15 month old - breast feeds and food.

We've done BLS since 6 months. DD has never really got into food. She's a boobie monster through and through.

Since her 12 month vaccinations, we've had some weight gain issues. She got sick twice after her 12mo vax, and was off her food then. We took her to the Dr a month after her vax and she'd lost 500g in that time period. Whilst I am happy to put that down to her being sick and being lots more mobile, she went from being just above the 75th percentile on her chart to just above the 10th. Not good. The Dr was concerned about the huge drop on her chart (and not so much about the actual number on the scales).

Anyway, the Dr had given us some time to get some weight back on her before investigating for anything (coeliacs etc). We went back 4 weeks later and she'd lost another 100g (but had a bout of diarrhea in that time so that explained that loss).

We're due to go back to the Dr tomorrow and get her weighed again but I just know that the gain isn't going to be significant because, well, she doesn't eat much. She will try anything and does like stuff but she'll take 3 mouthfuls of something then decide that she's done. The only thing that she eats all of is her porridge in the morning. And fruit. She eats fruit like it's going out of fashion. But that's clearly not sustaining her. She's not a fan of meat and would sit and eat cottage cheese, hummus and olives all day if I let her.

She still breastfeeds 2 hourly in the day and overnight too. I offer solids before breastfeeds but it doesn't matter, she'd take boobie over food anyday. I don't mind this at all and to be honest, if she's not eating, then I am glad that she's getting breast milk!

Do you think she's just a small eater? She used to guzzle boobie (and still does) when she was little and her weight gains were always good.

I'm just out of ideas.

Hi,
I think it really is down to her being sick - there is not much you can do in these circumstances. This is definately a case of thank goodness she is breastfeeding (and don't let anyone suggest that breastfeeding or baby led solids is the problem) She sounds like she is eating a pretty good diet. Nothing wrong with her eating hummus, cottage cheese and olives all day (OK, maybe easy on the olives!) Are there any allergies in either side of your families? Eczema? asthma? coeliac? Dairy can be a good way of getting calories into some-one who doesn't eat much - a dollop of cream or yoghurt on her porridge? Would she eat spaghetti bolognaise sauce? Chicken drumsticks? A glug of olive oil in her hummus?

Thanks Barb. I have been pretty firm in sticking with breastfeeding and BLS, she can use her own cutlery and has been since 11 month :) I put this down to BLS! Anyway..... I digress.

Yeah, she loves dairy actually. Yoghurt, cottage cheese and icecream (in moderation). I was told to not give her too much dairy because she was horribly constipated for a while and now has a bad association with pooing so holds them in leading to more constipation. Whilst it's better than it was, it's still not great and she does go a few days holding her poo in. Then there is a massive screaming match on the potty when she does finally poo. Poor thing. It's horrible to watch. And I do notice that the day leading up to a poo she doesn't eat hardly anything - I put that down to her being bloated and full.

We have no allergies in the family at all thank goodness!

She's not a fan of spag bol, will take it or leave it. I've made some meatballs with veggies in them and have a batch in the freezer but she's not all that keen on those either.

Waaaaa! Thanks for your reply Barb. I'm happy to keep going with the breast feeding. I don't go back to work until Feb next year so have plenty of time to have her eating a good diet - although, I thought she'd be eating plenty by now!!!!

My DD was a lot like that at that age. Loved her porridge (still does, every morning but now with toast and a piece of fruit... can't stop her) and still feeding frequently around the clock. She has gotten a lot better, she is 27 months now but it probably got better maybe 6 months ago. Now she eats heaps (like I said breakfast is the same amount of porridge as me plus a piece of toast or two and an orange or banana... where does she put it?) and still breastfeeds probably twice during the day and twice at night. She has always been little though; born 2.9kg and pretty much followed that path. My DD wasn't even interested in solids till about 9 months so figured she was just a slow starter, I never really pushed anything just always sat and ate the same stuff and let her try as she wanted, one day she just morphed into a garbage machine and now I can barely keep up! Everyone kept saying I needed to cut down the breastfeeding or she would never eat but I was just happy she was having something and didn't want to mess with it, she knew what she was doing in the end anyway. Hope your little one has had a gain :hug:

Sounds like she is a bit of a snacker :) My DD is the same :)

What happens if you are away from her for more than a couple of hours? Is there the option to have someone else feed her solids and not have the boob there as an immediate option to see if she takes a little more?

While I would never advocate starving a kiddie we found that if I tried to stretch DD out a bit (finding the happy medium between making her wait a while and sending her into a total meltdown) then she was happier to eat more solids because she was actually genuinely hungry rather than just a little peckish.

Maybe if she is still just snacking you could add higher calorie foods like avacado or baked beans (I make my own - but the salt reduced ones are OK too)

In the end I work on the theory that if they are happy and active and engaged it will all be OK :)

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What happens if you are away from her for more than a couple of hours? Is there the option to have someone else feed her solids and not have the boob there as an immediate option to see if she takes a little more?

While I would never advocate starving a kiddie we found that if I tried to stretch DD out a bit (finding the happy medium between making her wait a while and sending her into a total meltdown) then she was happier to eat more solids because she was actually genuinely hungry rather than just a little peckish.

Maybe if she is still just snacking you could add higher calorie foods like avacado or baked beans (I make my own - but the salt reduced ones are OK too)

In the end I work on the theory that if they are happy and active and engaged it will all be OK :)

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I've never been away from her for more than an hour. We don't have family here, and there really isn't a need for her to be away from me at the moment.

I've tried stretching her out LOL. She has none of it. Claws at my shirt and yells boobie!

Thanks guys xxxx

Update - we went to see the Dr today and her weight has gone up 800g in 5 weeks. Phew!! She's back to where she should be on her chart and all looks good :)

YAY.

Thank you all for your input.

Hey, is it October? :D

That's great! I totally agree with Barb, btw, it was the illness adn thank goodness she's breastfed.

I couldn't keep away MadB :D

Yep, thank goodness she's a boobie monster!

Awesome!

Glad you are back too, how is the training going? I am starting mine soon!

That's great stuff MummaSue. I'm so glad things are back on track for you. Good on you for sticking with your instincts.

woohooo Mummasue, Yay for breastfeeding.

Thank you lovely ladies :)