tell me i'm not a horrible mom.... - slim fast

Hillbilly Housewife wrote: Emilie has eaten hardly nothing the last week. She has tonsilitis, her poor tonsils are HUGE. She has drank milk, does not want water, juice, pedialite, does not want to eat - she had some ice cream and a few bites of pudding... i'll feed her anything she asks for because i'm so desperate for her to eat SOMETHING.

The last few days, I've been giving her chocolte milk insdteads of regular milk - the chocolate is from Slim Fast. I've been putting meal replacemnt in her milk - at least she drinks that, and gets some nutrients. It is a meal replacement, isn't it? she's teething too - her back molars... refuses to chew.... i got desperate!

I bought some Ensure yesterday, and have been giving her that as well. Today she seemed to have a little more energy, finally, she hasn't lied around all day.

Am I bad for giving my 2 year old meal replacement shakes to try to compensate for her only drinking milk and eating and drinking nothing else? Today was the first time she ate more than one bite of semi-solid food... she had a YOP (drinkable yogurt), and mashed banana.

punkeemunkee'smom replied: I don't think if you were adding it to her milk that it is too bad but I would be concerned that she was not getting enough calories. I think Ensure should be better for her but I know it tastes horrid! I hope she feels better soon!

Hillbilly Housewife replied:
yeah - it ios pretty bad. I mix it with milk siunce it's so thick, she drinks it though, no issues.

My3LilMonkeys replied: Personally, when Brooke is sick and won't eat, I will let her eat ANYTHING just to get some food in her. If that's all she will take, give it to her. She'll hopefully start to feel better soon and get back to eating.

luvbug00 replied: My mom did that for me. In HS I would never eat and so she had me chug one every morning. Mya drinks them too somtimes. YOur a great mom to be so soncerned about your childs nutrition!

luvmykids replied: Desperate times call for desperate measures! Anything you can get down her right now has got to be good.

mckayleesmom replied: As long as she is getting something...I wouldn't worry...Once her throat feels better her appetite will come back.

kit_kats_mom replied: Well, I sure hope you aren't a bad mom. If you are then I should win an award for poor parenting. With Katherine's eating issues and aversion to milk, we started giving her carnation instant breakfat (chocolate sugar free) twice a day to get something in her. Her ped said it was fine.

~Roo'sMama~ replied: Whatever works! Ensure or Pediasure probably has more calories and nutrients than slim fast but at least it's something.

CantWait replied: PediaSure is specially formulated for little ones, and provides a lot of nutrients. I gave it to Anthony when he wasn't eating a lot when he was around 18 months or 2 years. I found it gave him the runs though, so watch out.

ediep replied: actually, I think it was a great idea! At least she is eating something....Pediasure is probabaly a berrt choice, but at least she is getting her nutrition

sure hope she is feeling better soon

Hillbilly Housewife replied: Thanks guys. It makes me feel a little better. I figured it wouldn't do her any harm really... but, you know... well... you never know!

I put some strawberries, a banana, some yogurt and milk in the blender this morning... she took that in, no problem. She balked a little at the TINY chunks of strawberry left... but she did drink it! Good news.

She's off to daycare today - I'm wondering if I'll get a call back about her... lol

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: My sis is a dietician and what do you think she gives the elderly people in the hospital who don't eat? Carnation instant breakfast or Ensure!! So I think you're doing the right thing. My sister also gives her kids protein bars ALL the time.

You can also try fruit popsicles (nothing acidic of course) or make your own by freezing real juice in ice cube trays. Or make smoothies - they have a lot of calories!