If you’ve been following Wendy then you probably already know that she passed her swallow study a few months back and we have began feeding her. Right now, Wendy is still on Neocate Infant formula via g-tube. She takes 920mL a day (which also happens to be 920 calories a day). At this point she’s not losing weight so for her small 15lb body, 920 calories is sufficient to sustain her and let her grow. The downside to that is, it’s going to take a heck of a lot of baby food to get 920 calories by mouth a day.
We have begun experimenting with Gerber ‘Lil Entrees and Wendy seems to love them, as well as baby oatmeal mixed with any pureed food, Gerber Puffs, and freeze dried fruits and veggies. She’s also drinking a bit of Gatorade, apple juice, and sweet tea (all mixed half and half with water, of course). Wendy’s total consumption of calories (other than formula via g-tube) was 12 calories from the 1/3 tray of Gerber pasta, 5 calories from the 15 Gerber Puffs, and about 4 calories from the 5 fruit & veggie melts. So todays today calories consumed by mouth was 21. That’s a long way from 920.
The best I’ve found for Wendy so far to get more calories is the Gerber Oatmeal. It’s 60 calories for 1/4 of a cup, and she can usually eat about that much in one sitting. Then I’ll add about 1/4 jar of baby food to it (which adds 20 calories) and I fill the rest with apple juice or water. If I add apple juice, that’s getting it close to 90 calories for one feed, which for Wendy is obviously great.
Even though the oatmeal has the most calories, I don’t like to limit her to just that every day. I want her used to eating different textures and tastes. I’m sure we’ll get there eventually, but it’s just going to take a while. And also, it’s not all about the calories, you have to look at protein, carbs, fat, vitamins & minerals, etc. but for the sake of comparison I just used calories.
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