food portions for 15 month old..

[forevermore]

dd is 15 months. I had a terrible time feeding her for 1st year of life. she wouldn't BF and would only drink 2 oz of milk at anyone time.

from 8 months she started at CM and her food intake with her was a lot better and has been improving ever since. she still fusses sometimes with me but now eats a varied diet and seems to enjoy food.

my problem now is that i am still obessed with her food intake. scared for life i think. i was soo traumatised when we were going through problems with her eating. i cried after every bottle feed. i am lightening up a bit, and will let her leave food now (am obessed with her finsihing everything). what I want to know is how is it best to judge portion sizes.

for example: i give her a medium jacket potatoe with beans (3 table spoons) and she'll eat 1/2 to 3/4 of it. she'll eat 3/4 of a sandwich. is this okay, too much? or should i just let her be the judge? she has 14 - 21 ozs of milk (2 0r 3 bottles) a day. should i be cutting back on milk?

my main concern is with foods that i serve in a plate. how much veg, how much carbs and protein. 1/2 a chicken leg; 2 new potatoes or 4. handful of carrot battons or 3 0r 4.

this may sound stupid but i just cannot judge. I myself am overweight and a chocoholic and want to do right by her. i was allowed to eat what i wanted as a child and trying to rectify my bad habits, but its tough. i want my dd to have a health diet and enjoy it too.

dd would be happy sometimes to eat as little as possible, so want to make sure i am offering a realistic amount, which will help me judge how well she has eaten....I don't want to flip the coin and start overfeeding her either......any words of wisdom?

my ds has a very small appetite and i find we both feel better if i serve very small portions (the entire meal no bigger than say a circle 3 inches in diameter). He doesnt always eat all of it but usually most and its really heartwarming when he asks for more.

hiya, forevermore. you sound a little like me. the whole of my family is over weight. we dont have a bad diet, its just we have lots of food!! i am paranoid about my daughter getting fat and so will not give her any kind of crap, eg, crisps, choc, fizzy drinks. saying that, at mealtimes i let her eat as much savoury meal as she wants, but she always eats more pudding. someone once said that no child ever starved themselves, so you are prob giving her enough.if she is putting on weight at a good rate i wouldnt worry about it. i know thats easy to say but im sure she will eat as much as she needs.

Forevermore, it is always such a worry but to me it sounds as if you are doing brilliantly with her.
She seems to be eating about the same as my DS who is the same age & who has always amazed family members by how well he eats. I think it is fine to let her eat as much savoury as she wants especially if you are being careful with the kinds of food you are giving her Plenty of fresh veg, fish etc) I don't think you can go wrong there tbh. It works for us if we give DS 2 savoury dishes - usually something he eats with a spoon first & then some finger foods, rather than 1 big portion altogether - he doesn't get bored then. Your DD is drinking alot more milk than DS - he only has 1 tommee tippee bottle of milk a day (most before bed, & a bit in the morning at breakfast), but I have no idea how much they are supposed to have. My guess is that DS is having too little & that possibly your DD is having too much! I try to make sure DS has plenty of cheese sauces in his meals to top up the milk intake just in case. He never has milk in the day - jusy beakers of water.

I think the main thing is that food is enjoyable & varied & healthy - which is exactly what you are doing. I have a feeling that at this age they can't overeat and if you are giving them the right stuff then you really don't need to worry.