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NOTE: The information contained in this section does not replace the care of a health professional. If you are in any doubt about the health or well being of your child seek professional assistance.

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Question: The only thing he likes is oats for breakfast, and Vegemite sandwiches for lunch

"Hi,
My second son who is 20 month old is an extremely fussy eater. (My first son ate pretty much everything that was put in front of him). I breast fed them both till they were 18 months old.

With my second son he still doesn't eat eggs, meat, fish, chicken or veggies. The only thing he likes is oats for breakfast and Vegemite sandwiches for lunch, he will eat the occasional banana and watermelon on a good day. I do not know what to do I've pretty much tried everything I can think of, and even tried the advise of many others but still no success. He is a very active little boy but I worry.
Thank you kindly "

Leanne Answers:

Hi There,
Fussy eating can really have you pulling your hair out!  I have a five year old who is showing signs of coming out of it, but on glimpses.  I still sneak stuff into all sorts of meals, makes it easier to go with it when I know he has been getting healthy food albeit disguised.

Most health care professionals will say as long as your preschooler is gaining weight at his usual rate and is happy and healthy then he won't starve himself.  But as a parent that can be little comfort.  I believe it comes down to:

1. Persisting with offering the healthy stuff even if it is rejected
2. Sneaking in the good stuff where you can which makes avoiding the battles (no-one wins those ones) easier
3. Getting them involved
4. Offering a healthy supper down the line if dinner is rejected and your toddler complains of being hungry
5. Trying to use the foods they do eat as a basis for making other food/meals that are more likely to be enjoyed.  For example cream cheese on a bagel, pasta with bacon and a cream cheese base, bread and butter pudding made with calcium enriched milk such as soy or rice, try sweet potato chips etc.
6. Swap lunch and dinner if that helps and make meal portions achievable (small but healthy).
7. Check milk or other fluids aren’t interfering with their appetite.
8. Repeat the mantra "this like all things in infancy and childhood, will pass" and it will!

I have a tip sheet on fussy eating on Huggies that might have some pointers, but again I really think it would be best to get some help with this, the link is:
Picky Eating

Also I think the Jessica Seinfeld book using purees is a good idea, but I reduce the sugar, use olive oil and don't add salt, I also have a recipe book based on my fussy foodie.

Another option if you have really exhausted all the options to no avail is a feeding expert, the gals at No Fuss Feeding (website of the same name) are excellent with feeding issues, and it's their specialty.  Or in a similar vein an early childhood consultant who can help with behavioural tips.

Keep an eye on his growth and development and if you notice any changes to that or health (for example if he doesn't gain weight or drops percentiles) then it would be a good idea to pop into your GP.

I hope some of this provides relief, if it is just a stage and not an feeding issue it will pass, maybe not soon but it will so keep offering the good stuff don't given into junk and you will eventually end up with a great eater once again.

All the best and have a wonderful Chrissy and New Year,
Leanne

Question: The pediatrician has told me that he should be sleeping through the night

"Hi,
Does my son who is 21 weeks ( 5 months on the 10th) need a night feed ... I ask this as the pediatrician has told me that he should be sleeping through the night and not needing a 2 am feed which he crys for every night. He feeds on a regualr 3/3.5 hours during the day and last feed at around 7.30/8 pm at night . I also give him a dream feed at 10.30 pm. I have just started him on solids will this help him to sleep longer as I woiuld love a longer break ( at the moment its around 3 to 4 hours).
Thanks Leonie "

Leanne Answers:

Hi Leonie,
To be honest with you the best person to take your lead from is your baby! Generally speaking even young babies are good at self-regulation and it is important to honour this.  So if your son appears to need a dream feed then I personally would go with this.  Keeping in mind that all things in babyhood pass, it can seem to go on for a long time but in retrospect it is a speck of time.  If you really feel that it is more a habit than to do with hunger then I would chat to the sleep expert on the panel about tips for altering this.

On the issue of solids, if your bub is ready for solids then yes of course you can start, keep in mind that breastmilk is 54% fat (formula simulates this) and has a lot more calories where as a little bit of pureed vegie has very few so solids don't necessarily help with filling a small tummy in the early days and hence may not help with sleep.

If you would like to see a bit of a check list of solids I have some tip sheets on Huggies on starting solids and also a book, the links are:
Solids 
Which foods when and fridge chart

Hope that helps

All the best and have a wonderful Chrissy and New Year,
Leanne

Question: Should I take him straight off the formula for the day feeds & give cows milk from now on?

"Hi there,
I have a 12mth old baby & have been told by my GP that I need to only give him 2 bottles of milk a day now (his on formula). One in the morning & one before he goes to bed. He go's to daycare & they also give him a bottle at lunch time.

He is also eating really well. My question is though, is that he occasionally wakes around 2 to 3am & I have been giving him a bottle which then takes him to around 6am before waking.

What do I do now with that feed? Do I warm up some cows milk & give to him to wean off formula or do I continue?

Also should I take him straight off the formula for the day feeds & give cows milk from now on? I have tried him on it & he takes it well, it just doesn't seem to have that full feeling for him.

Sorry for all the questions. I look forward to some help please, thanks "

Leanne Answers:

Hi There,
You have a number of possible options, firslty you can simply offer your toddler formula in a cup.  Bottles tend to wash their teeth with sugars and also affect their jaw and teeth development, so swapping to a cup may at least be a good first move.

You could also just simply wean your son off formula or you could do this once he is on a cup.  As your son is 12 months and if he is eating a full, healthy and varied diet he isn't likely to require formula, it certainly seems that way given your doctor has advised against formula.  You may just slowly reduce the amount of formula you offer him in one feed until you drop that one and then do the same with the second feed.  Or move along these lines in a way that you both feel most comfortable with.

Regarding the dream feed, if your son appears to need a dream feed then I personally would go with this.  If you really feel that it is more a habit than to do with hunger then I would chat to the sleep expert on the panel about tips for altering this.

As your toddler drops the amount he drinks, you will need to ensure he drinks plenty of extra water.  Lastly on the issue of cows milk, yes you can move over to cows' slowly as you are weaning your son.  Keep in mind that even though it may not seem like it, but cows' milk has a lot of calories and can fill little tummies up quickly.  So offer it after meals and snacks and in a cup.  Milk isnt designed to be a meal in itself like we see formula, it should - if used - be just one part of a healthy diet.

I have a tip sheet on Huggies on weaning and cows' milk, it explains how much milk toddlers need in order to reach their daily serving and RDI of calcium.  The link is:
Milk Intake

All the best and have a wonderful Chrissy and New Year,
Leanne

Question: I have been told to offer her the breast before the solids?

"Hi Leanne,
I have a 4 1/2 month old girl and have started to introduce solids to her over the last 2 weeks.  She suffers with a lot of regurgitation and wind with BM and I feed her lying down as my let-down is quite fast.  Because of the posseting, my GP suggested solids  may help to settle her during the day (she sleeps 10hrs at night and only cat-naps during the day to be burped then resettles).  I have offered farex (she can take up to 1 1/2 tbsps), apple, pear and sweet potato.  I have been told to offer her the breast before the solids and also to replace a milk feed with solids.  Which is the correct way?  Also I have noticed that she is farting a lot and they have a smell to them - could that be due to the solids?  She is also having problems pooing and I have stopped the solids to help regulate her but that hasn't helped either.  My GP suggested coloxyl drops but they don't seem to work.  I'm concerned that she may have a problem with digestion and is now waking in the middle of the night to be either burped or with belly pains.  Over the last 6 weeks she has also started to scream with pain and it isn't always the same time each day.  I have tried infant's friend, gripe water and infacol.  My GP says that she should grow out of it but it has lasted a long time with no relief.  Please help this exhausted and confused mum.  Kelsey "

Leanne Answers:

Hi Kelsey,
It can seem like a 'baptism of fire' the first time around!  Re solids, yes until baby is 9 months offer breast before solids, then swap. You will by then notice baby is dropping feeds anyway and that solids are really becoming quite substantial.

On the topic of solids, from 5-6 months when you start off you are working up to 2-3 meals and 3-5 BF's by 7 months and by 9 months most bubs are on 3 meals and two snacks a day with finger foods included and 2-3 BF's a day. Also at 9 months you can begin to offer solid before breast. All of this is just a rough guide because every baby is different as are all families.  The best guide is your baby, how much she will eat and when she is ready for more.  Follow her lead, babies are actually very good at self-regulation, also their growth and development are good indicators.

You may also have noticed an almost immediate change to baby's bowel motions and habits, yes its the solids, they can make a very big change, so that is all normal.  When you start solids it is important to also offer water as baby's kidneys are not as adept as ours at processing food bi-products.  So find a nice stage one sipper cup and fill it with clean water.  Offer water as often as you can, even if baby doesn't like water at first keep persisting gently.  This should help to avoid dry, hard stools that can be difficult and painful to pass as well as potentially avoid any medications.

I have some tip sheets on Huggies on starting solids and also a book, they might give you some more ideas on foods to offer at different ages, the links are:
Solids 
Which foods when and fridge chart

I hope that is reassuring,
All the best and have a wonderful Chrissy and New Year,
Leanne

Question: Are there any ways to help him to chew and eat the food?

"Hi,
I am a first time mum and my son is 13 months old.. he only has 4 teeth (still aren't all the way down) and he is a lazy chewer..

I would like to know if you know of any ways to help him to chew and eat the food. At the moment he is on lumpy puree'd home made food, eats fruit as we cut it (maybe because it is soft already) and some meats (chicken, silverside).

I would like to make a Osso Buco type dish, well get it really tender and leave lumps in it to feed to him. Would you know how I can find a receipe which tells me how to do it? "

Leanne Answers:

Hi There,
I think the Osso Bucco is an excellent idea.  Even though many bubs don't have teeth they are generally still pretty good at chewing and chomping. What you may well find is that the chewing of lumpy and coarse food will assist with his dentition so keep working on the texture and coarseness of his food, it is a bit of a catch-22.

Re: a recipe for Osso Bucco, you should find most Womans Weekly cook books, the big ones, will have either a lamb stew or Osso Bucco recipe, the best way to make any meat cut like this tender is slow, low heat cooking.  I have a fab crock pot and it makes meat melt in your mouth.

Also just have a little look on the Huggies Cookbook page for a recipe from one of the other members.

Bon appetite!

All the best and have a wonderful Chrissy and New Year,
Leanne

Question: She suddenly wants to feed every 2.5/3 hours day & night

"My breast fed 3 month old was managing regular 4 hourly feeds during the day, with a 6/7 hour stint during the night, but this has suddenly changed and she wants to feed every 2.5/3 hours day & night. Other than that she doesn't seem unsettled, and I can't work out what's changed. Is it possible she's ready for solids already?? We seem to have lost any form of routine now... "

Leanne Answers:

Hi There,
It is very common that bubs go off their food when they are unwell or while teething, given their gums can be swollen.  You may find that the pressure of sucking relieves the pain, hence baby wants to feed more often.  Most will come back around even if it takes a little while so keep on offering feeds at her usual time as well as modified times where necessary.

Also there appear to be certain times when bubs for no apparent reason go off their routiens.  These fussy times are now called the 'wonder' weeks you can find more about on this site www.cyh.com just type the words into their search area.  The main fussy times are 5, 8, 12, 17 and 26 weeks etc.

Starting solids at this age which is probably a bit too young can have some issues.  We do know that early introduction of solids can increase the risk of allergies as babies immune system isn't quite able to deal with the challenge that food presents.  Many bubs who start early can also take longer to adjust to solids.

We used to look at babies and solids in terms of their digestive system but today we know that in fact it is more about their ability to handle food (orally) and swallow it.  Most bubs about this age still have a tongue protrusion reflex which is biologically designed for sucking not chomping. Closer to six months a baby's oral development is such that they can chomp foods, move it about to the back of the mouth and swallow without gagging on it.  Also around six months most babies stores of body iron are getting low which is why iron-fortified baby cereal is recommended around this age.

Interest in food or altered sleeping habits probably arent enough to suggest a readiness for solids.  So while baby is still getting her immune system running and her body is still growing her usual milk feeds are what she needs most.  Hold off until much closer to six months, this way baby will really be ready, you will find it fun and likely to have less problems.  I have some tip sheets on Huggies on starting solids and also a book, the links are:
Solids 
Which foods when and fridge chart

Hope that is helpful

All the best and have a wonderful Chrissy and New Year,
Leanne

Question: What could I feed him during the day to fill him up for a longer night?

"Hi Leanne
My son is 12 months old and is a very, very active toddler. Since he has learnt to walk four weeks ago he wakes up early in the mornings (4:30am intead of 6am) because he is too hungry to stay asleep. This upsets the whole day because he is still very tired.

He eats:
Firts breakfast (1-2 weetbix + fruit)
Second breakfast (big portion of oats with fruit)
Morning tea (can be yogurt, banana, ...)
Lunch (around two cups containing fish/meat with veggies and pasta/rice)
Afternoon tea (can be savoury muffin, fruit pieces, ...)
Dinner(around one cup containing fish/meat with veggies and pasta/rice)
Bottle before bed (200ml)
9pm dream bottle to fill him up (260ml)
(That's it - no crackers, fruit, etc between meals. He eats every two hours anyway.)

I always offer enough. He decides when to stop eating and seems to be full after each meal. But latest at 5am in the morning he simply can't stand the hunger anymore and desperately needs his first breakfast. What could I feed him during the day to fill him up for a longer night?

I don't want to give him a bottle at 4:30am and put him back to bed (as my mother suggested)  - the days of nightly feeding are definitely over for me... I would prefer a change in his diet.

I would be very thankful for your recommendation! "

Leanne Answers:

Hi There,
Just one thing that I noted was that a little bit of protein-containing food in his brekky/s may help.  Protein is the nutrient that tells our brain we are full, it makes us feel full longer, so perhaps add in a yoghurt, or egg or swap his morning snack around.

Regarding the early waking, just one thought is that it could be a natural body rhythm, the sun tends to start rising around this time and many children automatically awake then, all quite natural.  You can blame day light savings and summer.  The bottle at night is really likely to do just as good a job at sustaining him till the morning as anything else.  Other than adding in a supper for example a small smoothie with your choice of milk, fruit and natural yoghurt I cant suggest anything else.

It isnt uncommon for children, well very young ones at least, to return to bed until a little later in the morning after an early waking.

As your toddlers tummy grows and allows him to take in enough energy to cover his obvious big expenditure things will slowly turn around.  It may be a matter of time and development.

Sorry I havent a quick fix for this, it is really fairly common.

Wishing you much sleep!

All the best and have a wonderful Chrissy and New Year,
Leanne

Question: He had an ear infection but his appetite has still not returned

"hi i have a toddler 15months old. he has had a ear infectiion last week.and he want drink his milk it has being just over a week now.is it common for him not to want to have a bottle or when should i start to worry.
thanks christine. "

Leanne Answers:

Hi Christine,
Once you get to 12 months and if all is well and your toddler is eating a full, healthy and varied diet you don't really need bottles of milk or even formula.  In fact children under 3 who eat a number of calcium-rich foods a day would need about 1 cup of milk a day to get their RDI for calcium and that is it.

Even without milk it is ok, there are many ways around this, thousands of children who don't drink milk and for lots of reasons and do just fine.

I find smoothies are a great way to add milk or milk alternatives to a diet, use his choice of milk, fruit and a nice natural yoghurt, they are a great treat after dinner and very healthy.

You may like to try your toddler on an alternative 'milk' such as soy, almond, rice etc.  Just ensure the brand you get is calcium-enriched.  The plant compounds offer many health benefits that animal milk doesn't.

I have a tip sheet on Huggies on weaning and cows' milk, it explains how much milk toddlers need in order to reach their daily serving and RDI of calcium.  The link is:
Milk Intake

I hope that is reassuring, it is possible your son is adjusting to his own body and running in fine tune with it.

All the best and have a wonderful Chrissy and New Year,
Leanne

Question: She is constantly looking for food even when I know she cannot be hungry

"Hi Leanne,
I have a 2 year old daughter Sophie. I have had problems with her eating since about 12-14 months when i gave up breast feeding. She constantly is looking for food even when i know she cannot be hungry as she has just eaten her dinner. i have had to put locks on my pantry and fridge because without them she sneaks in and just eats. she is VERY active and is constantly on the go. She is up at 8.30am and goes to bed at 8.30-9.30pm at night and refuses to have a nap during the day. her weight is 22kg. i don't feed her junk foods. her 'lollies' are currants, sultanas and dried apricots. if she does not get food she can sometimes get quite angry and demand more 'eats'. i have heard about certain eating disorders where a person doesn't know when they are full and constantly eat. Could you please tell me what she should be eating a day. For breakfast we give her 2 vita brits with milk, she snacks/lunches on fruit and cheese and sandwich during the day and at night time she has the same dinner as us. Could you please give me some kind of diet plan that she should be on with what foods and quantities she should have please. "

Leanne Answers:

Hi There,
It sounds to me from what you have said that you are doing all the right things for feeding Sophie healthily and well.  Like us all children are different and it is hard to say in such a forum just what any child should eat.

What I have done is copied in a link on a tip sheet I did for Huggies on how to make a basic check on a child's eating.  But I would recommend while you look at this to consider popping into see a health care professional.

Food Servings
Meal servings checks
Basic tips on foods and healthy options

You are right, eating is controlled by a centre in our brain and sometimes this area may not work as it should and the stop light to cease eating may not turn on.  Possibly more relevant is the body's energy burning, if our body burns fuel slowly it can tend to store more body tissue.  This too is controlled by hormones, the brain and the thyroid.  Generally though if children are off the charts (percentiles) or have at some point made a sudden jump across two percentile groups this would suggest it is a good time to see a health care professional such as a GP.

I might be helpful to pop into see a dietitian who specialises in children and have your little ones diet checked out.  This way they can see if there is any cause for concern and can also refer you onto a specialist if relevant.

I hope that helps with some direction.

All the best and have a wonderful Chrissy and New Year,
Leanne

Question: I am a little confussed about introducing full cows milk

"Hi,
My son has recently turned one and I am a little confussed about introducing full cows milk. He has 3 bottles daily should these become full cows milk bottles or should the cows milk be waterd down. "

Leanne Answers:

Hi There,
You are not alone, this is one of the areas I am most asked about. Generally if you son is eating a full, healthy and varied diet with a range of calcium-rich foods he would need just 1 cup of cows' milk at the most. It is important to get the balance about right because too much cows' milk has a number of problems, for example it interferes with their appetite and iron levels.

You might like to look to wean your son slowly from his formula, leaving that as a separate event from introducing cows' milk.  When you have him down to just one cup of formula then you might like to look at trialling him on cows' milk.  Keep in mind there are lots of options if he doesn't like it.

Some people opt to offer diluted milk, personally I think this adds another level of nutritional confusion, its easier to offer the whole food.  Plus you still have loads of time.

To make it easier, I have a tip sheet on Huggies on weaning and cows' milk, it explains how much milk toddlers need in order to reach their daily serving and RDI of calcium.  The link is:
Milk Intake

All the best and have a wonderful Chrissy and New Year,
Leanne

Question: I want to make him some meals in the form of fingers, but can't find any recipes

"My 13 month old is allergic to dairy and soy proteins.  He has also been a little traumatised by having to have medicine shovelled into his mouth by spoon.  I want to make him some meals in the form of fingers, but can't find any recipes.  I was wondering if you have any recipes for meat and vege mix that can be cooked into a finger so that he can feed himself.  I forgot to mention that he has no teeth yet.
Larisa "

Leanne Answers:

Hi Larisa,
Allergies can a quite stressful, glad you have managed to track the culprits down though.  I think that's a great idea to offer your son foods he can eat himself to gentle break the associations formed while he was unwell.

I have copied in some allergy links below where they offer recipe books.

The other thing is to consider croquette, fritters and frittata type foods.
You can use a base of egg and flour and then add:

• Salmon and vegies
• Chicken mince and vegies
• Vegies and beans
• Etc

I have copied in a recipe from my fussy foodies book below that might be a good starter.  Obviously leave the cheese and butter out.

Salmon croquets

Tip: Including salmon in meals can be great for dry skin and eczema suffers.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium potato
• 2 teaspoons of butter
• 1 small can of salmon, drained
• 1 egg beaten
• 2 tablespoons of finely grated and chopped carrot
• 2 tablespoons of finely grated and chopped zucchini
• 2 tablespoons of finely grated cheese
• 2­4 tablespoons of organic plain flour
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil

Preparation:

1. Boil the potato and mash with the butter in a bowl, allow to cool.
2. Prepare the salmon by crushing the bones thoroughly into the salmon flesh.
3. Add the egg, salmon, vegetables and cheese to the cooled potato and blend together.
4. Make small rectangle croquettes in your palm.
5. Roll the croquettes in the flour.
6. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and gently place croquettes in the pan.
7. Cook until golden brown on each side, remove and drain on absorbent paper.
8. Serve with yoghurt dip, pasta or rice.

Allergy Recipe Books:

RPA Friendly Food Recipe and Food Intolerance Book from the Allergy Unit at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia www.cs.nsw.gov.au/rpa/allergy/resources/foodintol/friendlyfood.cfm

Anaphylaxis Australia - A recipe book containing 80 recipes free of dairy, egg, wheat and sugar. ... Finding allergy–free recipes for those special occasions can be difficult. www.allergyfacts.org.au/product.html

Lastly, don't forget the Huggies Cookbook .

I hope that helps you out!

All the best and have a wonderful Chrissy and New Year,
Leanne

Question: A week ago he completely refused the breast and hasn't had it since

"hi leanne
my son is 6.5 months old. a week ago he completely refused the breast and hasnt had it since. he also will not take a bottle and doesnt like formula. we are giving him a goats milk formula (the only one we can get him to drink at all) out of a medicine cup at the moment and he has around 30ml after each meal. he is on 3 big meals a day and we are giving him a sub-meal at morning and afternoon tea. he drinks lots of water from a sippy cup. my problem is he was still having 2 breastfeeds at night and now we are having a lot of trouble settling him back to sleep (can take 1-2 hours).... should i feed some solids during the nights? he will sometimes take a little bit of formula during the night but is up at 5am and is starving. he always seems hungry.
thanks
carol "

Leanne Answers:

Hi Carol,
It sounds like it would be a good idea to pop into see your GP and ask for a referral to a paediatrician to be honest.  Just so you can see the logic, breastmilk is about 54% fat, so it is very energy dense, more so than most meals young bubs can ingest or tolerate.  So it is reasonable that he is hungry.  Keep an eye on his weight, if it drops or stagnates this again is a sign to seek some help.

There are other nutritional issues that would need to be checked if baby is refusing breast or bottle so I really would see if you can see someone soon.

In the meantime keep offering breast before food and failing that formula, its important to get one or both going.  It could have been an issue around teething or an upset tummy, or even just a fussy stage and while it has lasted a while it may pass.

Still best to get things checked.

All the best and have a wonderful Chrissy and New Year,
Leanne

Question: I thought the mornings were the time you have the most milk? Any idea what has happened here?

"Hi Leanne
I dropped 3 breastfeeds in the middle of the day about 4 weeks ago with the idea of changing to formula but for the past week & a half I have been expressing every 2 hours (and the occassional breastfeed during the day) to get my milk flowing again (long story - lots of complications with BF but decided I could pump if not BF). My milk has definately increased. I know pumping doesn't always give you an accurate indication of what your milk is doing but it's the only measure I have currently (now expressing 50-70mls 2 hourly). The only time I'm not expressing 2 hourly is through the night. I do my last express around 9.30pm & then wake up when my son wakes up (between 3-5am) and BF him. This morning at 5am my breasts were full but then he woke again at 7.30am for another feed & pulled off crying. I gave in and gave him a bottle & expressed & for some reason barely any milk has come off. Maybe 10ml? I thought the mornings were the time you have the most milk? Any idea what has happened here? "

Leanne Answers:

Hi There,
Yes you are right, breastmilk tends to drop off over the day towards the evening, except in some cultures (but that is another story).  You would expect once things are up and running to get about 50-120mls on average per breast, just as a very rough guide.  Most bubs will take about 800mls a day, again a rough guide.

I have to confess I haven't an explanation for why your milk hadn't replenished, but I can totally recommend the ladies on the ABA help line. They do phone and email enquiries.  I am only 'grabbing at straws' but if you were stressed your body may have not switched into milk production mode.

Perhaps try some Weleda Nursing tea (its herbs like fennel that help promote milk production), I found it really great.  And also just as a 'note to self', stay away from herbs such as sage, as they are reputed to reduce milk supply.

Hope the ABA have an answer for you.

All the best and well done for persevering, remember a happy mum is a happy baby, that's what's important.

All the best and have a wonderful Chrissy and New Year,
Leanne

Question: In the past month has decided that he does not really want breakfast until about 9am

"Hi Leanne,
My 10 Month old son in the past month has decided that he does not really want breakfast until about 9am. He has his morning bottle at about 6am.

Also what amounts of solids should he be eating. at the moment he will generally have 3/4 - 1 cup of solids and still 4-5 150ml bottles a day. "

Leanne Answers:

Hi There,
Sounds to me as though you have already got the answer in mind.  Ideally by about 10 months your bub could be down to 2-3 bottles a day.  They should also be offered after food and snacks.  You may be finding that the formula is in fact over represented in his diet and filling him up and therefore displacing real food.  Perhaps start by just swapping his meals and bottle over, so meals first, hopefully you will find that he will be sufficiently full that he will reduce his intake naturally.

There are really only very general guidelines for the amount of formula, all babies are different and at the end of the day your baby is your best guide, so take your lead from him.  Below is a chart used to calculate a starting idea but remember it is just a guide so you can make a quick check.

Figure 3.10 Average formula requirements for infants and toddlers

If you have any trouble with this pop into see your CHN or GP for some advice on how much formula baby needs.

Sounds like the amounts he is eating are fine.

Hope that helps.

All the best and have a wonderful Chrissy and New Year,
Leanne

Question: How do you make a toddler eat?

"My 17 month old twin boys are very picky eaters. They will eat their beakfast and dinner majority of the time but i cannot get them to eat lunch. They will eat rice crackers during the day but have gone off eating any fruit.  I am starting to get very stressed about their eating habits.  How do you make a toddler eat?? "

Leanne Answers:

Hi There,
Fussy eating can really have you pulling your hair out!  I have a five year old who is showing signs of coming out of it, but on glimpses.  I still sneak stuff into all sorts of meals, makes it easier to go with it when I know he has been getting healthy food albeit disguised.

Most health care professionals will say as long as your preschooler is gaining weight at his usual rate and is happy and healthy then he won't starve himself.  But as a parent that can be little comfort.  I believe it comes down to:

1. Persisting with offering the healthy stuff even if it is rejected
2. Sneaking in the good stuff where you can which makes avoiding the battles (no-one wins those ones) easier
3. Getting them involved
4. Offering a healthy supper down the line if dinner is rejected and your toddler complains of being hungry
5. Trying to use the foods they do eat as a basis for making other food/meals that are more likely to be enjoyed.  For example cream cheese on a bagel, pasta with bacon and a cream cheese base, bread and butter pudding made with calcium enriched milk such as soy or rice, try sweet potato chips etc.
6. Swap lunch and dinner if that helps and make meal portions achievable (small but healthy).
7. Check milk or other fluids aren’t interfering with their appetite.
8. Repeat the mantra "this like all things in infancy and childhood, will pass" and it will!

I have a tip sheet on fussy eating on Huggies that might have some pointers, but again I really think it would be best to get some help with this, the link is:
Picky Eating

Also I think the Jessica Seinfeld book using purees is a good idea, but I reduce the sugar, use olive oil and don't add salt, I also have a recipe book based on my fussy foodie.

If you feel you really would like some help and also to check that he is getting all he needs, there are a few options you might like to consider, if you wanted to start out with the obvious you might like to see a naturopath, nutritionist or dietitian who specialises in children.  They will be able to firstly review what your little one does eat and tell if there may be some nutritional issues to be addressed and if so, how they are best dealt with. Then advise you on the fussy eat and what tips and tricks might help.

Another option is a feeding expert, the gals at No Fuss Feeding (website of the same name) are excellent with feeding issues, and it's their specialty. Or in a similar vein an early childhood consultant who can help with behavioural tips.

Keep an eye on his growth and development and if you notice any changes to that or health (for example if he doesn't gain weight or drops percentiles) then it would be a good idea to pop into your GP.

I hope some of this provides relief, it will pass, maybe not soon but it will so keep offering the good stuff don't given into junk and you will eventually end up with a great eater once again.

All the best and have a wonderful Chrissy and New Year,
Leanne

Question: Is she allowed to have fruits raw?

"Hi Leannne again!
My bubs is about 8months old. Is she allowed to have fruits raw? My gran was a little concerned that she was sucking on a nectarine and pear the other day and said the acids would upset her stomach. Is this true? How should I give her fruit as a snack? Also is 3 good milk feeds enough for her at 8 months? Thanks, Adina. "

Leanne Answers:

Hi Adina,
Nice to hear from you again.  You are still going just great!  Yes raw fruit and vegies are fine as long as they are cut into safe shapes (avoid oval and round shapes).

Regarding acidity and alkalinity, the body works in amazing ways and even food that appears to acid in nature in the body can promote a more alkaline state (still within a healthy balance of course).

I have copied in a little info on this below, there is still some debate about this though, so keep this in mind, none-the-less interesting.

Foods that Promote Acidity and Alkalinity

Acid-forming or Acid-ash Foods & Substances: AVOID

• Sugar
• Artificial sweeteners
• Sweet foods
• Coffee
• Tea (black, green)
• Juice
• Pop
• Alcohol
• Vinegar
• Meat, cheese, animal products
• Antibiotics, pharmaceutical drugs

Acid-binding or Alkali-ash Foods & Substances: INCREASE

Yes a feeding mesh is a nice option, but also just small thin slithers/fingers can make food fun too.

Most bubs about 8 months will be on about 3-4 milk feeds a day, of course this is a huge range, but this is just an average.

Hope that helps and wishing you and your family a lovely Chrissy,
Leanne

Question: I am having problems with my supply

"Hi Leanne, I am a breastfeeding mum who works fulltime my bub is nearly 8 months old and I am having problems with my supply as my DD is only on me 1-2 times a day I express up to five times a day is there anything i can do or take to increase my milk supply as i would love to continue to breastfeed. I drink nearly 2 litres of water a day already, i take blackmores breasting supplement already.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated, regards Michele "

Leanne Answers:

Hi Michele,
Well done to you for working so hard at continuing to breastfeed.  There are a few things I can think of, I guess in essence as you say baby isnt feeding from you as often as you might like.  Breast pumps generally arent as efficient at clearing a breast, which in turns means that less milk is produced.

So with that said and done you may like to consider:

• If you havent already, moving to an electric pump, they tend to be more efficient, especially the new ones these days.
• Try some Weleda Nursing tea (its herbs like fennel that help promote milk production), I found it really great.
• Stay away from herbs such as sage, as they are reputed to reduce milk supply.

It sounds like you are doing all the right things, eating well and being well hydrated.  I hope that helps.  If you still find things aren't improving pop into see your GP who can talk to you about more options.

All the best and have a wonderful Chrissy and New Year,
Leanne

Question: My son loves to eat pumpkin but every time he does he vomits

"Hi Leanne,
I actually have two questions.. My first is about pumpkin.  My 6 month old son loves to eat pumpkin but every time he does he vomits.  He'll vomit for almost 24 hours after eating it.  Is it common for a child to have this reaction when he doesn't have the same reaction to other starchy foods?

My other question is about introducing meat.  He has been on solids for about 6 weeks now (he's almost 7 months old) and I am still feeding him very pureed fruits, vegies and cereals.  He has no teeth yet but I'm wondering if I should be making his food a little more lumpy and when I should be starting to introduce meats.
So much to learn!
Bel"

Leanne Answers:

Hi Bel,
To be honest any food can cause a reaction, which is one reason why food reactions can be so hard to track.  I would pop pumpkin to one side for now and trial it again say when he is 12 months.  Its not a common food to react to but any food has the potential to upset tiny tummies and still developing immune systems.

On the issue of progressing through solids (which can be a minefield) from 5-6 months when you start off you are working up to 2-3 meals and 3-5 BF's/formla by 7 months and by 9 months most bubs are on 3 meals and two snacks a day with finger foods included and 2-3 BF's/formula a day.

Yes you will need to increase the texture and coarseness of his meals, this will help with jaw development and speech, so that by 9 months baby is onto chunks.  Even without teeth they are very adept at chewing and chomping and the increased texture can help with teething also.  On the issue of meat I think starting with fish is ideal, its safe, easy to prepare, quite easy for baby to digest and has all those lovely fish oils.  Tinned salmon is ideal, with the crushed bones, there is no cooking needed so it is easy to add to baby's current foods.  By 8ish months work up to white meats, then onto red meats.

About 9 months you can begin to offer solid before breast/formula.  All of this is just a rough guide because every baby is different as are all families.  The best guide is your baby, how much he will eat and when he is ready for more.  Follow his lead, babies are actually very good at self-regulation, also their growth and development are good indicators.

I have some tip sheets on Huggies on starting solids and also a book, they might give you some more ideas on foods to offer at different ages, the links are:
Solids 
Which foods when and fridge chart

I hope that helps

All the best and have a wonderful Chrissy and New Year,
Leanne