Would need to get some kind good routine for my daughter?

I would feed your daughter whenever she gets hungry, but just try to make it really calorie and nutrient packed. Like peanut butter and cheese on crackers - josiah loves that. Just make sure that she can set the schedule so she feels more in control of what she gets to do. When she gets hungry just be ready for good food - yogurt, cheese, peanut butter, whole milk, etc.

The weight gaining thing, I don't know if I would really worry about though, unless she's unhappy. Josiah gained 3 lbs. from the time he was 6 months to a year old. But the doctor's weren't worried, they said that he won't starve himself, and that he's a healthy happy boy.

Now if they opposite is true, just make sure that you always have a bottle of that formula lying around so that whenever she's thirsty she can go and pick up her bottle. That's what we did with Josiah when he wasn't getting enough water - I just kept a bottle of water around at all times and he went through 2-3 a day (just small bottles though).

Also, don't make meal times stressful. I know that you may feel stressed because she won't eat, but she'll be able to sense that stress, and it'll stress her out, making her not want to eat. Make eating fun! Make it a game - get your other kids to help - get them to clap and cheer when she takes a bite, or play the airplane game with the fork or spoon to get the food into her mouth. Make eating something to look forward to instead of something to dread.

As for a general routine, just try to make her activities ones that make her hungry, like running around outside for a few hours.

Oh - and if you want meal time to be meal time, make sure that she's not snacking a lot through out the day. Otherwise it will feel like she's not eating enough. I generally try to space Josiah's snacks 2 hours before meals so that he actually eats his meals.

Hope this helps

A little more detail might help here.

What led to the diagnosis of FTT? Is there an actual physical problem here? (Inability to eat or metabolize food? CF? Rare genetic disorder? Severe allergies? ) Why is she being tube fed?

Being in the 5th percentile, or going for a month without gaining weight are not, in themselves, a problem. Healthy babies come in all shapes and sizes.

If there is truly a physical problem or disability here, this is something to be discussing with the specialists who are fully familiar with the situation, not random people on Y!A.

If she is simply a healthy but petite child with a small appetite -- I'd be looking for a different doctor and stop trying to force feed her.

7:00am: Wake up

7:30am: Get dressed

8:00am: Indoor Play

9:00am: Breakfast

9:45am: Potty Break

10:00am: Walk around neighborhood

11:00am: Lunch

11:45: Potty Break

12:00am: Nap Time

3:00pm: Snack

3:30pm: Playschool (teach letters, numbers, and colors in a fun way)

4:30pm: Music (turn music on while you make dinner)

5:30pm: Dinner

6:15pm: Potty Break

6:30pm: Bath Time

7:00pm: Wind down (with mommy and daddy)

8:00pm: In the bed (read her a story)

9:00pm Sleep

A lot of children are small. As long as she is eating healthy and gets all of her nutrients, then she should be fine. Try and leave snacks out near her toys so that if she does get hungry she can eat without having to ask for food. I hope this schedule helped. Good Luck.

xoxoxoxoxo

-SNicole-

You don't need to have a schedule. You need to learn how to type, lady.