14 month old eating us out of house and home!

LaurensMomma1105 · January 2014

Hi! My little girl loves to eat. I was told by my MIL to feed her whenever she's hungry because she's growing and that infants and toddlers will stop when they're full... however, she will eat until there's no tomorrow. For dinner last night, she had a salmon burger (the whole burger), half a green pepper, a container of applesauce, and 2 cookies.

A typical lunch is a clementine, a PBJ sandwich (an entire sandwich), a pickle, and maybe some other fruit.

She's also getting 3 8oz bottles of milk a day. Plus I constantly refill her sippy cup with water; which doesn't count as food.

Am I feeding her too much? It would help if I knew what other bumpies babies were eating so I could compare.

Thanks!

ashiscute · January 2014

No such thing IMO. My DS (16 mos) can out eat me sometimes. If she is hungry she is eating. In another four months you will probably be thinking "my kid doesn't ever eat? wtf?"

LaurensMomma1105 · January 2014

LalaMama81 said:

It doesn't sound that abnormal to me. Your MIL is right that kids stop eating when they are full.

I might cut her milk back a little bit, that seems like a lot to me

Her pediatrician told me to give her 24oz (and no more than that) of milk a day. We're slowly weening to cups, but I love my snuggle time with bottle feeding.

Ok! Thank you for the advice ladies!

LaurensMomma1105 · January 2014

theresat858 said:

I agree with letting her eat until she is full, but I would not be offering a 14mo old cookies, much less two of them. Let her fill up on vegetables.

She's eating the gerber cookies, and right after eating tons of fruit and a half of a green pepper if you read my original post.

ashiscute · January 2014

LalaMama81 said:

It doesn't sound that abnormal to me. Your MIL is right that kids stop eating when they are full.

I might cut her milk back a little bit, that seems like a lot to me.

I didn't read the milk thing clearly before but I have to agree. My kids drink maybe 10- 12 oz of milk per day. Also, my kids eat cookies too. I would not worry about that.

[Deleted User] · January 2014

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michelle615 · January 2014

FWIW, our pediatrician also says DS can have up to 24 ounces of milk a day. He's 18 months old right now. He drinks close to that every day but also eats a decent variety of other foods, so I don't worry too much about it.

emberlee3 · January 2014

DD eats like a horse. She doesn't drink any milk, so all her calories come from food. Your LO probably only needs 8-12 oz of milk per day. Do you give snacks? Food is much more nutritious than milk. DD can eat half a banana and a whole clementine when we get home, then eat dinner fifteen minutes later. Her teacher tells me she routinely eats 3 servings of everything at lunch, and she usually eats 3 breakfasts (spaced throughout the morning).

TheEditor · January 2014

JandACoffee
I don't see anything wrong with the cookies. DD eats very healthy, but she gets treats once in a while. I figure its better to let them get little bits in moderation than to turn it into a crazy thing that they almost never get. I just see that leading to gorging themselves whenever they get a chance.

Completely agree.

fanofanne · January 2014

i just wish my kids would eat that well

wesleycrusher · January 2014

My DD drinks about 20 oz of milk per day. She doesn't like to drink water or juice. My doctor was fine with it as long as she's eating plenty- and she is- she eats a ton and gets cookies too as long as she's eaten other healthy foods all day.

TheEditor · January 2014

LalaMama81 said:

TheEditor said:

JandACoffee
I don't see anything wrong with the cookies. DD eats very healthy, but she gets treats once in a while. I figure its better to let them get little bits in moderation than to turn it into a crazy thing that they almost never get. I just see that leading to gorging themselves whenever they get a chance.

Completely agree.

I doubt anyone is against treats on moderation. The op is concerned about her daughter's daily food and posted a sample day. 2 cookies a day isn't really moderation for a 14 month old, IMO. Moderation is very debatable.

That's just it. The term moderation is just as debatable as your opinion that 2 cookies isn't moderate.

I really don't care about the cookies, per se. But I take issue that a poster shares that her kiddo has 2 cookies in one day, and somehow that 1 day all of a sudden becomes a "sample" of the child's diet, like it's some sort of control group against which the child's daily diet can be measured. It's one day out of what? 400? My husband gave my kiddo 3 cookies yesterday. When if I give him a treat, it's one bite. So if I shared that, does that mean that my LO eats 3 cookies daily? Not a chance. I fail to see how cookies became the bigger issue here.

OP, my kid eats like a horse and is all muscle. I don't know where he puts this food away, but I figure at some point he'll slow down. And if he doesn't slow down... well, I'll cross that bridge if we come to it. ;-)

LaurensMomma1105 · January 2014

LalaMama81 said:

TheEditor said:

JandACoffee
I don't see anything wrong with the cookies. DD eats very healthy, but she gets treats once in a while. I figure its better to let them get little bits in moderation than to turn it into a crazy thing that they almost never get. I just see that leading to gorging themselves whenever they get a chance.

Completely agree.

I doubt anyone is against treats on moderation. The op is concerned about her daughter's daily food and posted a sample day. 2 cookies a day isn't really moderation for a 14 month old, IMO. Moderation is very debatable.

LalaMama81: While I'm sure you know what you're talking about and you're most likely way more knowledgeable than my pediatrician (who told me that it's okay to give treats on occasion); I disagree with you. I think that a treat here or there is a good thing for a kid so they learn moderation. The Gerber cookies I'm referring to are for 6-12 months (DD is 14 months) and the serving size is 2 cookies. They are small. While I don't need to justify my parenting to anyone, I just wanted to let you know that I'm not an idiot and wouldn't let my little girl just devour endless cookies. Also, she gets treats after dinner like once or twice a week.

emberlee3 · January 2014

Oh, I totally missed the cookie debate when I replied earlier. My kids get dessert every night. Don't mess around with Gerber cookies. Give them something that tastes good!

LaurensMomma1105 · January 2014

emberlee3 said:

Oh, I totally missed the cookie debate when I replied earlier. My kids get dessert every night. Don't mess around with Gerber cookies. Give them something that tastes good!

LOL! Thank you!!!

LaurensMomma1105 · January 2014

wife07mom09 said:

LaurensMomma1105 said:

LalaMama81 said:

TheEditor said:

JandACoffee
I don't see anything wrong with the cookies. DD eats very healthy, but she gets treats once in a while. I figure its better to let them get little bits in moderation than to turn it into a crazy thing that they almost never get. I just see that leading to gorging themselves whenever they get a chance.

Completely agree.

I doubt anyone is against treats on moderation. The op is concerned about her daughter's daily food and posted a sample day. 2 cookies a day isn't really moderation for a 14 month old, IMO. Moderation is very debatable.

LalaMama81: While I'm sure you know what you're talking about and you're most likely way more knowledgeable than my pediatrician (who told me that it's okay to give treats on occasion); I disagree with you. I think that a treat here or there is a good thing for a kid so they learn moderation. The Gerber cookies I'm referring to are for 6-12 months (DD is 14 months) and the serving size is 2 cookies. They are small. While I don't need to justify my parenting to anyone, I just wanted to let you know that I'm not an idiot and wouldn't let my little girl just devour endless cookies. Also, she gets treats after dinner like once or twice a week.

just make sure you aren't feeding her and she is feeding herself. she will regulate that way rather than passively opening a mouth for food.

I don't see a thing wrong with cookies occasionally but after all that food it seems odd to me to offer it, I mean what was the point?
that is a LOT of food your child is eating so maybe a growth spurt possibly. if she keeps eating that much for months on end it would be unusual. what is her weight>?

She's 22 lbs and 14 months old. She was still hungry and I didn't want to give her more fruit because I didn't want her having diarreah. Why are the cookies such a huge issue here? I'm sorry I brought it up. I was asking about amount of food, not content.

divajackie67 · January 2014

My son eats a ton! I made a casserole the other night and when I was full he finished off my portion. He drinks anywhere from 12-18oz of milk per day. He also drinks "juice" which in our house is water with a splash of juice. Judge me if you will.

I give my son whole wheat chocolate chip animal crackers a few times a week after dinner. He also gets about 2.

I feel like if you withhold treats it is just going to create a stigma around them. He eats tons of healthy fruits and veggies so I feel a treat every now and again is fine.

(The reason they are whole wheat is because I will not feed my son or anyone in our house trans fats and they are IN EVERYTHING. I buy his cookie type treats at whole foods because while I don't feel any cookies are "healthy" they are not bombarded by chemicals either)

Examples:

Breakfast - 4oz yogurt with 3 whole wheat mini waffles and fruit

Lunch - Almond butter and all fruit jelly on whole wheat bread with a veggie of some sort, or a meat with some veggie thing.

Dinner - What ever we are eating. Half a chicken breast with zucchini, carrots, and spinach and cheese with a slice of whole what toast with butter, spaghetti with meat sauce, pot roast with veggies.

Snacks - green smoothie (which I count in his milk portion for the day with fruit and veggies) we share

, crackers and some cheese, apple with peanut or almond butter, some days just milk if he doesn't seem hungry.

I think healthy eating is about a variety of healthy foods. Some days are better than others. I have let him eat pizza, lasagna, and bad things too. I just try to pair those nights with a veggie side always.

My mom wouldn't let me eat ANYTHING unhealthy when I was younger. I personally think that is a mistake. I gorged one summer at my Aunt's house because well they had junk food and I had never had it before. I do an 80/20 in our house. 80% great healthy foods 20% not necessarily unhealthy, but not top rated on the health scale.

LaurensMomma1105 · January 2014

divajackie67 said:

My son eats a ton! I made a casserole the other night and when I was full he finished off my portion. He drinks anywhere from 12-18oz of milk per day. He also drinks "juice" which in our house is water with a splash of juice. Judge me if you will.

I give my son whole wheat chocolate chip animal crackers a few times a week after dinner. He also gets about 2. I feel like if you withhold treats it is just going to create a stigma around them. He eats tons of healthy fruits and veggies so I feel a treat every now and again is fine.

(The reason they are whole wheat is because I will not feed my son or anyone in our house trans fats and they are IN EVERYTHING. I buy his cookie type treats at whole foods because while I don't feel any cookies are "healthy" they are not bombarded by chemicals either)

Examples:
Breakfast - 4oz yogurt with 3 whole wheat mini waffles and fruit
Lunch - Almond butter and all fruit jelly on whole wheat bread with a veggie of some sort, or a meat with some veggie thing.
Dinner - What ever we are eating. Half a chicken breast with zucchini, carrots, and spinach and cheese with a slice of whole what toast with butter, spaghetti with meat sauce, pot roast with veggies.
Snacks - green smoothie (which I count in his milk portion for the day with fruit and veggies) we share , crackers and some cheese, apple with peanut or almond butter, some days just milk if he doesn't seem hungry.

I think healthy eating is about a variety of healthy foods. Some days are better than others. I have let him eat pizza, lasagna, and bad things too. I just try to pair those nights with a veggie side always.

My mom wouldn't let me eat ANYTHING unhealthy when I was younger. I personally think that is a mistake. I gorged one summer at my Aunt's house because well they had junk food and I had never had it before. I do an 80/20 in our house. 80% great healthy foods 20% not necessarily unhealthy, but not top rated on the health scale.

Thank you! I feel like I'm a good mom and I have Lauren eat balanced meals, and I'm getting flamed about giving her BABY cookies when my pediatrician said it was okay! Some people just have nothing better to do than pick on people... they should write a book based on all of their knowledge and wisdom.

Okay, so based on your meals listed above, I guess Lauren's not eating that much. Must be just the age and their needs change and increase because they are growing.

ashiscute · January 2014

wife07mom09 said:

Just be sure to continue to involve your pedi in food related questions. Her weight is above the 95 percentile so it depends on her curve but for me personally and professionally I'd offer her healthy foods, appropriate portions, self feeding and fruit or veggie over cookies so that when she is 2 the weight isn't a concern

Wait what? I don't think that's the 95th percentile. That's like 50.

BLPL101 · January 2014

My DD will be 13 months in 2 days and she eats a crazy amount too. My mom and MIL were here over Christmas and they both couldn't believe how much she eats.

ETA: At her 12 month appointment they said to give around 16 oz of milk, but my DD is still breastfed. 24 oz seems really high.

ashiscute · January 2014

wife07mom09 said:

wife07mom09 said:

Just be sure to continue to involve your pedi in food related questions. Her weight is above the 95 percentile so it depends on her curve but for me personally and professionally I'd offer her healthy foods, appropriate portions, self feeding and fruit or veggie over cookies so that when she is 2 the weight isn't a concern

Wait what? I don't think that's the 95th percentile. That's like 50.
It wasn't a criticism just a fact. Look at cdc growth chart. It's above the 95. At this age just important that they follow curve and learn healthy habits . Growth will slow this year anyway .

I checked. It's still the 50th percentile. 22lbs is incredibly average for a 14 mo baby.

https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/data/who/grchrt_girls_24lw_9210.pdf

Sorry OP- got off point. Your LO is fine.

meganschneider · January 2014

What ever happened it supporting moms? Why is everyone so quick to judge? So she gave her kid a cookie.. I give my kids fruit snacks and cookies! Most of us grew up eating dessert and turned out just fine! My kids can eat like that sometimes, and some days aren't hungry at all. Just check with your pediatrician. maybe you LO will be getting ready for a growth spurt. Keep up the good work! Maybe we should think before we write..let's help each other , criticism isn't very helpful.

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