My DS - 2.5 years, is showing reflux even with the first spoon of feeding. He is a very poor eater and just takes idaly, dosa and kanji (rice with salt). Now he is reluctant to those too. Is there any remedy? He doesn't try any new food too. I'm still BFing, but the milk supply is tooo low. Please help with your expertise. Thanks.
lakshmi, is lack of variety in his food the key issue? or has he tasted other food, and still finds problem? kids usually ask for variety. how about roti, puri, kichidi... how about his veg, fruits intake? there is probably something too humdrum about his whole eating thing.. 1) are you making him eat by himself? that could be encouraging to some kids. 2) a plate full of variety of food (rice, roti, veg, curd, junk/dessert) in small cups could excite kids too 3) do you still mash his food? if yes, try and stop it good luck !
Thanks Asha. They were helpful tips. I will keep trying. Feeding him is a very big challenge to me. I'm working and I get little chance to feed him, even that makes me so tired. Since his birth, feeding him has always been a tough task. He doesn't show interest in any type of food. (Or may be I'm yet to find out his favorite ones). He blindly says 'no' to anything offered. And when he feels very hungry, he asks for dosa, and that too, he will stop once he has little. We have to show him different things to put something into his mouth and make him swallow that. Our last babysitter is a relative of ours and she knows how to handle him. She used to take him to a nearby place with cows and calves, railway track, to a neighbour's house with small kids, distract him and somehow feed him. She has some health issue now and our new babysitter is not able to cope up with his nature. Somehow trying to feed him each time. He only wants to play with the food. One mistake we did was (as mentioned by you), to grind his food everytime. Now we have stopped that, however he is yet to get used to normal food. Hoping for the best during every feed. Thanks so much for your reply. (Today night we took him to his favorite restaurant and he had his favorite dish from there - dosa again :bonk but showed no reflux)
I used to add lot of colors to dosa (with carrots, onions) and give them in lot of shapes (alphabets, small/big, square ones), when DD used to be on such strikes. not that she has greatly improved now. but am at least sure she would have certain food better than others. i wouldn't prefer running around with the kid, and thats obviously tiring you out. he is going to maybe eat better on a high chair in your own dining table, all by himself. keep changing what you usually do with him during this eating time - with the food you offer and the environment too. how about asking him to feed himself when you and your DH have food? and if he is too fussy, leave him like that and try after a few hours. darling.. dont think he is still a baby.. give him some independence and that might work wonders with your problem. ok now, let the rest of the ladies pour in their ideas !
Oh yaa, I second Asha, adding colors, shapes, making their platers exciting.. But I would add more stories! Cookup with whatever thats your kid's fav, say animal,bird, cartoon, fairy, spiderman, something that he gets ecxited with! Tell him how they get energy through their food, etc... You too have your food together. I do this - My tummy is waiting now for food, mmmmmmm yummmm, now XX veggy is giving me bright eyes... YY veg gives me sharp ears... ZZ good memory... Indirectly he would get it over time...But you need to constantly repeat tirelessly!:thumbsup You know your kid better and you can get this done!:cheers
Lakshmi, DS also has intermittent reflux and but has no issues eating a variety of food. But it is the consistency that is the issue with him - no mashed foods or soups. He was put on lanzol kids and I have seen great improvement in eating once the acid reflux is under control. Also, I avoid foods known to trigger reflux (which you seem to be doing already, we dont do great on oily stuff or ghee, but have no issues with butter). I could have written what you are writing at 2.5 years (when we sadly weaned). Do not push food or show anxiety when a food is rejected. Small meals, many meals helps my child get the nutrition he needs. We try to give 5 to 7 meals throughout the day and avoid everything we know that causes allergies or reflux in him. I found this link when I was looking for something to give my sick, refluxy child recently and posted in another thread in the food sub-forum. It is difficult feeding a child with reflux or texture issues, I feel your pain. hope this helps you.
Lakshmi, After reading tikka's post, am thinking, whether i got your problem right, i didnt i guess! Sorry if my previous post appeared mis-leading, I have no experience with severe reflux kids )))
