Adieu
-
After more than two years and 555 posts (556 counting this one!), I'm
saying goodbye to Adventures in Motherhood. I'm ready for a change, and
I've started ...
13 years ago
Friday, May 1, 2009
Baby steps
Well, we seem to have had some sort of breakthrough this afternoon with feeding! Finn ate, or I should say allowed me to feed him, about 2/3 of a container of Yo-Baby yogurt. That's the most he's ever eaten in one sitting (okay, a lot of it ended up on his bib, but still), and this is the first time that he actually willingly opened his mouth for the spoon, repeatedly! Woo hoo! A baby step, but a step nonetheless.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
12 comments:
Great, great, great!
(now start mushing up fruit and hiding it in there...)
Yay, I'm sure that's a relief. Getting John Michael to drink was more of a challenge for me after I stopped nursing. Way to go, Finn. BTW, I LOVE his name.
Hooray for Finn! Don't you just love that little mouth opening at you, waiting for the food? Like a little bird!
Good boy Finn!!
Go Finn!
Yay, next thing you know he is going to be grabbing that spoon to help you get it in his mouth faster!
I saw your comment on dsnm, and I was reminded of when I caved and agreed to have a g-tube placed so we could get past the "she has to eat this much on schedule" issue. Eight weeks of horrible bacterial infections followed and they ended up removing it. Looking back, she never really needed it and I should have stuck to my guns. Dealing with those white coats can be so intimidating sometimes. During her recovery after her heart surgery, I was told that I was not allowed to nurse her, bottle feeding only so that they could track how much she ate. I breastfed her anyway and the heart surgeon let me know he was annoyed. I told him to weigh her before and after each feed and he would get the info he needed. You see, after 15 weeks in the hospital, I had learned how to advocate for her.
BTW, does Finn like to mouth teethers and toys? If so, have you tried one of those teether food bag thingies? You stick some food, maybe a chunk of banana, in it and then let him "play" with it. While he is mouthing it, he will get the taste and be encouraged to chew on the food. They are very safe and our ST recommended it. We tried it and our daughter likes it.
Good news!!! I hope he keeps it up! :)
Yay,Finn!!! Keep it up!! Woo,hoo!
The mesh feeder is a great idea! He might like having the control over when/how it goes into his mouth and would be good for his oral-motor skills (mangoes are a good food for these). Our OT also suggested Tootsie Rolls in the mesh feeder when Bridget was a little older, to help with "chewing". I didn't do it very often, but as you can imagine, she loved this...and it was messy!
Have you tried sitting him on your lap while you are eating (or pretending to eat) yogurt or something else you'd like him to try? Take a few bites then offer it to him. He may or may not be swayed by this :)!
The different types of spoons/devices (like Nuk brushes, the z-vibe, textured spoons) might also be more appealing than a regular spoon and might help him to stay interested. Sometimes it is more a matter of finding the right "spoon" as much as the right foods to encourage eating.
Have you done some detective work to figure out if he has oral sensitivities? What does he do when you try to put your fingers near his mouth, or rub a wet washcloth on his cheeks and lips? Can you put a toothbrush in his mouth without him resisting? (There is a baby "toothbrush"--for gums, really--that slips over the tip of your finger. I think it is made by Oragel...and they have a baby-safe, fruit flavored gel that you can put on it (or not). That is what we started using with Bridget to desensitize her to having things in her mouth. She loved it.)
Bridget also enjoyed applesauce or Yo-Baby yogurt on the Nuk brush or other similar devices.
Our OT suggested that we always have Bridget at the table with the family during meals. She does want to be part of the group, and this did help once we found the right ways and types of food to feed her.
So many kids (and it seems even more common in kids who are breastfed) are not so quick to move to solid food.
Making sure he stays safe is important, but sometimes it is a matter of actually wanting more texture than what early stage baby food offers. Consider making something yourself and having the consistency be a little bit less liquid. I roast butternut and acorn squash for Bridget, and she LOVES that. I used to add a little bit of liquid, but I don't anymore. Also, very small pieces of something like Nutrigrain bars or bananas will give him something to "chew" or smash with his tongue, but are not something he would choke on.
Finding the right motivations for him (setting, type of food, type of utensil, etc.) is key. Keep at it :).
I hope Monday's consult is beneficial for you both!
YEAH!!!!!!!!!!! That is so great!! I bet that brought a huge smile to your face!!!! GO FINNIAN!!!
great news, lisa!! wtg finn : )
Yay, Finn!
Malea really enjoyed the Yo Baby yogurt too.
Post a Comment