Does anyone give their kids pediasure?

[Cheyenne_08]

Ashtyn is 13 months old and I was wondering if I could give him pediasure. The package says it is for 1 year to 13 years so I was wondering it it would be okay for Ashtyn. Basically because he is such a horrible eater, I am worried he will not get enough nutrients once the doc weans him off formula next month.

[ma2isiah]

I haven't given it to my kids. I looked up the ingredients and the second ingredient is sugar. I don't know how poorly Ashyton eats, but if she getting enough calories I would just add a vitamin supplement. Also maybe he will eat more if he isn't as full off formula. My son was a pretty poor eater until about 15 months (he gagged on all foods and didn't even eat solids regularly until 11 months). I don't know a lot about formula, but I think I would probably stick with it over pediasure.

[Jenny100]

Yes, I agree with ma2isiah. Too much sugar. And my kids say it doesn't even taste good. Kinda "vitamin-y". It's quite expensive too.
Why does your dr think he must go off formula? If YOU think he should stay on it, go with your gut. I think its much better for him to stay on formula than for you to always worry he isn't getting enough nutrients. Don't they say preemies are really only their age that they would have been if they were born on time? So doesn't that make him 3 months younger? Technically? If so, he is well within "normal" to stay on it a couple more months at least. And lots of babies take formula even longer.

I just think this is one of those "Mom knows best-go with your gut" things. I have learned thru seven kids that Dr.s don't ALWAYS know best. YOU are the authority on Ashtyn here. You know everything about him. And if keeping him on formula feels right to you, do it.

[BabyHardiman]

My sister gets Peidasure on her Wic valtures.  Her son weighed 18 pds at 15 months, so that was a way to get him to gain something.  He was not eating hardly anything AT ALL, that is why the Pedi suggested Pediasure.  You can't force a child to eat put so much.  He would spit it out just as soon as she put it in.  He also drank Ovalentine (sp?) with whole milk.

We also grabbed some for our 5 year old.  She is TERRIBLE about eating... the girl is NEVER hungry... at least if we give her Pediasure she is getting some kind of nutrients.  She is tiny.  But we only give her Pediasure when she's playing, she thinks it's a treat and does not think of it as a meal "substitute" because if she did she would never want solids again.  :)  And she still sits down with us at meals to eat.

[BabyHardiman]

Also, I wanted to add that in order to get Pediasure on her Wic, her Pediatrician had to write a Prescription for it, believe it or not.  :)

[Cheyenne_08]

I will call his ped and ask her.....who knows what she will want us to do. Ashtyn is staying on formula until his adjusted age equals a year

[cantwait4baby]

I give my dd pedasure mixed with her milk after failed attempts at feeding her.  She is a very poor eater.  For example.  If she will not eat her breakfast - I then give her a little milk when she appears hungry I try to feed her something to hold her over till lunch - well most of the time that is pushed aside too.  Now on to lunch.  Nope - she refuses to eat so I mix 4 oz of pedausre iwth 4 oz of milk and feed it to her in a bottle.  She will drink it all.  Doctor said it is fine to do as long as I try to feed her first.  She is still not gaining weight.  I am at my wits end with feeding her.  Forget about the "colors" she should have - that is a lost cause.  I have talked to her doctor over and over again.  I just dont know what else to do.

[mum2beagain]

James has had pediasure in the past when his weight gain was poor or he was loosing weight, he still actually has a prescription for it but we very rarely use it now a days as he is eating so much better. Personally I would keep Ashtyn on formula for as long as he will drink it, pediasure is very sugary and can really give them a taste for sweet things. I still give Sam (19 months) 8 ounces of formula a day as well as some whole milk and he actually eat's pretty good most days. I intend to keep giving him some formula until he is two years old and will then drop the formula but give him a childrens multi vitamin.

[onlyme27]

I gave it to my son when he was little.  I would give him some (only a little) when he was sick.  I don't think it should be given daily by no means.  As far as the formula goes, there is a formula out called next step by enfamil that is for the older babies.  i haven't ever tried it, but you may want to look at it.

[peekawho]

Is he seriously underweight for his height and adjusted age?  

[tiredbuthappy]

i'm still giving DD 1/2 milk, 1/2 formula 3 times a day. she is getting better at eating, but i figure it's a great back-up. my ped said it's not necessary, but if i feel more comfortable doing it, it certainly can't hurt. as she continues to eat more, i will drop the number of formula ounces/day. many people continue formula. my ped said the formula companies have even caught on, and market formula for toddlers. i told him i compared them and they're pretty much the same thing. he said i'm right.

i was talking to my dd's sitter about it. She said that many of the kids in her care continued formula well past one.