Still using distraction

Hi Lisa

Nice to hear from you and sorry at the same time to hear that you are still struggling. How is his weight now? Any improvement there?

Your description of feedings reminds me of what we have to do with Matthew. Right now, we are using flashcards and stackable games…. but i do cellphones, regular phones, remote for TV, plants, puppets, paper towels, glasses etc etc etc!!

Couple of things they told me at Kennedy Krieger:

1. if your baby has a bad association with eating then they are not going to be willing to just sit and eat because unlike other babies, they do not enjoy eating, the flavors or the sensations we associate with food (ie can be swallowing, feeling full etc). So, you have to make the meals entertaining. They told me that i was doing fine and he needs to have a good time, whatever it takes… they really stressed that part

2. They told me it was important to take out a few toys and play with thsoe during the meal all throughout, and not switch toys when he stops eating. Ie try not to let them be totally in control. So if he stops eating, i try to keep the same toy until he takes one more bite (sometimes it takes forever) and after that bite, i switch toys or i kind of feel he is getting bored and switch. So it seems to me you are doing a great job at juggling entertaining and feeding!

Also they told me that even if baby does not seem like she notices she is eating, she does. The second you switch textures or flavors you will get a reaction which means they are aware of what is going on but they are relaxed.

At the feeding clinics, they do a ton of behavioral analysis during a few days (i think it is 5 days at Kennedy Krieger). The whole team of people are writing down stuff about how he reacts to touch, a smile, a comment, a book etc etc what happens when you switch spoons, cups etc so then they meet and determine what they think the protocol for eating should be – ie if the baby seems to react to a certain book + a touch or a smile or praise… tehy start using that object adn that reinforcement after each bite… so that is how they work with objects. They told me that would be so difficult for me because i am concentrating on feeding, him not throwing up, entertaining etc but they do a ton of analysis and are constantly changing the protocol (sorry this is long, jsut wanted to explain what Lori said about using toys etc as positive reinforcement).

Is Noah trying to eat foods on his own at all? This is a great thing for Matthew actually. he is content at the beginning of the meals if she is holding a piece of bread or croissant because he loves licking it… and he feeds me and i am abble to get a few spoonfuls in between. Matthew is also into feeding himself (or he tries) with a spoon so i ahve 2 bowls and he loves feeding me too! So i put some applesauce in his and he dips te spoon and feeds me or brings it to his lips and he finds this entertaining now!

Maybe I need to try the toys at the table since we’re in a bit of a feeding drought these days. Hailey is more than happy to sit at the table, and she’ll take a few bites of this and that here and there, but it’s always the same things and she’ll throw whatever she doesn’t like overboard. I never brought toys into the kitchen because I know that if Hailey plays with toys then Sarah will also want to play with toys. I do use singing, especially songs with hand actions- I find that if she’s busy with her hands, then she can’t swat me away as easily. She hasn’t let me spoon feed her for a while now… prefers to try herself. She does love to feed me, so I’ll take a bite, and then say “Hailey’s turn” and refuse to take another bite unless she takes one. Yesterday she surprised me by shoving a spoonful of yogurt at me when I wasn’t looking. As I wiped it off my face, making animated expressions about how yummy it was she said “mama taste”. So I said “yummy, now Hailey taste”. And she said “no” and threw the bowl onto the floor.