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Baby Agatha Holloway who was born prematurely and underweight is eating food containing 20,000 calories every week to help her reach a healthy weight.
By Murray Wardrop
Last Updated: 11:43AM BST 05 May 2009
Agatha Holloway (16 months) with a spread of the 3000 calories she needs to eat each day Photo: BARCROFT
Agatha must plough through at least 3,000 calories a day – 500 more than the NHS recommends for men – after she was born three months prematurely weighing just 3lb 11oz.
At the age of 16 months, she still weighs only 17lb and has been advised by a paediatric dietician to eat the three full meals a day as well as fatty snacks.
Her diet typically includes porridge with clotted cream for breakfast and toast laden with chocolate spread, followed by midmorning snacks such as avocado and hummus.
Lunch usually consists of high fat roasted meats such as duck, lamb or pork, mashed potatoes with added cream, roasted vegetables in olive oil, and chocolate desserts and bananas.
The toddler has bagels spread in full fat cheese and chocolate fingers to keep her going through the afternoon.
She then eats tuna, mash with butter and baked beans followed by rice pudding and clotted cream in the evening, followed by a bed time snack of porridge with clotted cream and custard.
Her mother Samantha, who longs to feed her fruit and vegetables, said: "It's hard, and against your natural instincts as a mother, which is to give your child healthy food."
The 35-year-old management consultant from Cobham, Surrey, added: "But I know it's better than having her fed by tube.
"The dietician monitors everything and has told us there won't be any bad effects in the long term, as she'll eat healthy food when she's older.'
Agatha weighed 3lb 11oz when she was born on New Year's Eve 2007 at St George's Hospital in Tooting, South London.
She suffered heart failure and doctors fought for 90 minutes to resuscitate her and help her breathe on a ventilator.
Then in her first months she suffered a brain haemorrhage, two bleeds on her brain, chronic lung disease, an open heart duct, life-threatening high blood pressure and an immature gut, which meant she could not digest milk.
She was finally allowed home at three-and-a-half months.
Mrs Holloway said: "We had to wean her on to solids almost overnight and being on home oxygen meant that Agatha used up a lot of calories just breathing."
Then began the struggle to ensure Agatha gained enough weight so she could grow stronger and overcome her illnesses.
Babies and children with severe health problems, such as heart conditions or chronic lung disease, are often placed on such diets.
Mrs Holloway added: "Agatha needs foods with a high fat and protein content to help her grow.
"It angers me when I see mums giving their healthy children fatty, processed meals.
"I hate having to give Agatha chocolate puddings while her friends are having healthy fruit, but it's what we have to do."
Mrs Holloway and her 48-year-old husband Neil, a director, have spoken out to help other parents understand why some premature babies, and children with heart conditions, need what might seem an unhealthy diet.
They have launched Agatha's Appeal to raise £25,000 for a specialist incubator at St George's Hospital.
Baby Agatha Holloway who was born prematurely and underweight is eating food containing 20,000 calories every week to help her reach a healthy weight.
By Murray Wardrop
Last Updated: 11:43AM BST 05 May 2009
Agatha Holloway (16 months) with a spread of the 3000 calories she needs to eat each day Photo: BARCROFT Agatha must plough through at least 3,000 calories a day – 500 more than the NHS recommends for men – after she was born three months prematurely weighing just 3lb 11oz.
At the age of 16 months, she still weighs only 17lb and has been advised by a paediatric dietician to eat the three full meals a day as well as fatty snacks.
Her diet typically includes porridge with clotted cream for breakfast and toast laden with chocolate spread, followed by midmorning snacks such as avocado and hummus.
Lunch usually consists of high fat roasted meats such as duck, lamb or pork, mashed potatoes with added cream, roasted vegetables in olive oil, and chocolate desserts and bananas.
The toddler has bagels spread in full fat cheese and chocolate fingers to keep her going through the afternoon.
She then eats tuna, mash with butter and baked beans followed by rice pudding and clotted cream in the evening, followed by a bed time snack of porridge with clotted cream and custard.
Her mother Samantha, who longs to feed her fruit and vegetables, said: "It's hard, and against your natural instincts as a mother, which is to give your child healthy food."
The 35-year-old management consultant from Cobham, Surrey, added: "But I know it's better than having her fed by tube.
"The dietician monitors everything and has told us there won't be any bad effects in the long term, as she'll eat healthy food when she's older.'
Agatha weighed 3lb 11oz when she was born on New Year's Eve 2007 at St George's Hospital in Tooting, South London.
She suffered heart failure and doctors fought for 90 minutes to resuscitate her and help her breathe on a ventilator.
Then in her first months she suffered a brain haemorrhage, two bleeds on her brain, chronic lung disease, an open heart duct, life-threatening high blood pressure and an immature gut, which meant she could not digest milk.
She was finally allowed home at three-and-a-half months.
Mrs Holloway said: "We had to wean her on to solids almost overnight and being on home oxygen meant that Agatha used up a lot of calories just breathing."
Then began the struggle to ensure Agatha gained enough weight so she could grow stronger and overcome her illnesses.
Babies and children with severe health problems, such as heart conditions or chronic lung disease, are often placed on such diets.
Mrs Holloway added: "Agatha needs foods with a high fat and protein content to help her grow.
"It angers me when I see mums giving their healthy children fatty, processed meals.
"I hate having to give Agatha chocolate puddings while her friends are having healthy fruit, but it's what we have to do."
Mrs Holloway and her 48-year-old husband Neil, a director, have spoken out to help other parents understand why some premature babies, and children with heart conditions, need what might seem an unhealthy diet.
They have launched Agatha's Appeal to raise £25,000 for a specialist incubator at St George's Hospital.
