Re: CHAT - Diane - feeding ideas<--- pat

February 7, 2006

way to go brandon

one small step and it will get bigger and bigger

cara mom to jacob

pat wrote:

Hi Diane,

When I was raising my 4 kids, I always did things the way you're describing.

My children were offered whatever we were having for dinner, and they had

the choice of eating or not eating. If they didn't eat, there was no anger,

they just didn't get a snack between meals or before bed. (although I did

allow them a bowl of oatmeal before bed, I just couldn't send them to bed

hungry!!) And I have to say, that I have 4 of the least picky eaters I know!

LOL

My kids would have their friends over, and it was unbelieveable how rude

some these kids would be about what was served!! (and I don't serve " weird "

things like sushi!! LOL) I was actually told by one young lady that I should

have called her mom to find out what she eats before I allowed my daughter

to invite her to spend the night!

, however, is a totally different matter. When he was younger, he

would have rather starved than try something new. It's only since we've

found other things (non-food items) that he enjoys, that we've been able to

get him to even try anything new.

With Bran I usually insist that he try one bite of a new food at each meal.

After he tries that one bite, I will give him other foods that I know he

likes, but are nutritionally sound. Unfortunately, even at 4 years of age,

most of these are pureed or jarred baby foods!

The other night he actually ate 8 pieces of smoked sausage!! Mind you, I

slice the smoked sausage, and then quarter the slices for him, so that would

only be two slices, but that more than he's ever eaten, voluntarily, on his

own. And this was after offering him one bite of smoked sausage at least 20

times before! LOL

The eat it or starve technique just doesn't work well with our RSS kids.

Although there might be some way to modify that idea, and make it work. I

know that there were many times, early on, that I would have given up a

certain technique, if it hadn't been for the support of our feeding

therapist. It really helped to see that she wasn't affected by all the

things that Bran would try to make her stop. She stuck with it, and in the

end, she was extremely successful in getting Bran to begin eating orally.

But you are right. This method works really well with most kids, especially

when you don't have to worry about issues like BS or hypo-g.

Pat (g-ma to , RSS, 4yrs 1m old, 28# 10oz, 35 " , G-tube, GHT)

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