[Daffodil]

So Arielle isn't thrilled with whole milk. I'm wondering if I should mix it with formula or keep trying on its own?

Another thing is, she has never held her own bottles. So if I DO mix them, I would rather do it in a sippy...but the sippy's she actually drinks hold less liquid than what she drinks in formula. Of course, she wouldn't need to be drinking as much milk.

Self-feeding...she feeds herself cheerios. And puffs. And that's it. Sometimes I try to trick her by putting other foods with the cheerios...doesn't work. She'll still only eat the cheerios and yell at me to feed her the other food.

If I give her a spoon to play with she acts like I'm poisoning her. She wants to be fed, thank you very much.

Its so funny how different she is from my niece, that girl ate anything and everything in sight and wouldn't wait to be fed. Of course, she had another problem of being too chunky, although she has since slimmed out.

Any advice? Should I just wait it out?

I would keep trying by it's self. Still offer her formula in a bottle, but I would also offer her a cup of milk. It's not a necessity to end formula right.this.minute so Id just keep trying.

Im confused about the foods your giving so Ill just ask.

Are you spoon feeding her pured foods? Or whole foods? Are you putting finger foods on her try just for her to pick up?

[Daffodil]

Originally Posted by KaiX2Momma

I would keep trying by it's self. Still offer her formula in a bottle, but I would also offer her a cup of milk. It's not a necessity to end formula right.this.minute so Id just keep trying.

Im confused about the foods your giving so Ill just ask.

Are you spoon feeding her pured foods? Or whole foods? Are you putting finger foods on her try just for her to pick up?

Ok, good advice on the milk... Should I be offering her milk at every meal? Or just start with one meal right now?

The finger foods I'm giving are little cubes of soft fruit (like peaches) and veggies (avocado, steamed brocolli)...to be fair, the fruit is VERY difficult to pick up, I have trouble myself! Sometimes the veggies are difficult as well.

I'm also giving little bits of sandwiches (pb and j, american cheese, cream cheese). I also try giving her strips of things to see if she'll bite off (like she does with a mum-mum...another thing she feeds herself), but she just smushes them then looks at me. I tell her "Put in your mouth, you can feed yourself!" but nothing. If I try to direct her hand, she REALLY starts complaining.

Spoon-fed foods are yogurt and applesauce. She LOVES yogurt so I thought she would try feeding herself but no.

hmmm...ok..

We are big on veggies here. I buy frozen veggies, put them in a glass bowl with some water and pop them in the micro for a few minutes. Kaileigh LOVES the mixed veggies that have green beans, corn, peas, carrots, and lima beans. They are solid and easy to pick up.

We have been slacking in fruit other then pears, bananas, and diced steamed apples :/ so I cant help much there.

With Kaileigh she wants whole pieces. I just tried grilled cheese the other day and I cut it up in tiny pieces and she got mad and wanted the whole one. So now I make one, cut it in half and let her hold the whole thing.

Kaileigh wont touch slimy or cold foods at all (has been anti banana for a few weeks now). I think it's just a sensory thing she has developed. I tried cottage cheese the other day and she would eat it if I fed her but would not touch it with her hands. Although I know they are totally different babies, I just recommend offering her different things and offer them 5 or more times just to keep her trying them. Not sure if you sit down as a family and eat but I find that really helps.

[Daffodil]

Thanks Shannon, that's great advice!! We actually have that same combo of veggies in our freezer, I gave it to her once before but haven't since. I'll try it again.

Unfortunately we don't eat as a family very often. Hubby is out the door before she is up and we eat our dinner after she goes to bed. I give her a bottle in the morning, eat my breakfast while she plays (cereal), put her down for a nap, and then feed her breakfast when she wakes up. I usually eat lunch during her second nap and then feed her when she gets up. I want to eat with her, but my problem is I'm usually eating a frozen dinner for lunch...sometimes a sandwhich but then I'm still feeding her first before I get to mine.

My sister is going to be staying with us for almost 2 months starting the day after tomorrow so I'm going to try to be better about meals. I guess I'm part of the reason she eats that way, I keep doing what is "easier" instead of what is a better learning experience. I think I enjoy eating so much that I don't want it to be constantly interrupted to have to tend to her. I know, mommy's aren't supposed to be selfish, but I do tend to be that way regarding meals.

When the three of us do eat together its usually at a restaurant and hubby and I (mostly hubby) are feeding her because we don't want her to knock the plate over or throw food on the ground.

[EquestrianMama]

Ali won't let me feed her anymore.. she throws a total tantrum if I try. She's very into the I WANT TO DOOOO IT! which is why she's currently covered in spaghetti sauce. We haven't started whole milk yet, so I'm no help there

[mommytokem]

Milk, just keep offering it to her, sometimes Noah will only drink a couple ounces of it in a day and other times he'll drink a lot more, but he still nurses 5-7 times a day.

As far as food like Shannon said, keep offering it to her, also I've learned to feed myself with my left hand so that if Noah needs fed something I can do it with my right hand and that way we are all eating together.

[madelynsmomma]

A little trick I learned with my older daughter....with the fruit/avacado/whatever is hard to pick up, coat it a little in cheerio dust. It makes it so they can actually grasp it. Since she likes cheerios it may be a win/win for you. Otherwise, it will all come in time. Seriously my older daughter didnt really eat food until she was closer to 2. I freaked about it all the time, but shes a good eater now, so it all worked out.

[Arei_720]

I like all the advice given, but want to suggest snacking on the foods you're feeding her while she's eating them (and making lots of Mmms and yummies!) if you're not already?