It’s not the consistency it’s the content!
What is usually a happy time for a parent for us well we are shit scared!
So many things are going through our mind. OK are my CPR skills up to scratch, OK don’t panic you’ll scare her even more.
For us the puree wasn’t too much of a problem although it did take her a long time to get the idea of eating, like a month. Then at 7 months we tried mashed food Hmmm not so easy for her. That’s when food started to get stuck, choking the red face you know how it is.
But we let her guide us as to when try something new until we eventually got to grains of rice, peas and corn. We were still pureeing meat mainly mince with gravy was all she could tolerate. She stayed there for ages until she was 18 months or so.
Amanda her paediatrician was a god send because you know when you take them to the Health Care Nurse and they ask about solids and where they are at. They get worried when you tell them that they can only eat mash! Amanda told me this “It’s not the consistency it’s the content don’t worry!”
So I relaxed with it because that gave me peace of mind. But you know what? It doesn’t matter, who cares as long as your child is well nourished then who gives a flying rats as too what texture it is.
THEN because I relax well! She relaxed too and she started to eat chunkier food like mince with gravy, some pasta’s, pieces of bacon and sandwiches! She was about 18 months old before she had a sandwich. WOW it was great.
Still now Maddison is nearly 3 she can’t eat most meats (unless chopped super fine) we have a sauce with everything. Most fruits she can’t eat even though people say but it’s soft! I feel like smacking them across the head! Or when they try to sneak and give them some bread custardy thing and they think it’s just hilarious but really you would love to give them a treat like that but the fact of the matter is you’re not doing it “because they only eat healthy foods” you’re doing it because it will get stuck and they will choke and it’s as simple as that!
My daughter is 3 and she has never had a lolly! Even her GP went to give her a jelly bean after I just finished telling him that she is a TOF Baby and blah blah blah.
Then on the flip side you have my poor old Mum who freaks out if she coughs and I say “Mum relax she’s OK don’t freak out then she will freak out”
But at least she is more then aware and I love that.
It’s a fine line you know you don’t want to treat them any different or give them any special treatment but at the some time we are accountable and responsible for them so we have to be cautious.
So looking back my advice is:
* Trust yourself and let them guide you
* Relax with it and don’t worry about the consistency as long as the content is good.
* Make sure they are progressing if you haven’t read My TOF Baby Strictures please read it’s a must.
* When they do choke because they will, as hard as it is STAY CALM and just encourage them to bring it back up. Make sure their food swimming in a sauce. When they get older you can encourage them to have a drink to try to push it down instead of throwing up all the time. Now Maddie says “Towel Mummy towel” that means she needs to throw up! Isn’t she graceful!
But at the end of the day it isn’t anymore scary then what we have already gone through.
Maddison goes in on Wednesday for another dilation so I’ll let you know how she goes.