***UPDATED***
Just wanted to add (in addition to the comment I wrote in response to Joanna's) that we ARE offering Carolina solid, hard foods (okay for a child with no molars to eat). But, she is rejecting all of them. She spits them out constantly. With every meal, I offer her something hard/solid to eat. So far, she will only eat pureed and mashed up foods. She won't even eat ice cream though.
Original post follows:
The CDSA (Early Intervention) has a team of folks coming out tomorrow morning at 10am. I am so excited to see how their evaluation of Carolina goes. We scheduled it during a snack time, so the nutritionist can watch her eat.
I have talked with a few of you over the last week about my feelings on Carolina's eating troubles, but let me just put it down in words for everyone to read. You see, if you're just reading my blog, you don't have the whole picture of how life is here. Sure, it's all smiles for the camera, but it's definitely been a very difficult walk. It's 97% smiles and 3% tears and frustration.
That 3% of the time is usually when Carolina eats. I have never experienced anything more infuriating during my parenting than how this little girl eats. I get so frustrated.
I am constantly reciting the fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self control) to keep myself from making an ugly face or saying something I'll regret. God has definitely kept me under His control, but at the end of the day, when the kids are both in bed and I start thinking about it - I can get really mad.
However, we are working on it and I am constantly trying to give her new foods to play with and then eat. She loves scrambled egg (which is solid!!), so I thought it would be smart to let her feed herself a bit (I usually feed her, as part of the attachment process) and then add a few Cheerios to the mix. Sure enough, once she had the idea that she could feed herself and got into a groove, she ate all the Cheerios. Since then, she has been eating Cheerios semi-regularly.
Alas, that is the most "solid" food she'll eat though. Still...it's progress, right? I am just persevering and hope that I will get some ideas from the folks tomorrow that will help even more.
I'll keep you posted on how it goes.
12 comments:
You are mad and frustrated that she doesn't eat solid foods? She's never been offered solid foods until now? If so, very sad. Hope the appt goes well.
She eats liquid foods, like baby food or foods that have been pureed. The orphanage told us she had been eating slices of apple and even nuts (though she doesn't have molars yet), but she has never once wanted to eat anything more solid than rice or scrambled eggs.
I think, personally, that she has some sort of oral motor trouble. When I start to feed her anything with a spoon, she pulls her tongue to the back of her mouth rather than bringing it to the front as most children and adults do.
I think it's also a texture thing - even if I offer her banana bread in a small quantity, she pushes it to the front of her mouth and right out onto her chin. Even if it's soaking wet, she can still find it with her tongue and get it out of her mouth.
I also think they were untruthful about what she was eating and it's likely she was only eating porridge (rice with little bits of chicken in it).
Those are just my opinions - I should have posted them with everything else, but my post was getting too long. :)
It may be possible that they fed her the porridge out of a bottle--I know that was true for some of the VN orphanages. Do you know if that is the case? I know this is incredibly hard. I hope they have some good suggestions and support for you tomorrow!
I believe that is the case, Becky. They cut the nipples off of the bottles and lay them in their crib to eat the porridge. It's a very common practice in China too. Carolina can down a sippy cup of milk in 6 gulps. We try to give her sippy cups with harder to suck on nipples or bottles for newborns...but it's still slow-going.
Praying you have a very helpful visit tomorrow.
Praying for some helpful and successful advice!
I found with Justin at age 10 months that we had to teach him how to chew and swallow. I always assumed that eating was innate and not learned. I found with Justin that it is learned behavior. It is a great sign that she eats the cheerios. Try the other first foods for learning, like the puffs for babies. you can also try (if you have not already) giving her small pieces of banana or cheese.
Those are great ideas, Tracie, and I was surprised when I found out those are learned behaviors too. I guess they "learned" her to swallow huge amounts of food at a time without feeling them with her tongue. Unfortunately, Carolina doesn't like anything sweet, so those baby puffs haven't gone over well with her. Bland foods are better. She won't let me get near her mouth with the cheese. Wrong color, I think. She just throws it on the floor if I hand it to her.
Keep the ideas coming ladies!!!
I think you are doing a great job Teesa! I can imagine the frustration you are feeling at the end of the day. Since I am just starting to feed solids to my 7 month old, I can see the comparison. Your little girl is almost like a little baby learning to eat for the first time. If all she was fed was porridge through a bottle, it must be incredibly difficult for her! Just keep trying and hopefully it will eventually click! I'm sure it is exhausting for you though! Hang in there!
Teesa, try health food stores for puffed millet and such which isn't sweetened. I hope the nutritionist gave you a couple of tips. The way she places her tongue is consistent with drinking - at least that's what I feel I do when drinking.
I'd also try the baby-led solids approach - no spoon, no purees, no small bits - but veggies and fruits boiled so they can be squashed with your tongue on your palate. Villo learned that way, though we used the spoon cause she loved rice cereal.
BabyCentre (UK site) article: http://tinyurl.com/399dse
YouTube Clips of BLW: http://tinyurl.com/2ol7d9
Wikipedia Entry: http://tinyurl.com/33qdwv
www.babyledweaning.com
Hey Teesa,
Did they do an OT eval today? If so that may help! Also waanted to just mention if she is developementally between 10-14 months maybe she is eating apropriately for her age...the not talking also leads to not building those precious mouth muscles. So if she is eating what a 10 month old eats she is probably doing well!!
Our thoughts are with you through out the day. If you ever want to call just to vent I am here!
Wow Teesa - as if the transition was not difficult enough! We are remembering you! Just a thought - have you considered trying something more like beans or soup that would be liquidy yet have solids mixed in with it? I know all these are things that are common suggestions - so I'm asking that the interview will give you more things to work on - ultimately time will work to your favor! Keep trusting and don't give up - she eat eventually - her body will require more nourishment!
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