16-month old, picky eater and food allergies, what do I do?

Question

My daughter is almost 16 months old and she eats almost the same foods everday. I would love to try new things with her, but everytime I seem to try a new food with her, she gets a diaper rash. She currently eats the following foods: peas, carrots, green beans, jello fruit cups (but only peaches or oranges), spaghettios, mac n cheese (but not too much due to the milk/diaper rash), squash, and peach cobbler in the baby food still, and teddy grahams. That's pretty much it! My hubby and I will try soups, or hamburger helper, or different snack foods, and she ends up with a tummy ache and the diaper rash. I have talked to her pediatrician and she just keeps telling me to wait a few weeks and try the food again. Any suggestions?? And, what does your little one eat? (Oh, and the diaper rash isn't severe, but it does make her uncomfortable.) Thanks

Just to add...she is on Lactaid, and I do change her diapers very frequently...and I use Dove soap on her. I read a lot of baby books when I was preggo and after I had her...

Answer 1

If you go to your nearest Whole Foods Store or any other large Nutrition store you will find a whole array of foods that do not have dairy in them. Even cheeses. So if the dairy is a biggie I would try other substitutes.
My son is 13 months and he loves:

Grilled cheese and tuna sandwiches.
Oatmeal w/ fruit mixed in.
Try some of the gerber toddler snacks in the baby food isle. They cost the same as other snacks but they are more wholesome.
French Toast without syrup or butter.

You can also try using a cookie cutter to make shapes out of the french toasts or sandwiches you give her. I would also recommend a daily vitamin! That way you won't stress so much about her getting the right amount of nutrition. I use Poly-Vi-Sol. It doesn't taste great (it's a liquid vitamin) but I just shoot it way back in his mouth every morning and he barely even notices.

Best of Luck!
:o)

Answer 2

When you said "milk/diaper rash" I'm guessing she is lactose intolerant? That's not an allergy, and you can give her Lactaid milk which is well tolerated by toddlers. Here's their website:http://www.lactaid.com/ in case you want to check that out.

We have a dermatologist in the family. He taught me ALL of this before I had my babies and NONE of them ever had diaper rash once. Never.

Keeping the rear end clean and dry is important. Change her diapers more often than you have been. Use more wipes to clean her, even when it looks clean use one or two more wipes. Do not put anything in her bathwater but water, and wash her with Dove unscented soap. If you can't get her rear clean then put her into the bathtub and wash her with Dove soap and water until her rear end is clean. You can use a thin film of unscented baby oil to act as a moisture barrier after her bath.

Most food allergies cause hives, not a red rear end, so keep that in mind. Does she get hives? We have had our kids to an allergist. With one simple blood test, the RAST test, they can tell you what your child is allergic to. If you aren't keeping a food diary for her then you should. You can read more about pediatric food allergies here: http://www.entnet.org/KidsENT/Pediatric-Food-Allergies.cfm

As far as picky goes, I hear ya on that.

Cream of wheat is easy on the tummy and full of iron, plus it's instant.

Instant oatmeal is a hit at my house, too.

Frozen whole wheat waffles are another staple.

Grapes cut into fourths, peeled apples cut into thin bits, watermelon, cheerios, and goldfish crackers are good.

And my goodness whole wheat pasta~ cook some grated up squash and carrots in olive oil while the pasta boils. My son eats that by the fistfuls. It's colorful and filling.

Best of luck to you and take care of that sensitive baby.

Answer 3

Is your daughter upset that she eats the same thing everyday? If not, and the food works for her, leave it be until she asks for something different. I would consider getting her to an allergist and finding out exactly what she's sensitive to. Toddlers can have the strangest diet and do just fine, so I wouldn't worry excessively.

Answer 4

Well, I don't have a problem with allergies but my son will only eat mac n cheese, crackers, sometimes pizza, every once in awhile a hot dog and pop tarts but they have to be brown sugar cinnamon.. my doctor says just let him eat what he will eat as long as he is eating!!! Good luck and never give up hope!!!

Answer 5

I have a few recommendations of foods to try: scrambled eggs (soft and lots of protien!), mashed potatoes, malt-o-meal, and chicken noodle soup (probably just the noodles though). You might also try making "smoothies" with a blender or hand-mixer using different fruits and a few pieces of ice. My daughter LOVED those when she was young.