BLW/Spoon Feeding

[girlmomma]

I enrolled an infant in August. The baby will be turning one at the end of December. He has yet to cut any teeth! So… he’s still eating purées.

I asked DCM today what her plans were with table food since DCK will be turning one in a few weeks. She said she didn’t think he was ready for table food because he doesn’t have teeth and she’s nervous about offering him solids. She said she had offered him the Gerber Puffs but the baby isn’t interested in them - which makes sense. He’s never been offered anything besides purées here and I’m sure it’s not any different at home. I suggested noodles and steamed veggies and shredded chicken. She kind of shrugged like she didn’t care, she still wanted him to have purées.

I understand her concerns but I feel delaying solid foods will only delay development further. In the last three years, most of my parents BLW, with/without teeth. It seems as though a lot of parents skipped purées entirely.

I have another 6MO infant lined up to start anytime, but I don’t want to confirm a start date until the 11MO turns a year old, he’s eating solids and he is walking.

Any suggestions?

[Alwaysgreener]

So my policy says that once a child turns one I feed them anything the other kids get except for allergens if parents have delayed feeding them.. (like no seafood if parents haven't fed seafood yet)

I blame the food program, I say per rules all kids need to eat the same food unless a medical reason.

[Michael]

Some previous posts on spoon feeding.

https://chat.daycare.com/search?searchJSON=%7B%22tag%22%3A%22spoon+feeding%22%7D

[girlmomma]

Thank you both. From previous posts, I can tell this child is behind and he should be more independent.

I feel a lot better about being “frustrated” with DCM’s response. I’m off to write another policy I never thought I’d have to write

[girlmomma]

Does anyone have a pre-drafted policy/letter? DCM brought a 16 pack of food today.

We go on break in two weeks and the child will not eat all of this. I plan to send it all back home on the last day of daycare since the child will turn one over break. I don’t know exactly how I should explain that he will be eating solid food here, whether he has teeth or not. What’s a polite but firm way to say this?

Also, is it normal for infants to cut teeth so late???? To my knowledge he wasn’t born premature. But he seems to be hitting milestones a little later. The baby is on soy formula because he has a dairy allergy. Could this be the cause?

[Alwaysgreener]

Teeth can come in later. But should all be in around 2.5 years.

Soy should not make a difference, but I would ask if he was early. I had a dcb that was not premature but was early and was slower to develop.

Do you have access to a developmental screening like asq? If not I can send it to you?

I can send my wording later on solid foods. As for the baby food, you need a policy for this too, stating that since you provide food, all food brought in is considered a donation to the daycare. Then any food brought going food, donate to the food pantry.

I would update my policy and then announce it in the newsletter.

[girlmomma]

I don’t want to offend them in any way, DH and DCD are acquaintances. Not sure how to ask if he was early. Maybe I’ll bring it up somehow with a birth story

He’s the slowest one developer I've had so far. He didn’t sit up until about 8MO and he didn’t crawl until 10.75MO. He’s not standing and he hasn’t figured out how to pull himself up.


Please send me your wording when you can!

[Alwaysgreener]

Formula, baby cereal, and puree will no longer be served to children beginning on their first birthday unless a special diet statement is in effect.

Breastfed toddlers can stay on breastmilk after 12 months but will only be served in a cup at meal times.

I also let them know that baby led weaning is at day care when ever possible.

[girlmomma]

Thank you!!!

[Guest]

My grandchild , in daycare, has no teeth yet. ( 10 mos old ). They are eating mostly table food, at daycare and at home. Still getting breast milk . I don’t think they have ever had puréed food.

[girlmomma]

I really, really appreciate this response! Thank you!

[Alwaysgreener]

girlmomma

If you do an ASQ or have them complete it, the profile question on the first sheet asks about premature weeks.


You could approach it as this is something that you are considering offering to the daycare and would they be willing to complete it and give you feedback?


In my area, if a child is not meeting milestones, then give the local school district a call to have an evaluation done. Do you know if your school district has a referral program?

[girlmomma]

No, I don’t think our district offers this. I could do the ASQ form, but not sure who I’d refer them to.

[Alwaysgreener]

Call your local school district, they will point you in the right direction. You could also talk to the library or state-run preschools or your child's doctor.

[Pestle]

Lots of kids have only a few teeth at a year and still manage to eat diced, canned, or steamed foods. Either the child is legitimately missing some milestones, or the parents are preventing the child from working on some really critical developmental skills.

I provide all the food at my daycare, so I haven't had to deal with this. I just have the parents send in a list of foods that have been introduced to the child, so I'm not the first person to give them a potential allergen.

If this child's fine motor skills are typical for their age, I would go ahead and start feeding them the same foods they've been having puréed, in a solid form, and give them a couple of weeks to try to figure it out. If I really thought they could not handle developmentally appropriate food, I would tell the parents that they need to speak to a pediatrician.

[Guest]

I am surprised the child’s pediatrician hasn’t gotten on the parents about solid foods by now. When she’s ready and more open, French toast (without the sugar of course) really drenched in egg so it’s extra soggy, is a great food when introducing solids.

[FlyingJewels]

girlmomma

I’ve been thinking about you too!

Oh yea, crappy doctor then. Thats a shame. Mine was on my butt with my second about giving her food etc. 5 years before that it wasn’t like that. It seems now they really push it. A good doctor does anyway.

[FlyingJewels]

Alwaysgreener

Very true, some do that.

[girlmomma]

FlyingJewels I agree - a good doctor will push BLW.

[girlmomma]

DCM text me over break to ask if DCK can eat baby food here after 12 months. I told her no, not without a doctors note stating the medical reason as to why he can’t eat table food. She then told me that DCK was choking when eating any solid foods. I had her clarify for me, was he actually choking or gagging? She finally admitted he was gagging. I encouraged her to look into BLW and told her Gerber has the Gerber Pick-Up meals she may want to try with him. She said she was going to call his doctor to see what he suggested. I just eye rolled and moved on.

Yesterday, she text and asked if I had food to feed him. I told her yes… as he will now be eating table food. She then proceeded to tell me she is blending up table foods for him. I just wanted to say, you gotta be (bleeping) kidding me! She’s has nearly two whole weeks to get him transitioned to solid foods and she is freaking blending it up for him?!

What do you all suggest?? I understand the child doesn’t have teeth… but come on!

[Alwaysgreener]

DCM text me over break to ask if DCK can eat baby food here after 12 months. I told her no, not without a doctors note stating the medical reason as to why he can’t eat table food. She then told me that DCK was choking when eating any solid foods. I had her clarify for me, was he actually choking or gagging? She finally admitted he was gagging. I encouraged her to look into BLW and told her Gerber has the Gerber Pick-Up meals she may want to try with him. She said she was going to call his doctor to see what he suggested. I just eye rolled and moved on.

Yesterday, she text and asked if I had food to feed him. I told her yes… as he will now be eating table food. She then proceeded to tell me she is blending up table foods for him. I just wanted to say, you gotta be (bleeping) kidding me! She’s has nearly two whole weeks to get him transitioned to solid foods and she is freaking blending it up for him?!

What do you all suggest?? I understand the child doesn’t have teeth… but come on!

Well, you keep saying he needs to eat solid, so feed solid.

I would serve applesauce or yogurt or a food that you can serve once a day. Cheerios dry for breakfast and at least one soft, easy-to-pick-up food at each meal. As soon as he turns 1, he gets no more than 1/2 cup of milk for breakfast and lunch and water the rest of the time.


Also - I would be so tempted to say - So you are now making baby food?

[girlmomma]

I just frustrated parenting other peoples kids. Ya know? I was excited to let my kids try new foods and experience new tastes and textures. She doesn’t seem to care.

Don’t get me started on the “bottle.” He is apparently “eating a bottle” for breakfast. 6-8 oz of milk, not formula. I tried serving him milk in a soft spout cup - nothing. I put it in a bottle and he drank it. I mentioned transitioning him to a cup and she said he’s still drinking bottles at home.

He did great yesterday. He ate eggs and strips of toast with peaches for breakfast. For lunch he had baked ziti, a breadstick and peas. I didn’t have any issue until snack when I served him a cracker. She didn’t introduce him water at all, so when he ate it, of course it got stuck he gagged. She told me last night she was able to get him to take water from a bottle, but he refused the cup.

I had a conversation with her yesterday about BLW and how it’s actually better for him because he can choose how big of a bite he wants versus chunks of food she makes for him. She said that made sense so I am hoping she continues to serve food to him how I am. I tried cheerios a couple weeks ago, he didn’t do too well with those. I’ll try those today and see how he does.

[Alwaysgreener]

That is great, so he is eating for you. I would just continue to feed and not worry about how dcm feeds.

As for the water, if he is drinking it from a bottle try giving him water from another source like a medicine syringe or cup, and show him that it still tastes the same from different containers.

I use bottles with pull tops for water only here, it is a good way to transition from the bottle instead of cups, and everyone has their own color.