Young Mothers Should Read This

[Atkid]

All the young mothers and mothers of young children should read through the thread "Daughter at 13 needs to diet". I wish I knew when my youngest was younger what I know now. Starting your kids off eating right when they are toddlers is the best gift you could ever give to them.

I have two older sons, 23 and 21 who never had any kind of weight problem so never really thought one way or another about their eating style of sugar cereals, candy and fast food. I myself never went about 130 until the birth of my third child so even though I may be been a little on the high end of the scale for my height it was never really a problem. (Now I have my first goal set at 140 and can't weight to get there.) Now comes along my 3rd child who is extremely overweight and it is hard to get that weight off.

My point here is consider what you are feeding your children as toddlers. It will help them grow up to make better food choices and be healthier because of it. Once again, it may be the best gift you can ever give them.

KO

[not2late]

Originally Posted by Atkid

All the young mothers and mothers of young children should read through the thread "Daughter at 13 needs to diet". I wish I knew when my youngest was younger what I know now. Starting your kids off eating right when they are toddlers is the best gift you could ever give to them.

I have two older sons, 23 and 21 who never had any kind of weight problem so never really thought one way or another about their eating style of sugar cereals, candy and fast food. I myself never went about 130 until the birth of my third child so even though I may be been a little on the high end of the scale for my height it was never really a problem. (Now I have my first goal set at 140 and can't weight to get there.) Now comes along my 3rd child who is extremely overweight and it is hard to get that weight off.

My point here is consider what you are feeding your children as toddlers. It will help them grow up to make better food choices and be healthier because of it. Once again, it may be the best gift you can ever give them.

KO

Heidi and I can share war stories of 12 month olds with Cola drinks in their baby bottles or 2 year olds munching on bags of cookies or potato chips while waiting in hospitals or doctor's offices.

There is a long-term study being done by the Gerber corporation about eating habits from infancy through teen years. What they are finding is that once the toddler is off the jarred baby foods and eating table foods, they stop eating vegetables (other than potatoes) and fruits (mostly supplied as fruit juice) and start eating alot of baked goods.

So, yes, continue those fruits, veggies, meats and real dairy products. It's much better for them in the short-term and long-term.

[jsj0305]

OMG, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. This TRULY needed to be said. I am a very young mother, I am 20 and my son just turned 1 this past Friday. I am MITICULOUS about what he is allowed to eat. Now that we are into the toddler foods, I see sooo much crap out there. The Gerber desserts?!? Come on already!
My son will NOT grow up expecting dessert as a 4th meal. That's rediculous.

I am very particular about the 3rd foods he gets. I check for all the added crap in them. I am so happy I can make some green beans and cut them up for him, things like that. He will eat a balanced diet. He was right on track at his 1 year check up.

He was 8 lbs, 11.7 oz and now is 25 pounds. He trippled perfectly. He's only supposed to gain 4-5 this year, and this is a critical time for him. This year he will develope almost ALL of his table food habits. I REFUSE to put him in the situation I am in right now. Overweight, unhealthy, and unhappy. He deserves the best, and that's exactly what he'll get.

Right now, he is LOVING his whole milk yogart. He is so silly Just gotta work on those meats..he makes the most awful face b/c he hates them!

Oh yea, my son LOVES water! He drinks that over juice everyday! Gotta love it! LOL

[mwalsh95]

My daughter is the type of child to internalize everything and in turn would eat a lot. Sometimes I couldn't understand it because I woold not see her eat and I thought I was feeding her healthy. Her father and I are divorced and I think that played a huge part in it. She came to me when she was in 7th grade in tears because of how the kids at school treated her and the names they would call her. It broke my heart. We decided together to go to the doctor and talk about it. We then joined weight watchers together. This was towards the end of 7th grade. Over the summer she worked her but off! When she was younger we could hardly get her to be active (other than light school sport activities). She followed the plan to a "t" and then she came home on her first day of 8th grade just beaming. She said the other kids almost did not recognize her and kept going on how good she looked. Even though it's a great feeling to have your peers praise I think she learned mostly that it takes work and eating healthy does work. She is now 17 and put maybe 10lbs. on and right away asked if she could sign up for weight watchers again - ofcourse I said yes. She tried Atkins with me once and she just didn't like it, but I'm glad she has something she can use and have a great foundation for her later years.

[not2late]

jsj, I work in a doctor's office. About 4 months ago, our pediatrician gets a huge box from Gerber. It was filled with "sweet potato puffs" samples. Well, those sweet potato puffs are really baby junk food.

But you are right about the junk food they are marketing to toddlers. You can walk down the baby aisle of any supermarket and see it all....

[jsj0305]

I know exactly what you're talking about. They make a bunch of different flavors. I did buy the banana ones before b/c Joey couldn't eat actual Cheerios. Those puff thingys melt in their mouth. Great concept, but couldn't they have been whole grain or something?!?

And those bitter biscuits. They are great for when they are teething, but they are a cookie, nonetheless.

I acnnot believe how much they commercialize everything. Gerber and their BS, I refuse to give my Child Gerber for the simple fact that they add so much garbage to their foods. I will take Beechnut anyday.

[not2late]

You know what a good Gerber product is? The freeze dried corn, freeze dried apple-bananas and another freeze-dried product. They have no additives, just the fruit or veg freeze-dried. I mix them with nuts for an OWL phase trail mix. But the rest of their stuff.....no way.

[jsj0305]

YEP! I have the strawberry banana ones! They are a great idea. Joey loves them.