kalev...
Hi,
Our 14m/o has been slipping off the weight charts for the last six months (from 50th percentile to 5th). The GP has said it is the quantity rather than quality of foods that is the problem - we try snacks etc through the day but nothing seems to help. She is having 3 x 180ml formula bottles per day and I have been wondering if I should cut these out to encourage eating. Should I replace the formula with cow's milk (they seem equal in calories though) and is it okay to add formula to cow's milk? Is there a multivitamin that might help her? We are travelling so it is going to be hard to see a paediatrician.
Thanks!
it can be very stressful when little ones begin to move down the weight charts, but it is certainly not uncommon by any means! I do have a fact sheet on my Sneakys site (www.sneakys.com.au) on underweight children, if you cant find it let me know by email and I will send it to you.
Generally, the focus is fat to gain weight, simply because it is so energy dense. I do think that protein is important because it adds to muscle mass (in most situations). Firstly, no don’t mix formula and cows’ milk, that would provide excessive calcium which interferes with iron and can lead to fussy eating. It also will offer too many calories and inhibit appetite. I would certainly chat to your paediatrician about the formula. It is common for toddlers to over rely on formula, which then interferes with their appetite and displaces food (the same thing can happen with cows’ milk).
Metagenics also makes a great kids drink called ‘kids Metameal’, you can google their name (also under Health World) or ask at your local health food shop and see if they will order it in. It has an excellent balance of nutrients. Another option, which I personally love, is smoothies. Replace one of those formula meals for a smoothie (ensure it is at least 30 minutes after a meal though). Use your choice of full-fat milk, add yoghurt, your toddlers favourite fruit and things like ground nuts and seeds. You only need a small one, but it will be a great addition to her meals for the day. You may need to start small and then increase the size so her tummy gets used to the bulk.
Also, watch out for bulking foods such as cereals that swell and very fibre dense foods. They tend to be low in energy and fill the tummy quickly.
Let me know how that goes and you should find more detail info on my fact sheet
All the best
Leanne
PS I have just noted you don’t mention a paediatrician so I would ask your GP for a referral, at the 5th percentile its good to get specialised care! They generally use PolyCal in these cases, so he or she may say to wait on the MetaMeal