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I planned for days to write a post lamenting the fact that my child will not eat anything. It was going to be good, too. I thought of adjectives and acronyms and dusted off my sense of humor. Mostly I was frustrated and you know how much sense it makes for that to bring out the best writing in someone.
Amelia hasn't been a good eater since day 1, literally. I've been in a constant state of maternal angst, metaphorically and literally ringing my hands worrying about if she's getting enough nutrients and, if she decides to become a fruitarian, will she waste away to nothingness? My sister gave me good advice. She said not to push it - not to force her to eat. I nodded emphatically and agreed with her. Eating shouldn't be a warzone.
The next meal I shoved a green bean in Amelia's mouth. You may think I'm kidding about the force-feeding bit, but I'm not. Usually if I could just get a taste of a food on Amelia's tongue she would decide she liked it and eat at least a few bites. If she couldn't bear the taste on her tongue then I didn't push it. I've had to start pushing it. She refuses any and every food - even foods I know she has liked in the past like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. She will not touch a noodle. Of any kind. Which means she won't eat spaghetti or macaroni and cheese - childhood staples! I know it's a texture thing and she'll grow out of it, but she needs the carbs! My waft of a girl is just a few pounds more than her 7 month old cousin! Granted, he's a tank, but still.
Things she'll eat for sure:
- A Costco hot dog (go figure)
- Fruit of any kind
- Goldfish crackers
- Pizza
- Donuts (that's my girl!)
- Fruit Roll-ups
- Chocolate (of course)
- Sticks of Colby Jack cheese
- Waffles
- Her daddy's Chicken Fried Rice (we tried living off of it for a while and got burned out)
- Ice cream
Things she won't even touch no matter how often she's offered them:
- Eggs
- Pasta
- Any kind of vegetable (although she ate a couple of tiny bites of broccoli lately)
That list may seem short but it covers a vast array of foods that her father and I happen to enjoy. I still offer her everything we eat but she usually won't eat it.
Mealtimes for the last year have been filled with frustration and crying - and not just from me.
Yesterday she was feeling really sick so she ate next to nothing all day. I could have penned the most angst-ridden blog from the heart yesterday about what a horrible mother I was. That is, until about 5:30pm. She just wanted to snuggle and I realized she had a slight fever and was exhausted and, from what I could tell, had the chills and body aches. We put her to bed with not much in her tummy. Even her beloved Fruit by the Foot didn't get eaten.
This morning when she woke up I offered her a blueberry waffle (I made them last week and froze the leftovers) and turkey bacon. She didn't touch the bacon but she ate almost the entire waffle and about 1/2 of a pear. That's good for her, people.
Lunch was nothing to write home about. I cut up leftover pork chops to look like chicken strips and even gave her some dip to dunk them in and all she did was take a couple of bites then suck down the sweet and sour sauce I gave her for dipping. Then she had a Fruit By the Foot and called it good.
We cut back on the snacks today. When David got home Millie had developed somewhat of a cabin fever and really wanted to go outside even though it had snowed today and was freezing. We bundled her up and David took her out and let her run around the cul de sac for a while. Pizza was for dinner and that's all she talked about until it was ready. She was offered a slice of pizza and carrots. David thought the piece of pizza was too difficult for her to eat so he cut it up and she wouldn't touch it. Ah! Presentation! We then gave her another piece that was whole and she gobbled it up...toppings first. Then she asked for more! MORE! I noticed teeth imprints in the carrots but not a full bite - she didn't want anything to do with them. But after dinner David gave her as much applesauce as she wanted and she had quite a bit.
Hopefully this is a turning point to better eating. And with that, I'm taking my sick self to bed.
Supposedly we'll have snow tomorrow. Doubt it.
Happy Wednesday!
4 comments commented:
Picky kids *sigh* Alice has never been too picky, but lately there are times she refuses to eat, and a lot of times it is things she likes, or did. I have found the best way to get her to eat is to give her what we eat...including ketchup, salad dressing, etc. She knows when her food is different from ours, and that is usually when she refuses to eat and throws it everywhere. Another thing is giving her utensils...even if I don't think she needs them. She will eat if she has a spoon, or fork.
And if she doesn't eat, I put her food up for a bit because she usually changes her mind a bit later. Try not to let her fill up on snacks. Or try new snacks. Bagel with cream cheese or jelly. Try "roll-ups" made of meat and cheese. And just try to be patient. I know how frustrating it is. The pediatrician has been worried about Alice's weight since she started walking, so I'm always trying to get her to eat more!
It's so nice to see your Blogs again Jamie! We enjoy them. You're such a good writer.
Sorry you are having food struggles. Alas, we've had them (or are having them) with both of our girls. Veggies are just not a big hit with our girls either. They aren't big meat eaters too. Our oldest has finally gotten out of the big struggle period, but it didn't happen until 5-6 years old. I have chosen to give them chewy vitamins to fill any "holes" in their diet and play to their strengths. Fruit is great vitamin and fiber food, I just try to make sure it isn't fruit mixed with sugar (use no sugar added applesauce and if canned fruit is used, use the kind in juice).
You are a great mommy. If Millie is growing, she is eating enough. My girls are thin, but they keep growing up, so they must be getting enough. Over the course of a week, I bet she is meeting her dietary needs, just not each need each day.
Just know you are not alone!
Have you tried yogurt. My daughter will eat that when she refuses everything else. She loves it and eats a good two to three cups of Yobaby everyday. It's a great source of calcium and protein. Also, bread is something I can usually get her to eat when nothing else will do. Good luck. I know as a mother this can be very frustating.
Julia
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