https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 30 Apr 2026 15:53:03 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-am-i-doing-wrong-argh#post-392995 Mon, 12 Nov 2012 10:53:59 +0000 BabyBoecksMom 392995@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: What a cutie you have!! He seems to be enjoying it. Remember, "food before 1 is just for fun", so as long as he's taking his bottles regularly, you don't have to worry about how much solid food he's (not) eating. </p> <p>It's a lot of discovery right now. Going from a liquid diet to solids is a huge change and they are learning what textures and tastes they enjoy. Most of the time, DD just likes to squish and spit out the food. Every time we give her new food, she always makes a face like it's so disgusting. But we keep offering things to her, with no pressure to eat and sometimes she'll come around. </p> <p>Right now, her favorites are peas and fish, but I"m sure that will change next week ;-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-am-i-doing-wrong-argh#post-392923 Mon, 12 Nov 2012 10:15:31 +0000 prettylizy 392923@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: Yep! I cut them up, put them on a plastic cutting board in the freezer so that they firm up but don't freeze into a big clump, once they are solid, I plop them into a ziploc bag in the freezer and pull one out every morning. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-am-i-doing-wrong-argh#post-392919 Mon, 12 Nov 2012 10:13:46 +0000 irene 392919@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@prettylizy: One more question: Do you freeze the frittata (and pancakes) and take it out from the freezer each day? And how much do you give her each day? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-am-i-doing-wrong-argh#post-392878 Mon, 12 Nov 2012 09:49:45 +0000 winniebee 392878@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: we started small amounts of cereal and purres at 4 months because it often helps with reflux andbc my son was never a big milk eater. Thankfully he really likes solids so we have given him 2 small meals a day since 5 months and just recently added a third. They are small meals though! We wanted to encourage the eating and our GI approves. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-am-i-doing-wrong-argh#post-392860 Mon, 12 Nov 2012 09:41:10 +0000 irene 392860@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@winniebee: We actually got prescribed another medicine too (an "upgrade" from zantac") but we've been reluctant to start that - maybe we'll start that tomorrow after the upper GI and oral tests..... </p> <p>And btw your LO is just 6 months and you are already giving him 3 solids a day? I didn't even start solids until after his 6 months birthday ! (I knew it would be a nightmare so I postponed it as long as possible LOL)</p> <p>@BabyBoecksMom: Thanks for sharing your eating routine !! This feeding nightmare, regardless if it was breastfeeding or spoon feeding, is never going to end is it??</p> <p>@sugar: Thanks for sharing! I am getting worried myself - we are going to daycare at 11.5 months and we supposed to pack lunch boxes consists of finger foods only. I am just not sure how would he be able to eat neatly and quickly at that age.</p> <p>@tng: Thanks for sharing your routine! You are speaking exactly what I feel.... </p> <p>Saturday it happened again - I used his naptime (9:30-11:30) to make a baby bolognese sauce with pasta, and offer him lunch at 11:30 without giving him a bottle thinking he'd eat without fussing but boy! He hated it and cried and won't eat it! I was furious :( !!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-am-i-doing-wrong-argh#post-392835 Mon, 12 Nov 2012 09:20:02 +0000 prettylizy 392835@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: Well he looks happy!! She eats probably about 60% of what I put on her tray the rest end up in her lap or on the floor. It feels a little wasteful, but as long as she is eating until she is full and not fighting it I'm okay with it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-am-i-doing-wrong-argh#post-392796 Mon, 12 Nov 2012 08:12:03 +0000 irene 392796@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@prettylizy: I made the frittata last night for breakfast this morning... He seems to enjoy eating or at least destroying it..... Thanks :) but it is scary to see him squeezing those things in his hands.... Your LO really eats them all?</p> <p>[attach=79/12/mddm04.600x450.image.jpg] </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-am-i-doing-wrong-argh#post-389914 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 18:58:13 +0000 lollipop 389914@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I definitely know how you feel Irene since I'm kinda in the same boat. My Lo was born small, at 3% and continues to stay there. The highest she got to was 15% at 2 months. At her 9 mths, she was only 14lb14oz (3rd%). Feeding her was always a challenge from day one. A 4oz bottle takes at least 30-45 min to finish. She eventually improved but she is now such a picky eater with solids. At her 9 mths, the pediatrician told us to cut back her formula to 16oz a day so she'll be hungry and eat more solids. It's so hard to limit her formula when she isn't eating a decent amount so she's at 18-20 oz a day. Her schedule looks something like this<br /> 730- wake up 5oz bottle<br /> 830 - 2-4oz yogurt, some cherrios. She's pretty much refusing everything else<br /> 930-nap<br /> 1130- lunch 2-4 oz of solids, 0-2 oz fruit<br /> 1:30 - 6oz bottle then nap<br /> 5 - dinner similar to lunch but she tends to eat more<br /> 7 - 8 oz bottle then bedtime</p> <p>I know what you mean when you make all these yummy food for them but most of it ends up on the floor or the garbage. I gave up about a month ago and bought jar food. I still make food for her but use jar food occasionally so it doesn't hurt as much when that ends up in the garbage. She will be 10 months this weekend and only started to eat cherrios/puffs and let me feed her bits of food a week ago. I fear mealtime since it always seem to end in tears (both her and me at times). I also feel like crap when I read about moms with babies that live to eat. </p> <p>I don't know if I have any suggestions for you, since I'm looking for some myself haha, but just know that you're not alone and you are doing your best. Babies will eat what they need and although hard to remember, it's nothing against you if they don't eAt. Hang in there and this too will pass (when is what I always ask my hubby when he says this to me hahaha...) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-am-i-doing-wrong-argh#post-389837 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 17:52:03 +0000 sugar 389837@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't read all the posts, but my little lady is almost 11 months- she went on a bit of a food strike this week because of a stuffy nose- she ate 4oz from 2pm to 2am, but she's been waking up in the middle of the night and chugging her bottle. </p> <p>As for solids, she wouldn't eat any purees. In fact, she didn't get into food until we got her naked (diaper on), put her in her highchair and let her do it all herself. She's starting to master those squeeze bottles, but each meal is a MESS. She's finally starting to be better about keeping the food on her tray and dropping less. But it has been a messy adventure. Big wipe down or bath after each meal. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-am-i-doing-wrong-argh#post-389736 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 17:03:53 +0000 BabyBoecksMom 389736@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: Oh, friend, you poor thing. T-Mom gave some great advice. I don't have a whole lot of advice, but I can give you DD's eating "schedule" and hope that helps. I have found that she doesn't like purees much at all anymore and would rather have solid table food instead. She'll spit the puree all over us if she doesn't want it. I guess she's becoming more independent and wants to feed herself. :-/</p> <p>7:30 - Wake up, eat about 1 oz of puree and some puffs (any more than that and she's spit the food everywhere)<br /> 9:30 - 4 oz bottle<br /> 10:30 - snack (puffs or yogurt drops)<br /> 12:00 - 4 oz bottle<br /> 1:00 - 2.5 oz of purees or cut up fruit<br /> 3:30 - 4 oz bottle<br /> 6:00 - puree or table food (depending on her mood)<br /> 7:00 - 6 oz bottle (she's always a piggy at night)<br /> Sometimes she'll wake up at night and need another 4 oz bottle</p> <p>ETA: Remember, the guidelines are just that, guidelines. That doesn't make them hard and fast rules. Some babies will eat more than others, and even the good eaters will have times when they don't want to eat (ie: sick, excited). If your son seems to be fine on less food, then don't force it. He'll let you know when he needs it ;-) </p> <p>Good luck!!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-am-i-doing-wrong-argh#post-389548 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 15:49:45 +0000 winniebee 389548@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: Good luck! We started seeing a GI specialist when he was 4.5 months old (he had gone from taking 5 oz bottles 5x a day to barely drinking 18 oz ( and it was a battle to get him to take even that). He would get VERY angry if you tried to feed him when not hungry and outright refused to drink at bedtime. He would scream as if I were torturing him if I tried to get him to eat beyond a few ounces at a time. At that point, and when we consulted with a GI doctor, we switched him to 100% nutramigen formula (instead of my quasi dairy free breast milk) and switched him from Zantac to Prilosec. Slowly got better over the course of a month and as we introduced solids. As of a week ago, he started taking 5 oz bottles 5x a day again and has 3 solid meals a day now - now, they are small (just a an ounce or two each meal). But it's a drastic improvement. I'm not sure if it's because of the Priolosec or if he's just growing up, but for the moment, it's a relief. He'll be 6 mos next week. I don't know how his growth is, but I never was as concerned with his growth so much as worried he was not comfortable when eating (or after eating) and that he did not enjoy eating. I felt like I was doing everything, wrong, too. </p> <p>I hope you find some answers or see an improvement soon. Feeding difficulties are VERY VERY stressful, I know!!! You aren't doing anything wrong, either. It's a matter of your son working through whatever he has going on and you and your doctors coming to a consensus about what works best for you all. You're going to great lengths to make sure your son is eating well and is thriving! That makes a good mom. If your kid is happy and happy when he eats, then screw what the guidelines say. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-am-i-doing-wrong-argh#post-389531 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 15:40:53 +0000 irene 389531@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@prettylizy: thanks for the link...!</p> <p>@T-Mom: he likes Cheerios the best. Sigh!</p> <p>@winniebee: my son was difficult when he was younger too...we r working with a GI specialist and next Tuesday we will take him in for a Upper GI test as well as something with his oral to make sure everything is ok. The docs said he has reflux too...</p> <p>.@NYCaliMama: guess what. Today we tried the consolidated approach where we skip the 11am bottle and give him lunch first. He skipped the 1pm bottle completely and won't take a bottle until 3pm. This makes him drinking only 3 bottles for today and definitely less than 16 oz!!! He ate a lot for lunch though, like 4 oz of food. Sigh. But he seems to be perfectly ok. I should call the pediatrician.</p> <p>@sarac: it is a frustration. And when all the guidelines say he should be eating this much by this age and your son is not eating nearly as much, it is a fear of if I am doing it right or if something is wrong with my son. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-am-i-doing-wrong-argh#post-389365 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 14:43:06 +0000 sarac 389365@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I guess I don't quite understand why this is a problem if your baby is still on the charts. Mine has always been a small girl, and a small eater. Maybe your baby was just meant to start out big and then slow down? My personal policy is to follow hunger cues pretty extensively, as they truly won't starve themselves. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-am-i-doing-wrong-argh#post-389087 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 12:55:39 +0000 SAHM0811 389087@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: yeah I know that crappy feeling you get at the doctor's office. I know it was just my perception (sorta), but I felt like he was looking at me like I didn't feed my child at all! He had us return every month to track her growth carefully... That was good, but also very stressful for me. At Month 9, I had an LC plot her on the "updated EBF babies" growth chart. They assured me she was still doing ok even though the curve didn't look great to me. Luckily for us, her feeding got better at 10 months. By then she had sprouted 4 teeth, so I think that helped too. Is your LO teething perhaps? Also, just FYI, my ped did tell us that 16 oz of milk a day was the minimum. I think 20-24 oz is typical consumption for babies that age, but he kept asking me if I was producing at least 16oz of BM. </p> <p>Oh and she'd pee at least 4-5 times a day with 1 poop everyday or every other, so I figured even if her appetite was very low, she was still making enough output at least. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-am-i-doing-wrong-argh#post-388781 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 11:16:26 +0000 winniebee 388781@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son is not as old so I can't offer comparative experience, but I can offer sympathy! My son has not historically been a big eater - but he has reflux and a dairy intolerance. And he was born in the 1st percentile and hasn't made it out yet! So, eating has always been a little stressful for us. He started daycare recently and actually this seems to have helped a lot - watching other kids, etc - now he takes his bottles much better and is more enthusiastic. Sorry : ( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-am-i-doing-wrong-argh#post-388703 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 10:54:51 +0000 T-Mom 388703@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: What are the kinds of foods that your LO takes the most interest in? i noticed that my LO likes meat the best, so I make a lot of meatballs, meatloaf, type things. They are really easy for LO to pick up and chew, and the whole family can enjoy too. Plus convenient to freeze. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-am-i-doing-wrong-argh#post-388638 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 10:25:53 +0000 prettylizy 388638@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: nope, no need to blend, it's pretty smooth, depending on how finely you chop the onion. She will be 8 months old tomorrow. </p> <p>check out <a href="http://www.littlegrazers.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.littlegrazers.com</a> I've gotten a few recipes that I batch cook for her from there (I just remembered the Quinoa Apple Meatballs I have in the freezer- she loves those too:) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-am-i-doing-wrong-argh#post-388635 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 10:25:00 +0000 Mrs. Bee 388635@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: yah charlie got 4 bottles at that age. daytime bottles were 4oz, and night time bottle was 6oz, so he was getting about 18 oz a day? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-am-i-doing-wrong-argh#post-388631 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 10:21:43 +0000 irene 388631@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@prettylizy: Do you blend the squash casserole in a blender before offering to your LO? How old is she now?</p> <p>@Mrs. Bee: When Charlie was 9 months, did you only offer 4 bottles instead of 5 then? All those "nutritionist guidelines" just pissed me off. Everyone says they supposed to still take 24+ oz a day, PLUS eating A LOT OF solid food. I mean are those guidelines for real human babies? LO is definitely not taking 24 oz a day and he's also barely eating much solids, that's why I am so reluctant to cut out one bottle, but I do want to space it out so he gets hungrier for food. I feel like feeding is all we do nowadays and we all hate it.</p> <p>@NYCaliMama: I am hoping the cold is really what makes him cut back on food... but also, he's sick all the time. So it is one evil vicious cycle!</p> <p>I also hate the curve thing and the term "finding his curve". I mean come on. Even from the hellobee boards there are tons of parents experiencing the same thing (start off at 90% then drops off to 10% by 1 year).... shouldn't there be two standards/curves so we all feel better???? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-am-i-doing-wrong-argh#post-388617 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 10:10:27 +0000 SAHM0811 388617@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I felt the same way with my now 16 month old. She (and I) HATED mealtimes from months 6-9 and even still now every so often. It came to a point where I thought she just didn't like anything going in her mouth. I was also super frustrated at the time and effort I put into her meals, only to have her reject them. </p> <p>I do know that even with just a runny nose, she will eat much less than usual. I can tell that she has a hard time eating/swallowing because her nose is stuffed (even if I Nosefrida her prior). So I just suck it up and trust that she'll come around eventually. It's hard not to freak out about it, but I just tell myself if she is eating and pooping ok, she is ok!</p> <p>She was in the 75th percentile as an infant and near the end of her 1st year went down to 10%... She's currently around 10% still, and our docs and I now just think she was "finding her curve". But to wait to see that was difficult for me, especially since my older child never had any of these issues.</p> <p>I've also noticed that I tend to offer my kids food pretty often throughout the day. So I cut back on it to make them hungry for meals. If snack time is in order, it's in very, very small portions. By the time it's lunch or dinner, I want to see that they are hungry enough to eat. If not, I do push their meals back. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-am-i-doing-wrong-argh#post-388613 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 10:08:08 +0000 Mrs. Bee 388613@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: olive is much smaller than your lo. she's 18 lbs now and she's 13 months! also charlie only drank 4oz bottles at that age so i wouldn't worry too much about that.</p> <p>charlie hated eating at that age so we did a lot of porridge. you could do porridge for lunch and dinner? what helps with olive is we put the food on the fork and let her feed herself sometimes. she loves it. you could maybe try that? you could also cut back to two meals a day since he doesn't eat much. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-am-i-doing-wrong-argh#post-388600 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 10:03:00 +0000 prettylizy 388600@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: Well she's never screamed like that, but it took her over 2 weeks to warm up to the frittata- now she loves it. </p> <p>For puree's I make this squash casserole (without the topping, I can't have cheese, and we sub agave in for sugar) <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/amazing-butternut-squash/" rel="nofollow">http://allrecipes.com/recipe/amazing-butternut-squash/</a>. DH and I both eat it, and LO gobbles it up.</p> <p>I'm making stewed fruit today too, apples, pears and peaches, cubed in a pan with some water and cinnamon, cooked until soft and then mixed up with the immersion blender. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-am-i-doing-wrong-argh#post-388584 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 09:56:58 +0000 irene 388584@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@prettylizy: That sounds doable for the pancake and frittata :) I'll try to make some this weekend.... What kind of puree do you offer your LO? Maybe I'll try your recipes too...</p> <p>The thing that pisses me off is, usually I spend all these energy and time to make a big batch of food, only that when I offer to him he'd cry bloody murder. Sigh! </p> <p>The same happened this morning and I took a video. You'd think someone is trying to kill him. I wish I could share it with you guys. LOL </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-am-i-doing-wrong-argh#post-388571 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 09:52:42 +0000 prettylizy 388571@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: oh no, I don't make fresh every morning, I'm a zombie in the morning! lol! I make a huge batch and freeze them in bulk. When she wakes up we nuke one in the microwave for her. </p> <p>You poor thing- what a little bugger. Well, if he starts playing with it he might eventually begin to like it and then eat it? I've got nothing! lol! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-am-i-doing-wrong-argh#post-388564 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 09:49:47 +0000 irene 388564@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@prettylizy: pancake and frittata.... you make that fresh every morning????? Kudos to you...</p> <p>and the squeeze bottle is a good idea but I don't think it'd work with us. He would hold it and squeeze it everywhere on his face, shirt...etc. What kind of monster did I give birth to?!?!</p> <p>I remembered what you said about your friend and did the same thing this morning when LO was screaming bloody murder. He just holds the spoon and plays with the food on top of it. Argh...!!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-am-i-doing-wrong-argh#post-388015 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 22:38:30 +0000 T-Mom 388015@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: hmmmmm... Yeah I hear you... Ok first take a deep breath. Why don't you do what you suggested, do rice porridge for a while since he likes it. You can even try adding different proteins to it or mix in some purée like carrots.. And yeah,there is nothing wrong with bottled babyfood! Some kids just take a while to warm up to solids. And yes I had a lot of food rejected by DD even though DS is a great eater. I made all kinds of concoctions that went wasted. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-am-i-doing-wrong-argh#post-388004 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 22:34:26 +0000 mrbee 388004@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: Charlie is a horrible eater. It decreases our quality of life by maybe 50%!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-am-i-doing-wrong-argh#post-387998 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 22:31:21 +0000 irene 387998@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T-Mom: I am just pissed offf.... why can't I have a normal baby like the rest of you, who is an enthusiastic eater?????? Today he cried bloody murder basically at all 3 meals. Come ON! I feel like I am giving him poison. </p> <p>I bought so much groceries too and last weekend I cooked and served fresh food for him (instead of pulling out frozen cooked food), but he just refused them. It hurts ! and what a waste of food! I am really thinking I'll just go to all bottled babyfood for good, maybe I'll still continue to make porridge with chicken since that's the only thing he seems to be eating. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-am-i-doing-wrong-argh#post-387993 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 22:29:08 +0000 prettylizy 387993@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: I would suggest maybe something a little more solid, does he have good dexterity? </p> <p>For breakfast I have two go-to's that she loves. Apple banana pancake (grated apple, mashed up banana, egg, a little rice milk and some gluten free flour) fried up in a pan until firm. Then I offer her some of this frittata <a href="http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/7354/carrot+zucchini+and+parsnip+frittata+fingers" rel="nofollow">http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/7354/carrot+zucchini+and+parsnip+frittata+fingers</a> it took her a week to really get to like it, but now she eats it every day. </p> <p>For lunch we just got a sili squeeze (www.thesilico.com) and she takes a purree from that (easier and cleaner on the go to eat that way... food is so messy!</p> <p>Another friend I have said when her daughter was about 9 or 10 months old she stopped eating and it was very frustrating. Finally when she dropped the spoon on her daughters tray out of frustration, her daughter picked it up and started feeding herself. </p> <p>I hope this helps a little. If you want more recipes for things I feed her let me know I can pm you the links. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-am-i-doing-wrong-argh#post-387991 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 22:28:36 +0000 T-Mom 387991@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: I try not to get too hung up on schedules... But I think at 9 months it looked a lot like your consolidated schedule that you are proposing. My DS has also kind of fallen off the growth curve a little lately. He is 10th % weight but you wouldn't tell by the way he eats.. He is really enthusiastic. I think when they become mobile, they metabolize quicker. I'm not to worried since his pedi is not. I know how stressful it is though. Take cues from your LO. If he is not hungry, he's not hungry, you know? </p>