues (hands in mouth, opening mouth and leaning toward you when food is offered on a spoon etc...) before you started feeding her? Josie is actually giving you cues that she has had enough (turning head away, pursing lips etc.) What I say to my patients is... the parents decide what to feed the baby, the baby decides how much. Once the baby is showing disinterest in food, stop feeding. It is OK that the feeding was short and the baby didn't eat much. The good news is, Josie is not getting all of her nutrients from solid foods yet. She is learning how to eat (i.e. move her lips around a spoon - it may not be a big deal to us, but it is a developmental stage for babies). Even though Josie may be rejecting some foods now, what I tell pts is to re-introduce it again in a couple of weeks and to keep re-introducing foods that were at one time rejected. Josie will get the hang of it and love all the beautiful food that you make. 1. A quick question: how old was Josie when you started introducing solids?
2. Did Josie show you some of the typical feeding cues (hands in mouth, opening mouth and leaning toward you when food is offered on a spoon etc…) before you started feeding her?

Josie is actually giving you cues that she has had enough (turning head away, pursing lips etc.) What I say to my patients is… the parents decide what to feed the baby, the baby decides how much. Once the baby is showing disinterest in food, stop feeding. It is OK that the feeding was short and the baby didn’t eat much.
The good news is, Josie is not getting all of her nutrients from solid foods yet. She is learning how to eat (i.e. move her lips around a spoon - it may not be a big deal to us, but it is a developmental stage for babies).
Even though Josie may be rejecting some foods now, what I tell pts is to re-introduce it again in a couple of weeks and to keep re-introducing foods that were at one time rejected.
Josie will get the hang of it and love all the beautiful food that you make.

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