Toddler feeding Recommendations

I go through these phases. 

I read about "normal" toddler feeding recommendations of amounts and foods and think cool I'll try this or that and maybe Whitney will like it. 

After a couple of days I think what is the point!  It's a waste of food, time, and money.  In one minute it will all end up on the floor, or she cries and cries till I take it away and give a toy instead. 

Later, I read more about what "normal eating kids" like to eat and how they eat and when they eat and I will get all depressed.  "What's the point" I remember that she will not touch it.

Then, after another few days, I think that I would like to try some of that stuff and get all excited and go out buy a bunch of things for her to try.

Maybe she'll like it or seem interested in the new foods at first, and get my hopes up again.  She might take a bit of yogurt or apple sauce or play in the noodles.

In a couple days though she'll cry and cry again about the food. 

Then the cycle starts all over again.  But sometimes it changes, it can go fast or slow, and is very unpredictable.

I don't know if she doesn't like it because she's not hungry, she's afraid of it, or just doesn't want it. 

I've tried for about 4 or 5 months now (ever since she's been on the blenderized diet) to figure out a good feeding schedule.  Sometimes I think that if she doesn't throw up, then she is still hungry and not satisfied.  Or is she does throw up then I feel really bad about giving her too much food.  Sometimes I can't tell if she threw up because it was too much food or because she was bouncing or jumping around too much. 

She obviously has very slow motility and doesn't help at all at trying to gain weight, because she can't handle much volume. She still vomits 1-3 times a day and it doesn't even phase her anymore.  She'll just be sitting or standing there not crying. Just waiting for me to come clean it up. 

SO my paper here says (for eaters) offer 2-3 snacks and 3 meals ever day at 2 1/2 to 3 hour intervals.

I feed Whitney every 3 to 3 1/2 hours 5 times a day. 

Eat 150 to 200 calories at each meal and snack! 

I feed Whitney four to five oz of her 30 - 40 calories per oz meal.

The paper also says stuff like offer all the different food groups at different times.  Offer at least three different tastes and three differetn textures.  Offer sweet tastes at the end of the meal.  Do not force feed toddlers.  Avoid distractions during meals like tv and toys.  Make feeding fun!  Build things, change things, use food coloring and cookie cutters, be creative.  BTW there are so many cool blogs out there with great ideas about being creative. 

We play with the teddy grahms and she'll nibble of a leg or ear.  We play with the gold fish crackers and she might taste it.  So honestly, I'm the eating all this junk!

Well making it fun is obviously my goal but when I spent so much time and effort and money and it ends up on the floor, then I get back into my "phases"!

From MY personal view point, feeding "normal" kids is so dang easy!  And I have no empathy for "picky eaters" or kids who don't like tomatoes.  Or kids who only eat junk food, at least they are eating enough to gain weight and not die!! 

I do like to hear about the kinds of things "eaters" eat and when and how often so that I can get an idea of a "normal" kids eating habits and routine. 

Also I've pretty much "given up" on the whole praying for Whitney to eat.  I've been doing that for way over a year and nothings changed.  So again, pointless. She'll eat when she's ready, not because I want her too. 

Again I'm very grateful for the feeding tube.

Whitney's recent blends:

Fruity Blend:

2c. Goats Milk 300 cal

1c. Rolled Oats 300 cal

1/2c. strawberries 25 cal

1/2c. mixed berries 30 cal

1/3c. crasins 130 cal

1/4 sesame seeds 200 cal

Veggie Blend:

2c. Goats Milk 300 cal

1/2c. Brown Rice 320 cal

1/2 Avocado 150 cal

1/2c. peas 60 cal

1/2c. spinach 15 cal

Both blends make about 3 1/2 cups (more or less)  and she needs to get all of within two days. 

Whitney's tube feeding schedule:

(food is her blenderized diet alternated between the fruit and veggies)

730am 1oz food 2oz Water & meds

800am 3 oz food 1 oz Water

THERAPY

1100am 1oz food 2 oz Water

1130 am 4 oz food 1 oz Water

NAP

230 pm 1oz food 2 oz Water & meds

300pm 4 oz food 1oz Water

ERRANDS/CHORES/PLAY TIME

600pm 1 oz food 2 oz Water

630pm 4 oz fodd 1oz Water

BED TIME ROUTINE

1000pm 1 oz food 2 oz Water & meds

1030pm 4oz food 1oz water

If I wake up late, the times change.  If she vomits, the times change.  If we have appointments, the times change.  If we're lucky, we keep a really strict schedule. 

Glad I could write my "thinkings" down. :)