Thank you for all your feedback.
It totally calmed me down and let me step back from the edge of the cliff.
I was able to talk to a
'super-fabulous-completely-awesome-wish-she-was-my-neighbor-or-even-
my-sister-but-who-knows-maybe-she-is-since-she-was-adopted-too-
from-Korea-when-she-was-a-baby-social-worker-friend'
who gave me some GREAT suggestions for attachment parenting.
And in case you're wondering what those are:
spend time rocking Charlie through out the day
(just him and me, and having fun interactions)
go for walks while 'wearing' him
(preferably in the 'front', but if not - then the 'back')
make sure I'M holding the bottle during feedings
(to show that I am providing his needs for him)
and continue purposefully making eye contact
(can even be done in the mirror)
All of these things I've done (except for the rocking), but if I'm being honest, I wasn't
doing them on a consistent basis. So it's super great to have a 'list' that
I can mentally check off through out the day.
I also worked on giving Claire 'jobs' to 'help' me with Charlie
and I think that helped as well. It wasn't a perfect day by any means, but it
was definitely a step in the right direction - and for that, I am thankful.
So here's my next question for you all:
Charlie LOVES to feed himself.
He doesn't want to eat off of a spoon. If I feed him something off of a spoon,
he'll spit it into his hands, and then push it back into his mouth.
(I know, super gross)
I'm also a worry wart about choking. I'm a super cautious person
that almost puts me in the category of 'freaks out over everything' - key word: almost
So what are your favorite 'finger foods' that I can feed to my dear little Charles?
right now he eats:
cheerios
bananas
avocados
dole fruit cups
rice
pasta
gerber baby raviolis
puffs
juk
(but he's losing interest in that one)
squash babyfood/soup with rice cereal
(losing interest with this too - since it requires a spoon)
canned green beans
(yes, I know they contain sodium but I'm running out of options)
I feel like I'm feeding him the same thing every meal.
Which I know is impossible, but we're repeating a lot of stuff.
so seriously - any suggestions?
(and I promise I'll stop doing posts without pictures at some point)
13 comments:
oh rach i meant to leave a comment on your last post but got side tracked (happens alot these days) but girl you know i know EXACTLY how you feel, i still have those "days", but each day does get better...it definitely takes time. and patience. loads of it! bella loves to feed herself too, she is barely using a spoon, i realized her spoon was too long so i got her some short bendy ones that helped in that area, but she loves almost everything you listed and some stuff like bean sprouts, seaweed (nori - get the korean kind that comes in little packages), grapes (cut in quarters because i'm a freak about choking too), peas & carrots, oh and try organic toddler mum-mums, its like a rice-cracker
...she LOVES those.
Maiya went through a stage of hating a spoon when she first came home. She got used to it after I kept trying and she was home about a month, I think? For other foods - any fruits (cut really small). Watermelon, grapes, cantaloupe, etc. Mashed potatoes. Seriously, just cut stuff up super small. Maiya is 14 months old with 2 teeth and eats anything we eat and never has choked. They do pretty good with what they have.
How about little bites of grilled cheese. Gave those to all 3 of my kids early on and they loved it. I can't believe it's not butter spray has 0 calories, 0 fat, 0 everything and the calcium is in the cheese. Even put it on wheat bread. Yummy! Finger food too...no spoons!
beans, peas, baked oatmeal (you'd have to look that one up). My kids were all feeding themselves by the time they were his age. Ditto on other posts...just give everything to him cut up super tiny. I am enjoying following you on this journey. Both of your kids are beautiful and precious. I read your blog post about picking Charlie up to the Dresdows and we laughed so hard we were crying.
Peas, carrots, watermelon, pears, strawberries, Chex, kix,goldfish crackers, bagels, english muffins, grilled cheese, quesadilla, pancakes, toast, small pieces of cheese, chicken and turkey. I also use a lot of noodles, either plain, macaroni and cheese, or pasta salad. Ashlyn loved to feed herself right when she got home so I would usually give her 1 or 2 things as a finger food and have something else that I would spoon feed at the same time.
Kids and their likes and dislikes. With both kids, let them make the choices between two of the items: which colored spoon would you like? Which set of clothes would you like to wear? Which pair of shoes would you like to wear? You get the idea. With all parenting, there is really no "How To" book, we learn as we go so don't worry, you are doing things right!
My mom used to make a "big" (relative to a baby's appetite) pot of jook with vegetables, diced meat and rice and serve it to my kids for several meals. She would change up the vegetables that she picked out of the pot each time she served it so that it wasn't the exact same thing they were eating at each meal. I think she'd do a new pot every couple of days. You can put sweet potato (she used the purple okinawan kind), kabocha squash, carrots, a green squash that cooked to almost clear (don't know what it was called), winter melon (also a different kind of squash), sometimes even broccoli. You can easily make it chunky enough for Charlie to self feed, although maybe skip the rice and meat part and add potatoes? Always season with a little bit of soy sauce in addition to the salt. (It gives it a familiar asian taste to it.)
Also try cooking Kabocha japanese style. It's so yummy. Here's a link http://justbento.com/handbook/johbisai/frozen-kabocha-squash-plus-easy-simmered-kabocha-squash.
If you're worried about protein, try the whites of hard boiled eggs cut up. Or, finely dice proteins (meat, chicken, fish) and cook it however, then put little bits of it into a little rice ball like mini musubis that he can pick up with his fingers. My kids LOVED "rice balls" and could eat a whole plate of just that. You could do rice balls of fried rice too. You can add ANY kind of vegetable or meat chopped real small to the rice. I've even added finely chopped spinach leaves to the fried rice. Again, season with a little soy sauce, and maybe even a little sesame oil. If you start with a relatively sticky rice (not overly sticky, but not the granular kind you get at a chinese restaurant that doesn't stick at all. Korean style rice is perfect!) you should be able to use your fingers to shape it into balls.
Happy Eating Charlie!
Well isn't this the sweetest post to read? :-) Of course you have my number and email, etc. and you can call me ANYTIME. You are doing a great job, mama! Over time AND with intentional hard work from mommy and baby, you will be able to see progress. I have another thing I forgot to tell you on the phone last night, so I'll email you soon....
take care, possible-bio-sister-Rachel. :-)
tara
Ok, Ive not read all the comments so sorry if I repeat. At 12-18mths food wise, M loved thin slices of cheese, melon, noodles, Pasta with soft cream cheese melted and stirred in (yep used his fingers, but not too messy),mini bread sticks dipped in guacamole or soft cheese, rice crackers, dried apriots and prunes(can suck and chew on them too so not as chocking risk as raisans)peas, soft cooked carrot sticks, white fish (cod)- cut into chunks and smoked salmon with scrambed or hard boiled eggs. You are doing an amazing job as a mum of 2!!!!!!! Hang in there, it will get easier and be a little kinder to yourself. It is STILL early days. Take care xox
Also, this website is fab in terms of what to feed babies, etc.....
http://wholesomebabyfood.com/
Lots of great ideas already posted - but will chime in on a few of our good old standbys -
Grilled cheese, veggie burgers cut up, waffles, pancakes, graham crackers, goldfish, rice sticks, mandarin oranges, Dole peaches, chicken nuggets cut up, mini meatballs, chicken cutlet cut up, crustables, ricotta on toast cut in small pieces, and scrambled eggs. Good Luck!
Try cantaloupe, little chunks of cheese, raisins, broken crackers, and chunks of potato. :)
Annalee is content to let us feed her, but often does the spit into the hand and then refeed herself...yes very gross. Isaiah, on the other hand wants me to feed him everything and has whined at every meal since I have been home! At least this week he has not been throwing fits at bedtime...his world has been totally displaced...poor mamma's boy!
Annalee LOVES corn on the cob! I would have never thought to give a baby that, but if you think about it with just 4 teeth, she can't bite out a chunk of the cob, so really it a good option for teething!
We do keep baby food around, but pretty much we are feeding her bits of whatever we eat...she also likes coleslaw, mexican rice, baked beans, asparagus, mandu...
We are holding off on eggs, honey, nuts, etc. just due to allergen risks, but other than that...everything else is pretty much game.
Also, for attachment. Annalee does not take a pacifier, but I have one that she will chew on. I will put it in her mouth, then bite the handle/pull it out with my mouth. She then has to bite the paci part to pull back to her mouth. She laughs and has the best time with this game. I try to do this every night before bed time.
She also will hold her own bottle, but I also hold it and let her help me, but I enjoy feeding her the bottle!
Sounds like you have gotten some great advice...I have definitely scanned the food list for ideas!
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