Eating Out with a Toddler

I have to admit it, i dread dining out with my 22-month old! Don't get me wrong, i do love eating out and I love being with my child. But i'm just really bothered by the mess he makes when he eats! I've been letting him eat on his own. This is the only way he'll learn to eat independently.

As he eats food gets all over his face! I find this really cute. Actually i don't mind the mess he makes when he eats. At home, he's eating a lot, He also makes so much mess, half his food just lands on floor.  I think this is just ok and we cleanup right away.

But when we dine out, cleaning is all up to the restaurant crew and  I'm shy about leaving behind crumbs of food on the floor or spills of drinks on the table.

My Biggest Concern Right Now!

Feeding has been an issue between me and my kid. As he got older, he's getting more picky about his food and this is really getting into my nerves! I sometimes feel like he's just testing my reaction when he spits or plays with his food. He would often spit out his food, especially if it has a new taste or different consistency!  But he never spits his  favorites - banana, lugaw and french fries!

So i'm really thinking about the nutrition of my little guy. Most kids by one year can consume family foods of a solid consistency.

Below is the text from Unicef and WHO's Facts for Life

By 12 months:Most children are able to consume 'family foods' of a solid consistency. They can still be offered semi-solid foods, which are easier for young children to eat. Additional nutritious snacks (such as fruit, bread or bread with nut paste) can be offered once or twice per day, as desired, starting at six months. If the quality or amount of food per meal is low, or the child is no longer breastfeeding, give 1–2 cups of milk plus one or two extra meals each day.

They can still be offered semi-solid foods, which are easier for young children to eat.

I've been looking everywhere for sample menu to get a good idea of the best foods to five my toddler. Feeding him has been such a concern, especially since i work during the day, i can't monitor what he gets.  So i'm making it a point to prepare his meals for the day so the caretaker can serve him what i prepared.

Meal plan for toddlers

I contacted our FNRI (Food and Nutition Research Institute), looking for sample menu with our locally grown ingredients for toddlers.  They gave me this very informative and useful guide! Toddlers can eat basically what the rest of the family eats, just in smaller proportions.  The guide below shows how much for kids ranging from 1 to 9  years old.

[caption id="attachment_2016" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Sample Menu for Kids Source: Food Nutrition and Research Institute-DOST[/caption]

When planning your child's diet, make sure you give a variety of food. Here's DOST- FNRI's guide to a balanced diet for kids! Below is a rough of about the food pyramid. Click on the type of food for corresponding amounts per serving.

Here's a rough estimate of the type and amount for food per day:

• 4 to 7 glasses of water and other beverage


• 2 to 4 1/2 serving of rice, grains, bread, noodles, pasta, etc


• 1 to 2 medium servings of fruits


• 1/2 egg


• 1 to 1 1/3 serving of fish, beans, nuts, etc


• 4 to 5 table spoons of sugars and sweets


• 6 tables spoons fats and oils

[caption id="attachment_2013" align="aligncenter" width="265"] Use this guide when planning your kid's daily diet. Source of Photo: Food and Nutrition Research Institute[/caption]

About your little one's milk

I'm still breastfeeding so how much milk he takes in is really a matter of importance to me!  According to the guide above, toddlers should  get  1  glass  (a standard glass is 8 ounces)  of whole milk daily.  I'm quite confident he's getting enough because he takes in 4 to 8 oz of EBM + 4 oz of fresh milk (this also includes chocolate-flavored milk).  Plus he also nurses during the night.

After the first year, SOLIDS should be his primary source of nutrition, so it's ok to feed him first before nursing.  If he gets his milk  before he eats, chances are he'll be too full to ingest his solids!

(Just a note to myself) Do not despair is he spits up the food you lovingly prepared!  This, too, is a phase and shall pass. Patience is a virtue! Today is the best day to develop good eating habits.

Good luck (to me) feeding the precious child!

Also worth reading:

• My teething toddler

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My Teething Toddler

At 14 months, my son only has three prominent teeth and the rest are just about to pop out!  Teething usually starts from  4 to 7 months but my baby's first teeth appeared at 11 months. The order by which his teeth are coming out is weird too! Usually, the molars appear next after the front teeth. But lo and behold, his canines came out next to his front teeth!

[caption id="attachment_3283" align="aligncenter" width="300"] This is my adorable son sporting his first tooth at 11 months![/caption]

We are actually quite delighted that at long last, his teeth are coming out. These are signs that my baby is slowly becoming a big boy. If you are dealing with a teething toddler, consider these tips!

Expect low grade fever or diarrhea.

•  We’re lucky our son does not have these symptoms. A toddler's immune system is down at this point so be extra careful. This may be due to the stress on his developing body. Our pediatrician suggests avoiding  close contact with sick kids when teething so he won't catch any infection.

His behavior might change, too.

• Your toddler can be quite cranky at this time. I noticed this because he’s not his usually jolly and always smiling self.  I guess he’s irritated and bothered by the new thingies appearing in his mouth. He would often shake his head, pull his ear and touch his cheek, all these signs of teething.

He might refuse to eat!

• A toddler with a few teeth may be a bit harder to feed! His three teeth is his handicap! While some kids his age are learning how to chew and grind their food into small pieces, my son still has a hard time swallowing.  Make sure to give small, manageable pieces. Slice his food into cheweable pieces but always be on guard against choking.  I would still boil and mash hard foods like apples, peas or carrot because he can’t chew that much yet.  Give additional water to aid him is gulping down his food. We're trying to balance giving him infant cereals or giving him "real" foods.

Introduce oral hygiene at this time.

• This is easier said than done! I'm actually having a hard time cleaning his mouth and teeth.  He would clamp his mouth closed when i try to wipe his teeth with cotton or cloth.  When cleaning becomes a struggle, stop and try again next time. His gums are quite sensitive at this stage or may be painful too.  Don't force cleaning because he might develop fear about this and refuse tooth brushing altogether.  Take your time and just offer more water to rinse his mouth.

Biting during nursing sessions 

• A teething toddler is harder to breastfeed because he may bite. We discourage biting by asking him firmly to stop.  My baby seems to understand that biting hurts mommy so he must not continue. At times i would cringe in pain because of his bite, but i avoid letting him see my reaction. I think he sometimes finds it funny when i cringe in pain so he repeatedly bites!  So better to avoid making outbursts or react outright, even if it hurts so much.  Some kids do have a nursing strike at this stage, but not my son.  He would nurse to sleep for hours and he would wake out once my nipples get detouch from his mouth. So this mommy is also losing sleep as the baby is gaining more teeth.

Have fun dealing with your teething toddler!

Also worth reading: 

• Toddler feeding issues

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Nursing my Toddler

Nursing remains our very own bonding session. It gives me much comfort knowing that my "dede" nourishes and soothes my growing toddler. La Leche League discusses the benefits of nursing beyond one year.

But apart from the health benefits extended breastfeeding bring, my very own selfish reason to nurse at this stage is because it's the topnotch way for us to cuddle and connect!  A growing boy like P is always distracted  about learning to talk and walk and in dealing with his emerging social life.  It gives me much satisfaction knowing that he's all eyes on me when he wants to nurse.

However, extended breastfeeding  is not at all a picture of  "mother and child" worthy of a painting.  There's an ugly and frustrating side to breastfeeding a toddler. You'll have to deal with an overactive and distracted child. But just so we're clear, any breastfeeding issue you might have can still be dealt with utmost patience and with the right information.

Here's what i deal with as a milk machine to a one-year old. I also wrote some ways how i deal with such issues.

 

Acrobatic breastfeeding positions

Remember how hard it was to find that perfect latch during baby's first weeks? Well, this won't be as hard when nursing a toddler. He'll know how to place his mouth already. In fact, he has mastered this so much that he'll try sucking in different positions! At one year old, some babies are very mobile they'll try nursing while sitting up, standing or upside down. Name it, P and i might have tried it!  Most of these new positions are just too awkward that it's just not possible to do outside the comfort of our private space.

[caption id="attachment_1775" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Here's our more "decent" nursing picture.[/caption]

As an eager explorer, P has learned to play with my other nipple while nursing. This irks me because he keeps fiddling and pinching my nipple. I guess this relaxes him and helps him go drowsy and sleepy. Again, this twiddling and pinching falls under the awkward category. I've learned to tolerate him.

Pain from biting

At thirteen months, my baby only has three teeth and he's teething right now. He enjoys biting because his gums are itchy. Our nursing session goes like this; he nurse for 5 to 10 minutes then stop. Then he'll bite my nipple. I cringe in pain, sometimes i laugh. I noticed that he would keep on biting if i react, whether i cringe in pain or if i  laugh. I guess he thinks that i like him biting me. He thinks i'm teasing him so he teases me back and biting my nipple!  When he starts biting i take this as a sign that he's done nursing. I stop nursing so he won't be encouraged to bite. He can ask to nurse later.

Asking for "dede"

My baby would touch my breast to indicate that he wants to dede. He does this every time he wants to nurse. When i come home from work, instead of a welcome home kiss, a get some breast frisking from him. Sometimes we would hear an occasional "dede" from him! Yes, my 13-month old can say a few words and "dede" is one of them.

He would also do this breast frisking while we're outside. Sometimes he'll go further by lifting my shirt!  It will help if you will give in right away to avoid a major tantrum. He could be really thirsty for milk, that's why he's asking! I made it a point to cover up to avoid shocked glances from onlookers.

Less breast milk intake and pumping output

A toddler needs more solids for steady weight gain and growth. At this point, he'll need more than milk. That means, we can expect a decrease in the intake of breast milk. I just make sure that i nurse on demand.

Since baby's demand for milk has decreased, expect a decrease in your pumping output as well.  Mine has halved since my pumping heydays during around baby's sixth month.

Shorter (or longer) breastfeeding session

How long a nursing session varies greatly. Sometimes it lasts just 3 to 5 minutes and that leaves me wondering whether he is satisfied at all.  Since he has turned his back on the bottle completely, he makes up for lost nursing time by nursing more at night.

For more information on extended nurse, here's Kellymom's notes.

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