Kit Kat's mom!, Emma's latest

Well, we took Emma to Children's Mercy for an appt. with the Feeding Clinic.
They weighed her at 18lbs (21months old). They observed her with some food and got her history. To make a long story short, we put a feeding tube down her nose. I cried the whole time, but now she seems to be doing okay with it, not playing with it or anything. They said that we need to stretch her tummy out, so that she will start to feel real hunger. Once she hopefully begins to like to eat and gets weight on her, she'll eat normally. Right now, we're giving her 5 oz. of Pedisure five times a day after her regular meals. How's Katherine doing? Is she gaining well? I need positive words right now.

Wow! Sorry, I know I'm not Kit Kat's Mom, but I read this anyway

That sounds like pretty drastic measures! Was she meeting her milestones? I hope that it works and Emma starts gaining soon. I'm glad that it isn't bothering her too much, too.

Wow. That's a bummer but I hope that it works & she starts gaining.
DH was unemployed for a few months so K hasn't had insurance but it's kicked in now so she goes on the 31st for her 2yr checkup. I'm guessing that she's not more than 23 lbs though. She was 21 lbs at a 21 month checkup so we will see.

She's been eating a lot better for us. Still not as much as a normal kid but better. She's a big snacker and will eat a little something every couple of hours if I have it ready for her when she asks.

Also, she just started a new home daycare this week and the sitters son, who is 18 mos, is also a slow gainer. He had to have surgery for something else and when they got in they saw ulcers on his throat & diagnosed him with acid reflux, which they'd missed in previous appts. He is now on meds and attending feeding therapy classes to try and get him to understand that eating doesn't = pain anymore. poor guy.

K's actually started drinking milk at this new daycare because the other kids drink it. Still won't drink it at home but hey...it's a start.

Good luck & I'm so sorry that Emma is having to though this. Give her a hug and kiss from K and I.

Another member of the puny kid club here! Corey will be 2 in a few weeks, and she still hasn't hit 22 lbs yet. I revisit this concern every time I see the dr, and he is completely unconcerned about it, as is my brother who is also a pediatrician. They have convinced me to focus on and observe her overall health and appearance, which seems absolutely fine. She's simply petite, period.
Corey wouldn't even drink Pediasure, so you're lucky Emma will at least accept that. I'm curious as to why they felt Emma needed the tube. Is it something that stays in all the time, and if so, how long will it be there?
Finally, I know how difficult this can be to do, b/c I struggle with it ALL the time, but you've got to keep your anxiety about food in check. If mealtime becomes a source of constant anxiety,(Will she eat, please eat SOMETHING) the problem will continue. Try to at least pretend you don't care what or how much she eats. Otherwise, the potential is great for food to become a control issue as she approaches toddlerhood.
I feel your pain, I really do. Good luck, and know you've got a lot of company.

well Kaitlin to is on the petite side not as small as some of your girls but still small, she was 21lbs 11oz at her 18 month check up. So I to worry about how much she eats, but I dont express it to her. Kaltin had days where she will eat like a pig and then days where she wont eat much at all. All I can do is offer her the best choises I can and let her have a few not so god ones on occasion. Over all Kaitlin is healthy has hardly been sick (knock on wood), and is very energitic, and a miss social butterfly LOL. The ped is not at all worried about her progress with weight, she told me at the last checkup as long as she stays steady and does not drastically fall off the chart she is doing fine.

I hope all works out for your little one

Thanks so much for the replys. It makes me feel so much better to know I'm not the only one with this issue. Corey's mom: you're right. I can't make eating a huge issue or I'm afraid it will backfire, so I'm keeping my cool. Yes, the tube stays in until she's back on the weight chart. Her height and head circumference are great, and her development (language and motor skills) are incredible, but the doctors said that if she doesn't get proper nutrition her development will spiral down eventually. So obviously I'm not going to allow that to happen so this is the last resort. If she would just give different foods a chance, she just might realize that food is pretty good. She won't even allow meats to barely touch her tongue before she spits it out. I know I have to have patience, but it's been almost 2 years of this, so I feel like I'm running out. I'm praying we can take the tube out by Christmas. Katherine's mom: I'm taking Emma to a Learning Center to play with other kids on Mondays, so hopefully, she'll see other kids eat and start to eat herself. I'm trying to stay positive. Thanks for the support.

Oh, one thing that seemed to help K eat more is that I keep one of the veggie crispers on the bottom of the fridge full of snacks for her. There is peanut butter, string cheese, juice boxes, pudding, yogurts, hot dogs etc. She will say "eat eat eat" which means she's hungry & I'll open the fridge for her and she goes to her drawer and picks what she wants. Sometimes it takes her awhile to make a decision but she usually comes up with something.

Also, she won't use her toddler fork & spoon either. It has to be a grown up fork or spoon.

ITA agree about the piggyness one day and the fasting the next. K woke up this morning and had 2 bites of biscotti...that's it. But yesterday, I picked her up from daycare and she ate two hot dogs before dinner, then meatloaf, broccoli & mac & cheese. I'm not suprised that she's not hungry this morning! LOL

Oh, one thing that seemed to help K eat more is that I keep one of the veggie crispers on the bottom of the fridge full of snacks for her. There is peanut butter, string cheese, juice boxes, pudding, yogurts, hot dogs etc. She will say "eat eat eat" which means she's hungry & I'll open the fridge for her and she goes to her drawer and picks what she wants. Sometimes it takes her awhile to make a decision but she usually comes up with something.

Also, she won't use her toddler fork & spoon either. It has to be a grown up fork or spoon.

ITA agree about the piggyness one day and the fasting the next. K woke up this morning and had 2 bites of biscotti...that's it. But yesterday, I picked her up from daycare and she ate two hot dogs before dinner, then meatloaf, broccoli & mac & cheese. I'm not suprised that she's not hungry this morning! LOL

thats a good Idea I already keep cheese in there (her FAVORITE) I should put someother snacks in there for her also, maybe something she does not normal eat and she will give them a go...she is so picky about veggies.....gets that from her daddy

I'm really sorry that your children are having these problems, I know I can't sympathize as easy as some of the other mothers (my 9 month old weighs 22 pounds, she's a chubby wubby) but I can understand how this is totally frustrating! You guys are in my prayers and I hope and pray that they will start to eat better for you guys. I just had to post in here because when Hanna had chronic ear infections I took her to the ER one night and saw a lady feeding her daughter through a tube and I don't know what her circumstances were but it made me want to cry! I will keep you guys in my thoughts and all kinds of Good Luck vibes coming your way!