Update on Paige - Today's GI Doctor Appointment

With a little patience (OK, a lot of patience over the past 3 years) and a clear plan with Paige's gasteroenterologist (GI Doctor), we are continuing to see some positive weight gains for Paige. We had another routine check-up with Paige's GI doctor today and Paige is now weighing a whopping 25-1/2 pounds putting her in the 4th percentile. That's a two-pound increase from her last weight check with her GI doctor a little more than a month ago.

Now for those of you who don't know Paige, that may not be very impressive, but for those of you who do know Paige and her history with GERD/acid reflux and her strong food aversions, then you understand what a success that is for Paige to now be in the 4th percentile!

While Paige has always eaten like a little sparrow, ever since her NICU days as a preemie, and we've often had to rely upon a great deal of nutritional supplements prescribed by her GI doctor to help fortify her foods and maximize the nutrition of literally every bite of food, Paige is doing great by all accounts and her GI doctor was very pleased with Paige's weight gain since her last visit. At the end of our GI doctor appointment, the GI doctor said simply: "Paige's doing great...just stay the course, keep up all the supplements...and, see you in 3 months."

Since I know that there are some other moms out there who follow this blog on a regular basis and who also have a finicky eater or two in their household, for your benefit, I will share with you the latest line-up of nutritional supplements that I presently incorporate into Paige's daily diet to make sure that she receives all the necessary fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals that represent a balanced diet for a toddler. Of course, be sure to check with your own child's GI doctor or pediatrician before introducing any of these items to your child.

Nutritional Supplements
- BOOST Resource Juice
- BOOST Resource Puddings
- Benecalorie Nutritional

The items above are fairly costly, but well worth the investment for their nutritional value. You can find out more information about the above products as well as review the nutritional contents of each item with a quick search online.

In addition to the above supplements, some of the following items can also help round out the finicky eater's diet as well as boost overall caloric intake:

- Half 'n Half
(I use Half 'n Half in lieu of reduced fat or whole milk because it's very dense, contains a lot of calories and contains a lot of nutritious fats, which are all essential to a growing toddlers' brain).

- Expecta Softgel by Enfamil
(While this is generally used by pregnant & nursing moms as a DHA supplement, Paige's GI doctor recommends this supplement in a young toddler's diet to ensure that the right proportions of Omega-3 fatty acids, responsible for brain growth/development, are being achieved. I use one Expecta Softgel capsule a day for both Paige and Taylor in order to help make sure that they are getting enough of their DHAs...I simply cut the top off the capsule and then squeeze the softgel into one of their foods and mix well. It's totally flavorless and therefore mixes well with most foods).

- Grapeseed Oil
(Like the Expecta Softgel, this too is totally flavorless and mixes well into any food, but it packs a lot of nutritional value for a young toddler with its many antioxidants, Vitamin E and its heart-healthy unsaturated fats).

Unlike the more costly supplements by Benecalorie & BOOST, the Half 'n Half, the Expecta Softgels and the Grapeseed Oil can all be purchased at your grocery store or specialty grocery store.

Since You Asked...

It’s nice to know that I actually have some loyal readers of my blog! Some of you emailed me recently to ask for more information about some of the nutritional products that I give to the twins, particularly to our finicky eater Paige (aka “the nibbler”).

Resource Boost Juice

You wanted to know about the nutrition facts of the Resource Boost Juice which I’d referenced in a previous post. Well, I figured the best way to give you the information you’re looking for was to pull some nutrition details listed directly on the product panel:

Total Calories: 250
Total Fat: 0
Cholesterol: 0
Potassium: 20mg
Total Carbohydrates: 54g
Protein: 9g

Daily Value Vitamins/Nutrients in 1 Boost Juice Serving:

Vitamin A: 15% DV
Vitamin C: 60% DV
Iron: 15% DV
Vitamin E: 20% DV
Vitamin K: 15% DV
Thiamin: 25% DV
Riboflavin: 25% DV
Niacin: 25% DV
Vitamin B6: 25% DV
Folic Acid: 15% DV
Vitamin B12: 25% DV
Biotin: 15% DV
Pantothenic Acid: 15% DV
Phosporous: 15% DV
Zinc: 25% DV

I know I’ve said it before about this juice, but this is not your ordinary juice. You won’t find even a fraction of the above vitamins/nutrients in your typical grocery store selection of juices. You’ll pay a little more too but if you’re like me – concerned about your young ones getting the most vitamins/nutrients in their daily diets, this juice is great!

Another Product Endorsement from Me – Boost Pudding

Another recent item I’ve added to the twins’ diet is Boost Pudding, and since there was some interest from some of you who emailed me about the Boost juice, thought you might also find their puddings worth a look too. I used to give the girls Jell-o brand puddings as a snack occasionally until I came across the Boost Pudding. Now, I’ve sworn off the Jell-o brand in lieu of the Boost brand. Here’s why:

The Boost Pudding offers better nutrition than your average pudding.

One small 5 oz pudding cup offers 240 calories, 9 grams of fat (only 1 of those fat grams is the unhealthy saturated fat), 33 grams of carbohydrates and 9 grams of protein.

Plus, just check out the other vitamins/nutrients in just one 5 oz cup!

Daily Value Vitamins/Nutrients in 1 5 oz Boost Pudding Serving:

Vitamin A: 15% DV (50% as Beta-carotene)
Vitamin C: 60% DV
Calcium: 25% DV
Iron: 15% DV
Vitamin D: 20% DV
Vitamin E: 50% DV
Vitamin K: 25% DV
Thiamin: 15% DV
Riboflavin: 15% DV
Niacin: 15% DV
Vitamin B6: 20% DV
Folic Acid: 20% DV
Vitamin B12: 20% DV
Biotin: 15% DV
Panthothenic Acid: 15% DV
Phosphorous: 20% DV
Zinc: 20% DV
Selenium: 15% DV
Manganese: 20% DV
Chromium: 15% DV
Molybdenum: 15% DV

If you’re okay with a pricier pudding, I highly recommend the Boost Puddings. For a package of 48 pudding cups, you’re going to pay about $70.00 plus tax, shipping and handling. While I know that’s A LOT more than what you’d spend on the Jell-o brand or comparable brand of puddings in the grocery store, you can’t beat the nutritional value.

You can find ordering and product information for the Boost Puddings at: http://www.nestle-nutrition.com/Products/Product.aspx?ProductId=d01ab52e-5352-4f05-8a0a-5501410044ea

Happy shopping!

P.S. Our girls like Vanilla and Chocolate. Butterscotch is also available but we haven’t tried that flavor yet.

Recipes & Supplements for the Nutritionally Challenged

Our daughter Paige is a finicky eater. Actually, she’s beyond finicky. In our home, she’s affectionately referred to as “the nibbler” because she’ll take a crumb of food and call that crumb a meal. She has been followed by a gastroenterologist since her birth in the NICU as a preemie due to acid reflux issues and other feeding issues. In addition to seeing a gastroenterologist, about a year ago, we added a pediatric dietician to the mix to help us maximize the quality of literally every nibble that Paige eats.

A couple of the nutritional supplements that are staples in our home for Paige are Benecalorie Medical Food, Resource Boost and Duocal. While these supplements are most often used in addressing cancer-related nutritional issues and other disease-related nutritional issues, these supplements are also often recommended to young children who need some extra calories and nutrients in their diets.

Thought some of you out there might also have your own finicky eater in your household and might find these products worth a closer look. Of course, be sure to talk to your own doctor before incorporating any of these into your child’s diet.

Benecalorie

A whopping power-pack of 330 calories in just 1.5 ounces! Yep, 330 calories in 1.5 ounces. That’s more calories than a McDonald’s cheeseburger, more calories than a McDonald’s 6 piece chicken nugget, and more calories than a double-decker taco at Taco Bell. It also provides 7 grams of protein and 100% of the required daily intake for vitamins C and E. Although it’s a super tiny 1.5 ounce serving, don’t underestimate this one. It’s helped our little picky eater Paige gain and maintain weight. I mix it in with whatever I can – a yogurt, an applesauce, ice cream, etc. There are also some recipes online that offer some additional ideas for jazzing up this supplement. http://www.nestlenutritionstore.com/cancer-nutrition/resource-center/recipes.asp

Resource Juice Boost

This fruit-flavored juice is pretty yummy (I’m known to drink these from time to time myself as a mealtime supplement). It’s loaded with all kinds of good stuff like 9 grams of protein plus 20 essential nutrients, to help boost energy and maintain muscle mass. It also offers 250 calories, again, perfect for our little Paige who needs all the extra calories she can get! Paige’s favorite flavor is Peach but there’s also a choice of Berry Fruit and Orange to choose from.

Duocal

Finally, there’s Duocal. The administration and intake of this one should only be used under the guidance of a medical doctor. The dosing of this supplement varies by age and weight so it’s definitely not to be used without medical supervision. That said, our Paige gets a couple tablespoons each day of this supplement. It’s a really high calorie powdered supplement that mixes with most foods and liquids and provides extra fat and carbs in her diet.