I'm hoping that some of you can give me some advice on my 7 month old (Timmy). The pediatrician has given me her advice but I get the feeling that she is going by the book on this one and not taking into account that he's not a number.

Timmy was born 5 weeks early due to HELLP syndrome so he is considered a preemie even though he only spent 4 days in the NICU. Everyone has told me that he is fine but will be a little bit slower to develop and learn things. I wish someone would have told him that because he is way ahead of the other babies in his day care program.

My problem is that he has never liked baby food. My mom started him on pureed table food one weekend when she was watching him and we never went back. The fruits we canned ourselves so I knew they were good for him and the veggies were the same. Now however, he likes to eat way more than drink his formula. It is not odd for him to drink only 12 ounces a day but he eats wonderfully. He loves the vegetables as much as the fruit and takes water without a problem.

Our pediatrician wants me to start giving him a bottle over the food to make him drink more. In my mind though, isn't this counter-productive? It seems like I am moving backwards instead of forwards.

I didn't mention that he has 6 teeth now and loves feeding himself. (as well as a 7 month old can) He is my first (and after my experience with HELLP) probably my only child. I don't want to hurt him but I don't want to follow what someone else is saying just because.

Thanks for any insight you can give.

Amanda

By Tonya on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 01:11 pm:

He will tell you what he wants if he wants the food and not the liquid then so be it. I also have a Timmy who is now 4 1/2 and was eating more table food at 7-8 months that baby foods. That is what he wanted if mommy had it then so did Timmy. He was (and is) very head strong and would get his way or it was no way.

As long as you have the liquid handy then he will drink when he is thirsty. Just make sure you have options for him like water and juice and formula.

Others will give the opinion too but mine is follow your mom gut it will 99.999% of the time not stear you wrong.

Good luck.

Tonya

By Sunny on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 01:36 pm:

Did she give you a reason why? I never used formula so I don't know if 12 ounces is too little or not, but my guess is the Dr. wants to make sure your son is getting all the necassary nutrients and calories he needs, and giving a specific amount of formula a day can tell her that. The other thing mentioned by Drs. is the chance of developing a food allergy if foods are introduced too early, especially with dairy foods. I would talk it over with your doctor again and ask why she wants him having more formula, then you can make a decision.

BTW, Welcome!

By Kittycat_26 on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 02:16 pm:

Thanks for the welcome. I've been reading for a little while and finally decided to post myself.

I'm not sure of the doctor's reasoning because her way of feeding Timmy will only add 4 ounces to what he is already taking.

I have stayed away from dairy foods and the other usual allergies. (strawberries, peanut butter, etc.) But he is insistent. If we are eating, he has to have it too. This is the same little boy that threw a fit a daycare because they were eating pizza and he couldn't have any. (He was only 5 months old.)

By Tunnia on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 02:50 pm:

Welcome to Momsview!

I would say that your ds's dr is telling you to give him more formula for the necessary nutrients in it. I would suggest giving him formula in place of any juice or water until he gets his recommended daily amount or maybe you could find ways to sneak it into foods like in his oatmeal (the only way I can get my ds to consume milk is by making his oatmeal with it instead of water). Also, maybe start giving it to him in a sippy cup. That way you don't feel like you are going backwards and maybe the novelty of drinking out of a cup will entice him. Good luck!

By Beth on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 02:53 pm:

My dd never liked formula or baby food much. As soon as she could and I let her she ate table food and she was ate that much better. She is two and I don't see any detrimental effects? I think like someone else said the kid will tell you.

By Palmbchprincess on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 02:53 pm:

My 8 month old twins eat a 6 oz bottle in the morning, cereal, fruit and crackers or banana chunks at noon, another 6 oz at 3pm, veggies, cereal, and crackers at 6pm, and 6oz at bedtime. They are eating a little more formula than your DS but I think he is fine. If your ped is worried about nutrition (they are supposed to get most of their nutrition from formula up to 1 year) get him some vitadrops. More than anything trust your instinct. BTW, I make my own food, and my kids don't like meat, either homemade or jarred. I'm now giving them some vanilla yogurt and am about to start sugar free jello to add some protien to their diets.

By Feona on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 03:14 pm:

I didn't start my son of food untill he was 6 months old. Then all he got for a month was the baby cereals and alittle baby food. My son was tall and very large too!

The only thing I can think of is the doctor wants him to get his nutrients from the formula which is perfect for babies. I don't think they get much nutrition at this age from baby food. It is more like eatting practice.

By Barbie on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 07:19 pm:

I think your son willbe just fine, my ds was unable to take formula, he lived off of gatoraide and pureed table food. He is 20 now and weigh 215 lbs and 6'2". He does have asthma but not related to food, he was dx at 4 months. I would try the sippy cup. God Bless

By Amyl on Wednesday, January 29, 2003 - 12:22 am:

Hello,
I would let him be, and just go with the flow of things. I am sure that he will be fine. I am sorry to hear about you having HELLP Syndrome, I had the same thing but wasn't able to have the wonderful outcome that you had. We were also in Maryland at the time, I was flown from southern maryland to Baltimore. If you would like to talk about your experience with me, please email me, I talk to several other ladies that went through HELLP as well. Take care and take care of that Baby!!! God Bless.

By Feona on Wednesday, January 29, 2003 - 07:11 am:

I didn't start my son of food untill he was 6 months old. Then all he got for a month was the baby cereals and alittle baby food. My son was tall and very large too!

The only thing I can think of is the doctor wants him to get his nutrients from the formula which is perfect for babies. I don't think they get much nutrition at this age from baby food. It is more like eatting practice.

By Kittycat_26 on Wednesday, January 29, 2003 - 08:01 am:

Thanks for the advice. I think for now we're going to push the fluids but still let him eat as he wants. Our first try with a sippy cup last night did not give me much hope. He chewed on it alot but didn't get much of anything. Practice makes perfect though and I can be pretty persistent.

By Tunnia on Wednesday, January 29, 2003 - 08:51 am:

Kittycat, are you using a spillproof sippy? I found that when starting my kids on a sippy, it's best to NOT go with the spillproof kind. I started both my kids on sippys when they were six months old and the spillproof sippys are just too hard to suck out of for baby's just getting started. Get the disposable cups by The First Years, they are easier to drink from, and are marketed at spillproof, but will leak a little if left laying on their sides and they are really cheap (less than $3 for 6 of them). Maybe that would help.

By Kaye on Wednesday, January 29, 2003 - 09:26 am:

The only thing I think might needed added here, is ask your doctor why more formula. How big is your child, what percentile etc. My daughter often had issues with no weight gain and we would have to up her intake of whole milk (she was 3) to help her gain weight. So maybe there is a reason to your docs orders.

By Kittycat_26 on Wednesday, January 29, 2003 - 09:38 am:

We are only about 5 weeks from our 9 month appointment and I will definately talk to the dr then about her reasoning. I do like her alot and this is the first time we have disagreed on something. Maybe she just needs to hear my side as much as I need to hear her side.

I had never thought about the spill-proof cups being harder than the others. My assumption was that he would have an easier time since you had to suck the liquid out. I do have some of those disposable cups in the cupboard so we'll try those tonight and see what happens.

By Autumn on Thursday, January 30, 2003 - 09:19 am:

I have three girls. After the first, I didn't mess with baby food jars. I put everything we were having for dinner, (unless it was something too spicy), into a blender and hit frapé. From the time they were able to sit up. My children are healthy. They're fine. Each child is individual. While dr.s can give guidelines, they can't account for your child's uniqueness.

By Mj_Whitson on Friday, January 31, 2003 - 02:38 pm:

I feel the need to add my two cents in here. when my daughter was 5 weeks old she developed a case of salmonella poisoning. I was working at a family owned pet store and she was at work with me every day. She had a port-a-crib, swing, etc all available for her all the time. The doctors told me in NO way was my job or location of the job at all the reason she had developed salmonella. (Years later they agreed otherwise... iguanas carry it and spread it alot!)

Well during the next 18 months she was a small child and the doctors could not figure out how to get her to gain weight (we are NOT small people) and finally a pediatrician suggested I add an extra scoop of dry formula to her bottles. Instead of 3 scoops to 6 ounces - add 4. It increased the calories without upsetting her tummy. It worked wonders altho she really gained weight when she went onto whole milk.

I would suggest you ask the doctor about doing the same, plus add the formula to the veggies and cereal. You are giving him infant cereal right? He will need the iron that infant cereal is fortified with. Sneaking it in with pudding, cream sauces, bottles should do the trick.

Good luck!

By Kittycat_26 on Friday, January 31, 2003 - 03:01 pm:

I never thought to simply add more formula (powder) to his bottles! That's a wonderful idea Mj. I've been trying to add some formula to what he is eating but he is quickly learning to pick things up himself which just makes everything messier.

Using the sippy cup without the spill proofer in it is working much better also. He's not any better at using the cup but has more patience with it.

You've all been heaven sent. Thanks so much.

Amanda

By Familyman on Friday, January 31, 2003 - 04:08 pm:

My DD started food at 6 months because she kept grabbing for our food. By 8 monts my wife could only get her to breastfeed in the morning and at night. She only wanted food and breast milk out of a sippy cup. By 9 months she wouldn't even let us feed her, she would only eat things she could pick up herself, and she weaned herself completely from my wife (made her sad) We asked the doctor about it at her 9 month and she thought it was wonderful even though DD is a small girl.
She said all kids are different and most of them time if you listen to them they'll tell you what they need. My DD eats EVERYTHING. We have yet to find something she doensn't like. It's nice.

By Palmbchprincess on Friday, January 31, 2003 - 10:10 pm:

My DD is 8 months. She has suddenly stopped eating pureed foods and cereal. She drinks her formula and juice, but will only eat things she can pick up herself. She eats bananas and crackers. I called my mom freaking out b/c every time I tried to give her the spoon she'd blow raspberries. Mom said they lose their appetite when teething. She has 2 and 2 coming. Her brother on the other hand... no teeth but will eat anything and everything. So to solve the no spoon thing with DD I've been giving her soft pasta and stuff while her brother eats his veggies. Man this feeding thing is hard!!! LOL!!! BTW, another tip from my mom was to buy soft fruits and chunk them instead of puree for Maddie.