A
female
age
41-50,
*sian tealeaf
writes:I have a 15 month old daughter who for the last 2 or so weeks refuses to eat any and all solids, with the exception of her formula. I tried putting her on homo milk but she gets severely constipated from it. Luckily her formula has more nutrients and vitamins she needs, so the lack of solids has not really bothered me soo much. I am entering my 3rd month in my pregnancy and am super exhausted. But i need advice on what i should do in regards to her eating habits. What should i do? I have tried different foods to no avail. My concern is if she was on homogenized milk, she'd turn anaemic as she's getting no iron and protein and enough of the other vitamins she needs to be healthy. I am not overfeeding her in her formula either. I even make her go without, hoping she gets hungry enough to eat the solids I provide, again to no avail.I am at my wits end. Although i'm aware she's teething and all, and this very well may be affecting her eating, etc, my concerns are still that she needs to have solids rather then just simply formula. Also, i want to take her off the bottle completly. How do i do this? Do i do it cold turkey? or do i gradually introduce her to a sippy cup?She's 15 months old and my older siblings been chasting me for waiting soo long, and now i will have more of a challenge to get her off the bottle. Is she right? Any ideas people? and, i want to get her out of her crib as soon as possible and into a toddler bed. How do i do this without her wandering all over the house, not wanting to stay in bed because she is no longer confined etcAny advice on that? the baby is due in December, my sister has said to me i need to get her out of all things and habits associated with being baby.. i.e bottle, crib, etc. What can in do to make this transition easy for her and myserlf? and within a decent time before the baby is due? I have very little time left and i have to get on the ball about these things and soon. Any advice on these issues etc is appreciated. I need advice, i'm desperate!!! Reply to this Question
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female
reader, lee lee  +, writes (11 June 2008):
I have a 15 month old baby boy. he hardly eats. His doctor told us at this age he well keep the same weight. they will not eat. Don't worry if she is hungry she will eat. give it time. i have to say I learned something from you! I have converted by sons formula to milk! His doctor told me to give him Iron supplements., it smell awfull. As you said in your letter, formula has all the vitamins specially Iron. I don't know what to do? should I give him Half formula half milk? since he is not eating very well he is not getting his vitamins through food!
A
female
reader, malvern  +, writes (10 May 2008):
 You are getting yourself in a bit of a state here! Slow down! Babies all grow up at their own rate and they will let you know naturally when they are ready for the next stage. My sons are only 18 months apart (now grown up) and i remember I wanted the older one to grow up fast so I could cope with the younger one. Don't rush to get the older one out of a crib, it will make life harder for you. When the child starts to climb out of it is the time for it go in a bed. Introduce the solid food very gradually. I started mine on things like a bit of scrambled egg or mash potato or weetabix cereal but let them have as much milk as they wanted.
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A
reader, anonymous, writes (10 May 2008): Hey, don't worry bout your little one. The stress of it is not good for your pregnancy. Big sis is absolutely right, your sister is pressuring you into doing something that is unrealistic. Ever baby is different. While some are more easy going with transitions, some have a more difficult time with it. When they are much older, however, they all balance themselves out. My first son was breastfed till he was 2, cut him cold turkey, then stuck with a bottle for another 6 months afterward. My parents looked at me like a bad mom, but they found out that it was actually very good for my son, and praised me in the end. When I tried cows milk, he was having stomach issues, so I put him on goats milk, which happens to be the closest natural thing to breast milk. He loved it even though I didn't care for it at all, and it was very easy on his tummy. Now he is 6, drinking all fluids, a very normal boy. I now have a 10 month old daughter, still breastfeeding. She is so different than my son. Fact is, they can go without food for some time, as long as she is drinking. A lot of the time, when new baby arrives, the younger siblings will kind of regress in development. If she just suddenly stopped eating the solid foods that she used to love, I would be taking her to pediatrics. There might be a problem with her digestive system.
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A
female
reader, BigSis +, writes (10 May 2008):
 Why should you have to take the baby off the bottle? There really is no hurry. You are being pressured into rushing your baby to grow up too fast.
"my sister has said to me i need to get her out of all things and habits associated with being baby.. i.e bottle, crib, etc. What can in do to make this transition easy for her and myserlf? and within a decent time before the baby is due?"
Associated with being a baby?...For Pete's sake, Tealeaf! Just because you have another one on the way, it doesn't mean you have to speed up the growing process of this one.
You can gradually introduce her to a cup with a lid, and she will soon let you know when she's ready for it.
As for her crib, well...there are toddler beds available with low divans, and some with removable sides on them. You can buy a couple of safety gates that you could fix to the top of the stairs and whatever doorway that you don't want her to enter.
Please don't panic, and you must stop saying you have very little time left, do you know how that sounds? I repeat, you can't let your sister pressure you into messing about with your baby's natural growing pattern.
My daughter is bringing up 3 boys, and each one of them had stopped having milk out of bottles from about two and a half - three yrs.
So what if she's still on the bottle when the other one comes along, how old will she be in December? 22 months? That's fine, nothing wrong with that.
Next thing we know, your sister will be packing her off to college in a couple of years.
You will cope just fine, and let nature takes it's course.
As far as her feeding habits, is it the purchased baby foods?...or are you giving her homemade food? Have you tried mashing up the foods you eat? Potatoes and other veg, add some butter, liquidise whatever you eat,, meat, fruit, pasta. Remember, you can never give her too much fresh milk, it's got all the vitamins and calcium etc that's needed in a baby's diet.
If you are overly concerned about her eating habits, then just take her to the clinic or doctor's, they will check her thoroughly to determine if there is a problem or not. Like you said, her teething could be the major factor here.
Best of luck hon, and takes things in their stride.
Congratulations by the way.
BigSis
xXx
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