Weight Gain, Toddler Glasses, Teeth Grinding and Swim Lessons
From Our Members... 
Originally printed in March, 2005

Recently, the following questions were asked of members on the online 
TMM Discussion List: 


“I brought my trio to their one-year check-up.  I was told they didn't gain 
enough weight.  If anyone has some input, please let me know how I can get 
some weight on my trio.”    ~Mariah

What about adding some Danimals to their sippy cup?  Also, do you give 
them pudding?  That's something that you can try.    ~Nancy

Our pediatrician is concerned about weight gain and has suggested Carnation 
Instant breakfast, Ovaltine, and adding butter and cheese to everything.    
~Thea

We've had the same talk with our pediatrician.  In addition to the items 
you mentioned: peanut butter on toast or crackers (talk to your pediatrician 
about allergies), cream cheese, adding powdered milk to the whole milk 
and other dishes such as eggs.  I think wheat germ was another item to 
add to dishes.    ~Ann

My girls started life very underweight (2 lbs. each!), so we were constantly 
feeding them the first year.  We used to give the girls major snacks in the 
morning and afternoon - french toast sticks, yogurt (you can buy whole milk yogurt), 
cheese and bread.  They ate cottage cheese too.  They ate breakfast so early 
that a snack didn't affect lunch.  Try whole grain bread with a spread 
(butter, cream cheese, jelly, honey (if they're old enough), or a grilled 
cheese sandwich).  Also, cereal bars (e.g. Nutrigrain) or Fruit Newtons.  
If you have a bread maker, you can throw in raisins or cinnamon chips to 
flavor whole grain bread.  Pretzels with cheese sauce to dip.  For meals: 
cheese pizza with extra cheese (pizza is about the healthiest "junk" food around), 
baked ziti with ricotta mixed in, lasagna, mac-n-cheese made with butter 
(or Annie's brand with whole milk plain yogurt), meatballs, homemade waffles 
(can top with fruit and maple syrup, or some whipped cream), cheese or ham 
and cheese omelet, creamed corn, mashed or fried potatoes.  Serve higher 
calorie veggies like winter squash, sweet potatoes, green peas.  Or, serve a 
variety of fruits in place of veggies at some meals.  If you are having 
chicken or pork chops, serve apple slices or applesauce with it, instead of 
green beans.  For desserts, ice cream with fruit topping (bananas, peaches, mango), 
fruit cobbler or fruit bar with whipped cream, baked apple (easy in the microwave), 
apple or blueberry pancakes (use multigrain or buckwheat pancake mix).  
You can make these ahead and keep them in the freezer.  Yogurt with fresh fruit 
(my kids still love this after dinner).  A couple of cookies or a slice of 
bread with that last glass of milk.  If your kids like dried fruit, prunes 
are great and have high sugar.  Sweet potato pie, carrot cake.  Chocolate 
gets a bad rap, but actually has anti-oxidants in it and can be a good 
additive or snack.  If a spoonful of chocolate syrup gets your kids to drink 
4 oz. more of milk, chocolate milk is not really junk food.  Chocolate chip 
oatmeal cookies, or a handful of chocolate chips in a bowl of hot cereal 
(great in Cream of Wheat).  Also, [are there] habits contributing to under 
eating - do they leave the table mid-meal to play and not come back, or not 
like milk/drinking from a cup, have oral aversions (which E.I. can help with), 
or are mealtimes a battle for control?  The kids quickly learn if food is a 
hot button for you and if you are begging them or threatening them (e.g. no 
TV or no toy or no dessert if they don't eat...), it can backfire.  Someone 
taught me to use "when/then" statements like "when you eat what is on your 
plate, then you can get down and play."  That way, the outcome is more under 
their control and choice.  If you can identify and change any habits or issues, 
you might not have to worry about squeezing butter into everything!  If you 
are dealing with oral aversions, junk food may not even be an issue 
(e.g. french fries or potato chips or donuts may not be any more appealing 
to a kid who doesn't like different textures).    ~Lisa

My children were large birth weight babies, but did not like formula so they 
did not gain much the first year.  At one year of age, we switched to whole 
milk and added PediaSure which was approved by WIC.  I combined about 50% 
whole milk to 50% PediaSure.  They have vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and 
now, they have orange cream.  The PediaSure straight was not good-tasting, 
that is why I added milk.    ~Karen

I don't know if it has been mentioned yet, but Stonyfield now makes a drinkable 
whole milk yogurt called Yo Baby.  My sister gave it to her daughter who 
was also underweight.   ~Joan

When my trips had to gain weight, I put extra scoops of formula powder in 
their bottles.  They had the ready-to-feed formula and then I would add a 
couple of scoops and that is what my doctor said they had to do to gain 
the sufficient weight they needed in the first couple of months.  Now, 
they are about 19 and 20 lbs. at a year and he is so happy.  They are very 
big now, so the extra calories in the formula helped out.  Remember, extra 
powdered formula, not cereal.   ~Lisa

Black olives are high in fat.  We also added white dipping sauce to as much 
as possible.  My fair skinned boys would get red around the mouth if the 
dressing stayed on too long.  We started with ranch dressing and now use 
Ken's Creamy Peppercorn Parmesan.  We'd make scrambled eggs with cheese.  
Did your pediatrician mention Pediasure?  I know a few babies that needed 
it but they were extremely small.  I would give my guys Stony Fields whole 
milk plain yogurt and add baby food fruit to it to sweeten it.  That way, 
they're not getting any extra sugar from the manufacturer.    ~Laurie


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“My trio is 18-months now and Jonah just got glasses about a month ago 
for farsightedness and a weak eye.  My problem is... how to keep them on?  
Next... Janessa has started grinding her teeth.  Is there anyway to get 
her to stop this?”    ~Jess

My son Noah started wearing glasses at 2-years old.  I don't want to be 
the bearer of bad news, but it's not easy.  Noah was supposed to wear 
the glasses full-time and we did the best we could.  I would find some 
quiet time with him and have a small cup of M&Ms and a timer.  I would 
set the timer for one minute and reward him with one M&M if he kept them 
on the whole time.  Gradually increase the time.  (You could even get 
the mini ones so your not sugaring up your little guy.)  I could work 
with him for about 15 minutes in the beginning.  Can you buy some kids’ 
sunglasses for the other two?  Maybe take the lenses out of them so 
they're more like Jonah's?  Do you have to do patching too?  Noah has 
sensory issues and couldn't tolerate the Band-aid-type patch that sticks 
to the face.  We ended up switching to an ointment that dilated his pupil 
and the lens.  That wasn't a great solution for us either because fairer 
colored eyes take to the dilating too well.  It would last for a couple 
of weeks.  Now that he's 7, we have a patch that fits over the glasses.  
I have found that focused patch time works the best for him.  What I 
mean by that is we have activities that he does while he's wearing the 
patch to as opposed to passively watching TV or just playing.  It could 
be looking for objects in a picture book, playing a matching card game 
or reading.  Back to being little with glasses... Noah was very sneaky 
about taking them off when he was in the backyard... or hiding them under 
his booster seat at the dining table... Eventually, he realized that he 
sees better with them on.  They are the first thing he reaches for in 
the morning.  (He also had surgery at age 3 to straighten one eye.)    ~Laurie

I agree with Laurie that it's not easy to keep the glasses on in the 
beginning, but it does get better.  Jake was 1-year old when he got 
his glasses; he's also farsighted.  We were lucky in the fact that he 
did an amazing job keeping them on.  The only time he really pulls 
them off is when he's tired - usually in the car, or in a shopping 
cart, so you'll need to do a constant check when you are out and about.  
I can't tell you how many times we've had to back track through BJs and 
Target to find his glasses!  Aside from that, it was just a constant 
'talking' to his brothers to keep them from pulling them off, but after 
a few long weeks, they will all eventually learn that the glasses 
belong to Jonah, and Jonah will find that he sees better with them 
on as well.  Now, Jake asks me to put them on if they come off and his 
brothers will bring the glasses to me if they see them come off.  Keep 
at it, it will work.  If Jonah continues to pull them off, the doctor 
can give you the elastic band to wrap around so they are harder to 
pull off.    ~Donna

We went through this also at 18-mos. with Alexia.  The best thing is 
distraction.  We had three days of no progress, and then, her first 
day back at preschool with the glasses, the teachers said she didn't 
even try to take them off once and they thought she just forgot she had 
them on.  Once she had a day or two of wearing them all day, taking 
them off just stopped altogether (except to put on play sunglasses, etc.).  
Maybe plan a day out and about with your son or as a family, and just 
keep on the go!    ~Lisa

My son Nolan got glasses at 13-months.  At first, it was tough to get 
him to wear them, but his vision therapist showed us how to do it.  
Basically, when you first put the glasses on Jonah, play a game with 
him and his hands so he's not immediately grabbing for his glasses.  
He should forget he has them on, unless of course the fit is not good 
and it bothers him.  We have this problem right now with Nolan.  His new 
glasses are pinching his nose, so he takes them off after an hour.  I 
need to get them adjusted.  His brother also pulls them off his face, but 
we try to intervene as best we can.  Nolan is now 4 and if the glasses fit 
well, he will wear them all day, only pulling them off when he's tired and 
tries to rub his eyes.  As for grinding teeth - all of my kids do this.  
The dentist and the pediatrician say almost all kids grind their teeth 
whether their parents are aware of it or not.  (Most grinding occurs 
during sleep.)  And, they said, there is really nothing you can do about 
it.  But, my son Ethan will grind his teeth during the day, and when he 
does this, his speech therapist told us to apply pressure to the sides of 
his mouth/jaw, using thumb and forefinger.  Pinch so that your fingers 
press in between his molars.  It works fairly well.    ~Linda


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“I am looking for advice about Gymboree/swimming.  I would like to enroll my 
14-month old BBG [triplets] in some kind of activities.  Can anyone tell 
me if it can be done with triplets?  I know swimming requires an adult 
with each child, but I am wondering if I should take one at a time so they 
don't miss out.  Is Gymboree a good idea?  Has anyone tried it with 
multiples?  Or, should I go to the YMCA?”    ~Rena

I strongly recommend the Music Together Program as an activity.  I attended 
last session with 22-month old triplets and my almost 3-year old.  I 
worked out a special rate with the teacher.  Actually, I suggested something 
low, figuring we would negotiate up from that, but they said fine.  
Basically, for the cost of two kids, I take four.  It is 45-minutes, once 
a week.  They sing with a teacher, play the rhythm instruments, march 
around, or just watch.  You sit with the kids and interact with them, or 
they run around by themselves to the music.  You also get a CD and tape 
to bring home to learn the songs.  We're now in our second semester and 
we all love it.  Go online and see if you can find one in your area.  
We are in Stow and I know there is one in nearly every town around us.  
More reasonably priced than Gymboree too.    ~Nancy

We had a bad experience with the Gymboree in Andover - hygiene was non-
existent on the children's mats unless you were in the first class each 
day.  After our first class (our kids were about 9-months then), I spoke 
to the "teacher" about the drool, etc. on the mats.  She said she cleaned 
up between classes.  Unfortunately, she let in the next class-worth of 
kids before our class had finished and, you guessed it, the second class 
was rolling around in the first class' stuff.  I got the name of the 
manager from the promotional materials - when I asked her about the hygiene 
policy and told her what I had witnessed, she said, "You must be mistaken."  
I asked for my money back because I said my children would not return.  
I got no credit on my credit card (as she had said would be the case).  
My response was to contact the regional franchiser, which happened to be 
in Falmouth, MA.  I spoke to one of the owners who said she had never 
heard of my complaint from the Andover manager, but she would get back 
to me.  In the mean time, I contacted the Board of Health.  Being in 
the real estate development business, I know how "inconvenient" a 
visit from the Board of Health can be.  I believe it was only as a 
result of that action that I got my money back.  Things may have changed - 
that was four years ago now.  However, I think that many TMM mothers 
would speak much more highly of the YMCA than a Gymboree-type of place.  
FYI - my kids have been enrolled in a place called Ready, Set, Go, just 
over the Andover line in Lawrence.  [I just] read about a recommendation 
for Music Together.  Our kids loved it.  Miss Rosemary (their teacher 
and the coordinator for the Andover/North Andover/Topsfield area) was 
wonderful, professionally trained in music, and brought a great flair 
for music to the kids.  She was also pretty laid back about kids 
getting up and walking around during the class, as opposed to always 
sitting in the circle.  To this day, our kids talk about the instruments 
she gave them and can recognize songs from one of the CDs you get for 
each session.    ~Catherine

I'm also in Andover and know many people who love Ready, Set, Go.  We've 
been to birthday parties there and they have been great.  We take the 
girls to the Andover/N. Andover YMCA for classes.  It is a great 
family-friendly place.  The girls have taken dance, gymnastics and 
swimming, and we've been there for various family activities and vacation 
day programs.  If you are used to an ultra-modern or ultra-organized place, 
the Y is a lot more no-frills and spontaneous, but most of the programs 
there have been well run and the kids have had a blast.  They have a very 
large variety of pre-school programs (we joined when the girls were in 
kindergarden, so missed out on those) - sport and enrichment 
(e.g. art or cooking).  They offer a large variety for school age kids also,
 including swim teams.  The best part is that I can exercise while they 
have fun, or we can go for a family swim together.  I think that it sets 
a nice example for the kids.  It is reasonable (varies at different Ys, 
but usually under $900 for the first year for the whole family and a 
discount after that; you get large discounts on classes, and a lot of 
free activities including workout, swimming and child care).  They 
also offer real daycare/preschool, after school programs, and summer camp 
in Salem, NH.  For a lot more money, we have also heard great things 
about Boston Sports Club (BSC), which also has kid activities and classes now.  
For music enrichment, the girls did dance for a couple of years.  The Andover 
School of Ballet is great (hard to get into now, I understand).  Also, 
there is a place in N. Andover that offers hip hop classes as well as 
karate (Yang's?) that is recommended.    ~Lisa

I have been taking my son for sports-type classes at the YMCA in Saugus.  
I have really been impressed by his teacher, who is actually the director 
of the Y.  He really enjoys playing with the kids and has lots of patience.  
They have sports, cooking, art, etc., so if anybody is looking for a 
place on the North Shore, I recommend the Saugus Y.  The classes are also 
very reasonable.  A 6-week, hour-long class costs around $30 per student.  
I also wanted to try swimming lessons early.  I didn't end up doing it 
until each of my kids would go into the water on their own (they were 3 1/2).  
We took lessons at the Boston Sports Club in Lynnfield.  It is expensive.  
They have a max of four per class.  We did four sessions (from January to 
July) and ended up being the whole class for three of them (just like a 
private lesson).  I think that you could work with the BSC to design 
something for your family.  I recently figured out that the Y in Reading 
has a "family splash" time.  You don't have to be a member to go at that 
time.  The cost is $15 for the family.  If you had a helper, this might 
be a good way to get some "swimming lessons."  Another thought might be 
your local family network.  At 18-months, we did a class through them.    ~Lynn

I understand what you are saying about not wanting your children to miss out.  
Remember, they are gaining so much from their siblings!  And, you can only do 
what works for you and your childrens’ life.  But, if you are still interested 
in swim classes, I'd recommend checking out YMCA or YWCAs in your area.  
Some Ys are better equipped than others.  Perhaps you could get a trial one-day 
pass to "try before you buy" a year membership.  I’ve had my older son 
(singleton) at the Y for "swimming" since he was a baby.  My triplets were 
born when he was 4-years old.  I wasn't able to logistically (or sanely) 
bring my triplets to swim lessons until they were 4-years old.  Now, at the 
age of 5 ˝-years, they are as good or better swimmers than my older son was 
at their age!  However, I sincerely believe all children should learn how to 
keep their heads above water at an early age.  So, we had lots of tub time 
at home and I encouraged them to learn to put their faces in the water and 
blow bubbles.  Not the same as a big, deep pool, I know, but we work with 
what our situation presents and try to not feel guilty.    ~Sue