My 13 Month Old Is Losing Weight

Hello, my sons won't eat meat either. What I have been doing since the no meat strike is giving them toast with Peanut Butter on it for breakfast every morning along with fruit and a glass of milk and then we eat grilled cheese or some other food with cheese in it at least three times a week. Hope this will help.

Hello there. I am a health teacher and the mother of two children who are 3 1/2 and 4 1/2. If she likes peanutbutter or eggs, that is a good way to get their protein in. 2 to 4 tablespoons a day and even dairy products like cheese and milk. Hopefully this will help her maintain or gain weight.
Good luck to you.
H. M

Is she still on whole milk? How about instant vanilla carnation breakfast? I used to put 1/2 package in my son's milk and he loved it. Served it in a sippy cup. Tried to get one package a day in him. One package has the protein of 2 eggs and has a lot of calories. Have you thought about seeing a nutritionist?

Good Luck

i agree that meat is not necessary for a child to get adequate protein. my dd was vegan for over two years, when ds was born we went back to ovo lacto vegetarian. though my daughter in particular is very slim, she has always maintained a consistent growth curve, which is the important part. anyway, here are few suggestions-

assuming there are no allergies, all nut butters are good for protein and healthy fats. don't rely on the conventional store brands- they remove the peanut oil and replace it with other stuff, and they add ridiculous amounts of sugar. why foster a sweet tooth, right? also, the nuts themselves in ground form can be added to many things, like wet cereals such as oatmeal, or a yoghurt topper.

full fat yoghurt and kefir!! kefir is a great probiotic for the gut and full of protein.

all beans. this was a huge source of protein for my kids. refried bean burritos, lentil based sheppard's pie, white bean in minestrone soup. i learned to grind lentils in a coffee grinder with which i made my own hot cooked cereal. those baby boxed ones are practically worthless.

also, avocado is GREAT for healthy fat. find a way to sneak this into her food. i introduced a banana avacado puree to my toddlers once i bananas were not a problem. if she will eat it, have her eat the thing just cut right up. there are great bean and avocado recipes here...

http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/

egg- eggs are super protein sources, esp. for young ones. there is no end to what you can hide it in, or method of cooking to please a child. will she eat egg and cheese filling items, such as stuffed shells or lasagna?

keep all the grains whole. and look into a grain called quinoa- it's a complete protein!

i really relied on these books

super baby food
into the mouths of babes

good luck.

yogurts and cheese are the most acceptable high protein foods for this age group. However, more protein alone may not make her gain weight. You may ask to see a dietitian. I'm the dietitian for Pediatric Alliance.

My daughter went through a stage when she was about two when she didn't eat meat. She's still not big on meat. If you can get some recipes for lentils ( like lentil soup), if you pair lentils with a starch like rice, they form a complete protein chain, making it a good meat alternative.Plus they have fiber.You can also try silken tofu.You can get it at the grocery store. It has a creamy texture that's good for dips.Allrecipes.com is a great sight for getting recipes and meal ideas.
Good Luck!

My son (11months) has reflux induced feeding aversions and, as a result, has been borderline FTT since day one. All I can really suggest to you is to pack EVERYTHING you feed your child with calories. His GI specialist and ped have both suggested things like adding lots of oils, etc to anything I cook for him, letting him have COMPLETELY free reign over his diet. If he wants cookies, he gets cookies. Anything he put in his mouth and swallow is allowed, preferably packed with extra butter, oil, etc. I know it sounds totally disgusting but these kids NEED the fat and the calories to grow properly! A favorite of his is Nutella - I actually let him lick it right off the spoon (gross, I know, but he likes it and he will eat it and it packs on the calories). He's still well below the 10th percentile, but he is slowly starting to catch up. Feed her anything she will eat!

J....my son had severe failure-to-thrive for the first 3 years of his life. I was constantly trying to figure out ways to "superfat" his diet to get not only protein but fat into his diet.

We worked with a nutritionist and feeding nurse through Early Intervention from 18 mos. to 2 years. We're in York County...I'm not sure if all counties have these services through Early Intevention, but it's definitely worth a phone call! They came into my home, watched what he would and wouldn't eat (and how he would & wouldn't eat those things) and then gave me a personalized plan and goals. The most helpful to me was the calorie goals the nutritionist gave me - he needed X # of calories to maintain his weight and X # more calories per day to increase his weight.

For now, here are a few tips (my son gags when we cook meat - the thought of putting it anywhere near his mouth is a joke). If she will eat eggs, add a tablespoon of HEAVY CREAM to them before you cook them. Heavy cream is the easiest way to add fat (that directly translates to calories) as a little bit has a ton of calories and goes a long way.

Another good one is cheese, fat and calories in one - not of the American variety...cheddar, etc. When Riley would eat eggs (he won't anymore) I put cheese and heavy cream and voila...

Yogurt is a primary food in Riley's world...even now. The YoBaby is made with whole milk. There are very few yogurts that aren't "lite" - you don't want anything light or low cal. Smoothies are another one - fruit, yogurt, whole milk and a little ice.

The docs have probably told you to avoid peanut butter and other nuts because of her age - because Riley's weight was so low and we have no family history of any food allergies (that's a big one) they said, if he'll eat it...feed it to him. Of course he wouldn't - the stickiness of the peanut butter caused an immediate gag response. I still try this one now and then, but without success.

I have also had good luck with breads...pumpkin bread, banana bread, even zucchini bread. They take no time to whip up and they are tasty.

Unfortunately, everything I can suggest is dairy-based because that was the only way we could increase calories with protein. When it came to the "booster" calories...I would do things like fruit snacks (80 calories a pack) and goldfish crackers. They didn't add protein, but from every feeding therapist, nutritionist, doctor and feeding psychologist we worked with (and there were many) it was always calories, calories, calories. When I mentioned to one peds GI specialist that Riley's new food was McD's french fries...her response was, "then have him eat french fries every day...we'll worry about his arteries when he's 50."

Finally, I believe it is Kirkwood Labs that makes a protein powder from golden peas - it is odorless, tasteless, etc...you add a sprinkle to everything you possibly can and it packs in the protein. You can add it to baked goods (cookies, breads, soups, whatever) or as is to whatever she will eat. There is a calorie booster called Benecalories that we were told to use by the feeding clinic at the University of Maryland - it was NASTY and he busted me every time I tried to put it in his food.

I hope this helps. There is a great book called, "Just Take a Bite" that has a lot of strategies for getting food into kids who don't want to eat.

Good luck...as a mom I don't think anything made me feel more helpless than not being able to get my child to eat. Now he is five and is on those precious charts - barely, but better than nothing. He eats about 5 things, but he grows steadily and is pretty healthy overall. We take what we can get - but it was a long road.

Hi J.,

Soft tofu is full of protein and because of its lack of flavor it can be thrown into any dish. I whip it up in fruit smoothies (which can then be frozen into pops), scrammbled egges, pasta sauce, etc. I use the firm tofu to make "tofu fries" with lots of sauce. You can add it to a plate of steamed veggies with cheese. It's a fun food (tasteless, so make sure you add a flavor to it). Good luck!! I'm sure your daughter will be putting weight back on in no time. Cheers, T. R.

Check with your doctor, but I think at that age it is okay for them to eat eggs. That will give her protein, and there are many ways to cook them so you might be able to find a type she likes.

My daughter is four and i just started getting her to eat meat a little bit, she is a picky eater. But i know eggs, peanut butter, and beans have protien in them. As long as she is not allergic to those items. a good pb n j sandwhich may help. or some scrambled eggs.

C.

If she does not like meat, go for another source of protein. My older daughter has always been in in the long and lean category and her little sister is no different. Meat can be hard for little people to chew so I opted for beans. Both of my girls love beans and so long as they have had some, I could care less on the days they do not want meat. Eggs, milk, and even cheese are also good sources that kids like and usually eat well.

Also keep in mind that kids pick up on what you really want. Make meals simple and stress free for everyone. They will eat when they are hungry; just keep the healthy options readily available. Good luck! ~Routhie

Yogurt and cheese have lots of protein

Have You tried Peanut Butter. She is old enough now to eat it unless has allergies to Peanut Butter. Potatoes have protein also cheese and crackers, etc,hope this helps alittle.

My 20 month old son absolutely refuses to eat meat also so I have to be really creative getting protein into him. One thing I can almost always get away with is mixing a little scrambled egg (usually 1/2 egg mixed w/cheese) with one pack of Quaker Oatmeal. He seems to especially like Maple Brown Sugar but I've also mixed it with Cinnamon Apple. Another thing he loves is grilled cheese sandwiches cut up in real tiny pieces. Best of luck! I know it can be frustrating.

Try giving her yogurt. Try Yo-baby yogurt by Stonyfield Farm. It's all natural and organic. Tastes great too! Also, try giving her baby oatmeal.

Have you tried eggs with her? Double check on the rules for egg eating with your Dr. My daughter would eat scrambled eggs, sometimes I would put cheese in to for flavor. She also liked hard boiled eggs. Just a thought. Best wishes!

Hi, Have you asked the doctor if she could have Celiac's disease? My friend's daughter was losing weight for months and looked so sickly. Finally, they figured out that she had Celiac's disease. I don't know too much about this, but I know it has something to do with your body not absorbing nutrients from the food and everything just goes right through the body, so they just keep losing weight no matter how much they eat. Good Luck, I hope she's okay.

A toddler needs about 16 grams of protein a day. Two cups of milk plus an ounce of meat or equivalent will provide her with adequate protein (from Ivillage.com).

I'm surprised your doctor said 'more protein' Most doctors suggest higher calories. Does your daughter eat yogurt? Yo-Baby is whole milk yogurt and it comes w/ fruit and cereal. It is excellent! Also, at that age, my son liked those jars of meat sticks. I think Gerber makes them. They look gross, but if you heat a couple in the microwave for about 8 seconds, they are more appealing! Also, when my son needed more calories, my doctor simply recommended adding butter or parmesan cheese to some of his foods.

you need to talk to a nutritionist. Or a pediatrician. I happen to use Shaklee products for supplementing for good health. they make a really good soy protein product, that can be added to milk, either in cocoa or in plain vanilla (which has kind of a nutty taste). You can also add it to orange juice and a banana and even ice chips and make a great tasting smoothy.

If it were me, I would try to energizing protein stuff from Shaklee, but I use their products anyway. To get your question answered, you need to talk to someone with some expertise, not just a bunch of us parents. (Shaklee products can be found at www.goodforyou.com. The website is connected to Shaklee, but run by a friend of mine through whom I buy my stuff)

Hi J.,
Other good sources of protein are eggs, milk, yogurt, cheese, and peanut butter. Hopefully your daughter likes some of those. Good luck. I went through the same thing with my son and we started giving him baby custards when he was smaller to increase his weight and he did well.
~J.

I wouldn't worry about the numerical amount of protein your daughter needs. Your focus should be to provide protein enriched foods for her as often as she will eat. Meat is not the only good source of protein and a lot of young children your daughter's age aren't into it so much yet. A second concern is if she is getting enough fat. Fat is vital at this age, it builds the mylen sheath (the protective covering over your nerves) in young children (up to age 2 years old). That being said she should be provided whole milk, yogurt that is not low in fat, not low fat cheese, etc...The aforementioned items will also provide a considerable amount of protein....approximately 8 grams/1 cup of milk and yogurt and 2 ounces of cheese. Both the fat and protein of these food items will be good for your daughter. Cottage cheese is also a good choice. On top of this, you may try some tofu. This too is a great source of protein for your daughter and many young children do like it as its not strong in flavor and soft to eat. Another option too is eggs...scrambled for breakfast and hard boiled for snacks. Good Luck!!

My daughter was and is small, about the same size at that age. She loves hummus. (chick pea spread) She also loved cottage cheese. Try them alone or with small pieces of soft bread or rolls to dip in. if she's ok with crunchy stuff, use crackers or chips to dip. TRy beans of different kinds, plain or refried on a tortilla with cheese. Also, I didn't try this but you can mix silken, soft tofu into a smoothie.

I don't remember what little ones at the age eat anymore, but here are some sights below that may help. My oldest daughter loved the YoBaby yogurt. I always tried to keep a food and snack variety. My hubby's a junk food king, so i'm always on the look out for healthier snacks to slip in. My daughter was introduced young to popcorn - now I give her Pirates Booty instead (yes, that's really the name!). It tastes good & has 2grams of protein per ounce.
Myself, I frequent the organic/natural section of the grocery store for me n the children. Protein is everywhere and with all the advice coming to you I hope your little one starts gaining back that lost weight soon.

http://kashi.com/product_families/golean?gclid=CMrp7YKGv5...

http://kashi.com/articles/23

Good luck!!

My daughter is not a protein eater either so I learned to include dry "vanilla Whey protein powder" in her mix for pancakes and waffles. Also yogurt is a good source of protein. I also make her cheese quesidillas with a slice of turkey inside (for an older age). My daughter also would eat black beans at age 1. I would lay a few out on her tray at a time.

I would also ask your pediatrician if there are any other concerns with her losing weight. Is it just a loss of appetite or a need to eat more frequently or a need for more protein or carbohydrates.

Good luck!

My son was the same way and heis now 14 months. I found Weaver chicken nuggets or popcorn chicken and he loves it.
Good luck
Chris

I know you probably already have alot of advice, but I just wanted to add a few things. Yo baby yogurt is a whole milk based yogurt. We gave our son one everynight before bed and it really helped to add pounds. It also filled his tummy up nice for the night.
I am a nurse and I am going to say stay away from slim fast and carnation instant breakfast at this age. I would worry they have adult doses of vitamins in them or the chocolate flavors might contain cafiene. Good luck.

Protein intake, according to Ayurveda, is based on a person's biological constitution and can vary with age groups, as well as specific conditions(if there are any). Modern/Western medicine has not been able to get the idea of proper diet yet and the food pyramid is wrongly proportioned and incorrectly prioritized. Ayurveda can help.

Here's what I found online:

What are some foods that are high in protein? The average protein content of foods below is listed in grams beside the name of the food. The grams of protein may vary slightly between brands of each food. Read the labels of packaged items like protein powders and include this protein amount in your daily protein goal. Daily protein goal: ____ grams.

Dairy:

One cup of any type of fresh milk (8).
One cup of buttermilk (8).
One-half cup of evaporated canned milk (9).
One-fourth cup of nonfat dry milk (11).
One ounce of semi-hard or solid cheese (7).
One-fourth cup of Parmesan cheese (8).
One-half cup of cottage cheese (14).
One-half cup of custard (7).
One-half cup of pudding (4).
Eight ounces of plain or fruit yogurt (8).

Meats and meat substitutes:

Three ounces of cooked fresh water fish (21).
One-half cup of canned tuna (14).
Three ounces of cooked shellfish (19).
Three ounces of cooked chicken, turkey, or other poultry (24).
Three ounces of cooked beef, pork, lamb or other red meat (21).
One large egg (6).
One-fourth cup of fat-free egg substitute (5).
One-half cup of roasted soybeans (34).
One-half cup of tofu or tempeh (10).
One cup of soy milk (4).
One cup of cooked dried beans, like pinto, kidney, or navy (15).
One cup of cooked dried peas or lentils (17).

Nuts and seeds:

Two tablespoons of almonds, cashews, or walnuts (5).
Two tablespoons of peanut butter (8).
Two tablespoons of peanuts (7).
Two tablespoons of sesame tahini (5).
Two tablespoons of sunflower nuts (5).

How can I add extra protein to the foods in my diet? You can increase the amount of protein in your meals by adding protein foods to your dishes or drinks.

Powdered milk added to whole milk, pudding, yogurt or baked goods.

Cheese added to sandwiches, omelets, burritos, or beans.

Low-fat milk added to omelets.

Nuts and peanut butter added to cookies.

Extra cheese or eggs added to casseroles.

Meat added to lasagna or spaghetti.

Yogurt and milk added to fruit smoothies.

Beans and cheese added to salads.

Cheese added to vegetables or potatoes.

(Also give your child half a vitamin a day to help supplement anything they are missing.)

~ Hope this helps!
K. B
mom to 5 including triplets

Yogurt(Stoney Farms YoBaby), peanut butter (check for allegies first!)also eggs (French toast?), my son doesn't like many meats either and he is 4. He will eat sausage patties sometimes. Occasionally chicken nuggets and pepperoni. I use whole milk and whole milk yogurt. I would love more suggestions too. Have a great day! Katt

You could always try the baby foods with meat. Perhaps the texture of chewy meat is actually what bothers her.

Egg whites, milk, beans, peas and a water with some flavored protein powder from any health store would be good(run the product by your doctor to make sure there is nothing bad in it).

Hi J., I don't know the specifics of your daughters eating habits but I have heard alot of babies start to lose weight when they become more active, usually around the time they start walking. I have never heard of needing more protein to gain weight (except in bodybuilders, which is actually a misconception). Our most used energy source is carbohydrates. But we tend to eat too much of those. Try giving her more whole grain carbohydrates also. It is difficult to find true whole grain these days but it's out there. Check the food labels and look for high fiber foods with a whole grain product as the first ingredient. "Enriched wheat flour" is the same as "white flour" and it's not whole anything. So be careful.

My son also didn't like to eat meat and since I am a vegetarian I did not force him to eat it. Try eggs, beans (like hummus or soy products), tofu, or even dairy products have protein in them. I used to make tofu smoothies for my son with berries and bananas and he drank those. There are some really good articles on http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/ to help you find out about what your child needs. There is protein in plant foods also so don't worry if she doesn't eat meat.

I understand what you are going through. My daughter likes every vegetable and fruit there is, which is great, but meat is a whole different story. Peanut butter, eggs, and beans are good sources of protein. I don't know if you want to go this route, but there are some vegetarian things that are also good sources of protein. Any health food store should be able to help with that, or probably on the internet. Good luck!

Good sources of protein are beans (especially with rice), cheese, eggs, and nuts. We're vegetarian so we have lots of ways to get protein without meat!

When my son was that age he wasn't permitted to eat meat due to a milk protein allergy. We fed him mashed avocados every day. He LOVED them and would eat an entire avocado in one sitting! They are full of "good fats". The other thing we fed him every day was scrambled eggs for protein. Meat is hard to digest and eggs are an excellent source of protein. Can she drink milk? She could get protein from milk.
I know you can't give a little one any nut butters until age 2 or 3, due to possible allergies, but hemp butter is high in protein and should be ok. Also quinoa is a very soft bland grain that is really high in protein and cooks up quickly. We used that a lot and still do.
I'm in Lancaster, too. I find these things at Stauffers in Lititz or the Giant in Lititz is pretty good, too. John Herr's in Millersville has some hard to find items, too and there's always Rhubarbs.

Hope that helps.
L.

Hi J.,

I've raised both of my children (3 1/2 years and 18 months) on a mostly vegetarian diet since, and we've explored lots of alternative protein options. We eat a lot of eggs and dairy products, mainly. I even scramble eggs with lots of cheddar and some butter for a huge dose of protein and brain-building fats. Yogurt and cottage cheese are also huge favorites in our house. But you can also feed her more bean products. We cook a lot with beans (our favorite recipes include a black bean chili and a lentil soup). But one of their favorite lunches is hummus on sandwich brea or pita. Even at 13 months old, you can cut up a pita into tiny bite-size pieces. You can also look for some protein-rich breakfast foods. The instant oatmeal I buy has 5 grams per serving.

Avocados are another great food for young children that may not be high in protein, but certainly has LOTS of wonderful low saturated fats and is packed with vitamins. Try giving her one of these a week to help her gain or maintain weight.

I'm not sure exactly how much a 1 year old needs per day, but I hope I've given you some ideas of easy-to-prepare and toddler-friendly foods that are high in protein. I think if you start incorporating many of these things in her diet each day, along with lots of whole milk, then she will bounce back!

Good luck! ~K.

Hi J.! I see you got some good advice already, but I did just want to add since our daughters are very close in age and, sounds like, size!

My daughter seems to really enjoy french toast and I dip in an organic vanilla yogurt instead of the sugary syrup. The peanut butter bread is a hit too! Anything that can be cut small and she can feed herself. I also am shocked that she eats fish with us... the kind we have most often is lightly breaded, but could pass for other meats.

Good luck~ I hope something works for you! Try not to stress... they are so active now, that I am sure it is normal to not gain or even lose a little. My daughter only gained 6 oz in the last 3 mo and the dr didn't even mention it!

I use to give my son slimfast or boost as a drink with his lunch

Weight is so stressful! My twins are tiny and were probably about the same weight at 13 months. I give them either 2 pedisures a day or 2 carnation instant breakfasts with whole milk every day and now they are 21 & 22 pounds at 18 months. The carnation is cheaper and I get it at BJs. if you use pediasure sub it for milk. meaning if they get 2 pediasures they get no milk. This was per the recommendation of the developmental ped we go to b/c of their prematurity. Remember too that at 13months your daughter is really starting to use more energy with all the walking and mischief she is getting into. Hopefully by the 18m visit she will go back up on the curve.

My toddlers always loved eggs - scrambled or hardboiled and made into salad. There's also good standbyes with cheese and yogurt, or even stuff like tofu that could be blended into fruit smoothies.

Hi!
This may sound strange but if you are having meatloaf or burgers or steak - put some A1 steak sauce on it. My daughter LOVES A1. She gobbles it up so fast! She's also 13 mos. My daughter may just be strange though :) Good luck!
~A.

ps. We have a magic bullet food processor that we put the meat in to shred it up.

In my opinion, avocado is the perfect food. It has 5 grams of protein, healthy fats and it is easly to prepare. We have always had a hard time getting my oldesr son to eat meat, but he loves avocado.

We also have had success getting him to eat beans. He likes lentil soup, hummus sandwiches, veggie burgers and chili.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

My daughter also started loosing weight when she was a little over two years old. She was later diagnosed with Celiac disease and now is a healthy (gluten-free) seven year old.

Protein is in just about everything! Beans, milk, etc. Definitely do not need meat to give her protein. Peanuts are a good source. My little one was dairy free for a while, so I would give him lentils under cranberry sauce, ate them right up.

J.~
HI! Whole, organic milk is a great source of protein.
smiles,
L., 39
Brianna 21m & yes! still bf'ing!
and baby
butterflylindamarie at yahoo dot com

Carnation Instant Breakfast is a good source for protein and it tastes just like chocolate milk.

Hello J.;

I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing that your daughter refuses to eat meat. Instead of trying to force her into being a carnivore, why don't you try to feed her some tofu, seitan (a derivative of wheat gluten), beans, lentils, peas, or veggie burgers. Morningstar Farms is an excellent brand which carries mock meats and she might actually like the texture better than she does real meat. This stuff also have far less fat/cholesterol than real meat does. Also, brown rice, barley and quinoa are high in protein and are delicious!

If the doctor give you the green light- creamy peanut butter is a great source. Make sure there are no hydrogenated oils in it though.

Hope this is helpful.

Hello, i worked in a nursing home the best sub for meat would be cottage cheese, put some fruit in for a sweeter taste. also try the small curd it would be better when it comes to texture. From what Im told the same amount of meat to cottage cheese is the same on protein. hope this helps? also egges . my kids hate meat too, but if it has a sauce with the hamburger.