Category Archives: Transitioning

Transitioning from formula to a blended diet for individuals with gastric tubes

Transition Charts

The weight and bowel movement chart is vital for transitioning babies, toddlers and children because their bodies respond differently to food and formula differently. For Matthew, because of his Hirschsprung’s Disease diagnosis, he has slow motility. The chart has helped me track how well his current regimen is working. Some babies and toddlers will have difficulty maintaining their weight on a blended diet. That is because a lot of the calories in formula is sugar which is easily stored while whole foods tend to burn as more efficient fuel for the body so more food is necessary. An example would be how much easier it is to gain weight drinking milk shakes as apposed to a balanced diet. The other reason why this chart is vital is for bowel management. Put simply, what goes in must come out. How it comes out will tell how your child is handling certain foods. It will allow you to adjust fiber and water content as you go along. Without the chart it is a shot in the dark. It will be hard to track if your child is gaining, maintaining or losing weight on the new diet as well as what foods are causing constipation. In a nut shell, using this chart will help you see any changes from day to day and show the doctors a your transitioning progress.