Question on Portion Size

She should be eating until she stops and has had enough like her doctor said. There isn't a set portion size she should be eating.

If your kid has always been at 85% for height and 20% for weight, then she's gaining weight at a rate that's appropriate for her.

Kids that small don't eat to the point of gluttony, and as long as you're not making her eat (trying to force the spoon in her mouth after she's indicated she doesn't want it), she's not being overfed.

Maybe she's just a little lactose intolerant, and that's what the spit-up is about. I don't know, mine didn't spit up.

At 15mo, my son was self feeding for quite a while. Sure, I'd help out with yogurt or things like that, but at that age, they can eat everything you eat (except the obvious things like peanut butter and things that are a chocking hazard), so I stopped paying attention to quantities, and just fed him off the table.

I wouldn't be too worried about the # of calories she consumes in any given day, because it's going to vary so much depending if she's having a growth spurt or not. So this week, she might eat a lot, but next week, not so much. Kids also alternate growing "out" and "up", so maybe yours is just in an "up" phase.

And never let anyone make you feel guilty for trying to do the best for you kid. You're the best Mom your kid is ever going to have and the exact one that she needs.

Keep in mind that kids this age are not growing as fast as they did in the first year. They also go through periods where they are eating a lot (growing) and periods of eating what seems like very little (not growing). As long as you're watching her cues and letting her eat when she's hungry and not eat when she's not, she'll be fine.

Allison
Mom to Talia (10/03) and Trip (3/07)

Also wanted to add that their stomach is the size of their fist, so take that into consideration when in comes to how much food to offer her.

My daughter was 19 lbs at 9 months, but even by 3 she was only 30 lbs. She's 4 and just hitting 35 lbs. They really just slow down a lot.

Allison
Mom to Talia (10/03) and Trip (3/07)

I agree with the other posters. Just feed your child until she stops eating and she will get everything she needs. My son will be 2 on Tuesday and has finally hit the point where his appetite has slowed way down. It came as a shock to me when he started to eat so much less because as his mother, I want to make sure my baby is well fed. He's 38"tall and 35lbs.( off the charts in height and 95% for weight) My doctor always says that he could use an additional snack, but if I fed him anymore he would never leave his highchair. He, like your daughter, has had this same pattern since he was 2 weeks old. Don't worry, it sounds like your are doing everything right nutritionally!

Not one pound for 1 1/2 yrs!! - that was the story of my super healthy daughter!!

She was 41 lbs. at 3 1/2, and still 41 lbs. at her 5th birthday.
Meanwhile she grew taller, converted baby fat to lean muscle and was incredibly healthy, well rested, and ate a broad, varied, healthy complete diet.

At the same time, my son was 18 mo., weighed 26 lbs, and 18 months later, on his 3rd birthday...guess what he weighed....26 lbs! But, same as my daughter, he's a healthy, growing little boy.

I think sometimes they just don't gain weight.

As long as they are eating, sleeping well, and happy, I'll bet that all is well!!!!

Happy2BMommy, is a stay-at-home mom who just turned 40 (argh!) with a 7 yr. old daughter and a 5 yr. old son, and is a discussion leader for arizonamoms.com living in Scottsdale.

Congratulations. It sounds like you did a great job weaning and your daughter is eating everything. What a relief for you to know that she is getting the vital nutrients for growth and development. The province of child development is brain growth. Breast milk is 60% fat. Now your daughter is still reliant on a dietary intake of 50-60% calories from fat. Fat is 9 calories per gram as opposed to protein and carbohydrates which are 4 calories per gram.

The rule of thumb for portion size is one tablespoon per year of age, a quarter of a piece for a toddler, half for a preschooler, etc.

2-4 ounces of juice is a portion size for a toddler (parents may want to look at this if their child seems particularly busy).
The recommended daily intake of milk for a 2-year-old is 4 servings - 4 ounces each.

Jan Katzen-Luchenta AMI CFP
Nutritional therapist - www.iluminahealing.com - Montessori educator - www.nutritionforlearning.com

Hi,

This is my experience, for what it's worth!

My son used to spit up too. Actually, he only spit up a little, into his mouth. We used to call it "milk chips". He ate well (every meal we rotated fish, chicken or pasta and he loved his veggies!). He would "spit up" an hour or so after eating. We got used to cleaning it up. Other moms would comment to me, but I'd just explain what we thought, that he gagged easily. I had a vague uneasiness about his eating and mentioned it at every well-check. We were reassured that alternating between eating everything in sight and having little appetite was common for toddlers. As the toddler years, turned into preschool age, he still "ate like a snake" - tons one day, and little the next. He still gagged and a couple of times a month, he would throw up a little. He got tot he point that he would refuse most food throughout the day, but then want to eat last afternoon to evening. We were told not to cater to this and if he refused dinner, then he could have cereal later, but that we were not to prepare another meal. My son's weight and height percentages were good - on the "tall and thin" said.

Then, my sister's triplets were born, early of course, and we learned about reflux and SILENT REFLUX. I took my son to see a gastroenterologist, who prescribed prevacid. My son stopped spitting up, throwing up and gagging. He was FIVE years old.

I was appalled that no one investigated this and I was shocked that my son couldn't explain that he hurt. What I learned was that kids can't explain reflux because the symptoms creep up subtlely and since they have it since birth, they don't know any better. My son unconsciously began to avoid food until he was so hungry that he ate "great". (i.e. the snake analogy). I learned that his morning stuffy nose and clearing his throat, and his later acquired habit of chewing on his shirt, were symptoms.

After two years on prevacid, I finally agreed to the endoscopy (I put it off). It showed no damage and despite a mild indication of allergy, it wasn't enough to explain th symptoms. Then, we did a stomach emptying test. My son's stomach apparently emptied at half the rate of normal. This slow rate caused him to reflux.

I would comment that "all babies spit up, don't they?" and was told by the experts, "NO". All babies occassionally eat too much and spit up, but not REGULARLY.

When I recently took my son (now 8) back to the gastro for a check up, she was bothered that he grew an inch and a half, but didn't gain any weight.

We like our pediatrician, but he NEVER investigated reflux, despite so many symptoms that I now understand. My son also had major trouble sleeping long and nursed frequently to try to soothe his esophogus.

A fifteen month old should not be spitting up regularly. And clearly, considering her weight, she is not being over feed.

"Only a life lived for others, is the life worthwhile" - Albert Einstein