Hi everyone,
I've been lurking in the shadows reading posts for about 6 months. I have my gastric bypass (Lap RNY) scheduled for March 1. Two more weeks until I go on completely liquid pre-op eating plan. My question is about the need to purchase baby utensils. I have salad plates and small bowls but I'm having a real hard time thinking about buying baby utensils. Any advice?
Also, I'm nervous about this - not so much about the surgery, but how my relationship with food will be forever changed. Like so many of you, I have used food as a coping mechanism for my entire life - eating when I'm stressed, happy, bored, angry, sad. It's scary thinking about giving up my comfort blanket. I have some sujpportive friends. I'm 46 and have been fighting my weight since I was 8 years old. I know this is my last chance to get a better relationship with food.
hi kirsten!!! soooo - one of our lurkers has come out!!! YAY!!!!! let's do the baby utensils first. the reason some folks use them is to help them take SMALL BITES and to slow down their eating. <a question: what EXACTLY is a small bite??? no one ever tells you that>. i didn't use them, but i DID use a favorite spoon - an OLD iced tea spoon with a smaller bowl - i've just always liked it.
as for the relationship with food. ummm. it's a process, not a light switch. it's gonna take time, and there WILL be changes in your relationships and with how you process emotions. and how you express them. a number of us knit or crochet. some are compulsive cleaners [and i WISH they'd come to visit me!!!]. and some get professional help. it's a complete change of outlook, but i viewed it as hitting the RESET button to re-learn everything about food and eating.
now, about 'what exactly is a small bite.' for me, after much experimenting [with some of the - ahem - expected results], i decided that a small bite was about the size of my pinky nail. if you can manage that without using baby utensils, go for it. gotta admit, though, that there was always something distasteful to me about using children's sizes when i'm soooo old. some folks think it's cute. i don't.
I never needed to use baby utensils. There's no reason you can't take small bites using regular utensils. I did use these little pickle forks my mom had, but I used them pre-op, too - I just thought they were cute!
Hi,
I had gastric bypass many years ago....Unfortunatly for me, my relationship with food never changed. I still struggle with binge eating. Presently, I am getting down to the nitty gritty of what is causing these issues for me. I want to live a normal life, eating normal food and feeling ok about my choices. So far, I'm coming along pretty good.
Good Luck to you and I'm wishing you the best!!
Gwen
Kim: Small bites are really, really important. I'm generally eating on the run and porking food down a lot of times. Major clogs and pain if I'm not careful; even vomiting. One of the things that I did when I first started eating after WLS was to use a little Corningware "Lunch-To-Go that has a little warming plate. It would take me so long to chew and eat my food it would get cold and I hated cold food. Now I use it to warm my tea throughout the day. Got my DD one and she uses it in her office for reheating chilies, casseroles, custards, meatloaf, etc.
Gwen: Aint food the dangedest thing! I KNOW it is really not about food, but I fighting overeating ever single darn day. I craved a donut, obsessed about a donut, longed for a donut on Satuday. I knew if I had just one it wouldn't be enough and why!?!? I wasn't hungry, I didn't feel bored, have a good life, had plenty to do. I hate how I keep trying to revert back to my old coping method "foodication". I'm still working on the nitty gritties!
I didn't use baby utensils, but I did use smaller sized plastic spoons and sporks. I wasn't really up for standing to do dishes afterward so I made things simple and easy.
Thanks everyone for your advice. I think I'm going to save some money and forego the baby utensils for now. As far as my relationship with food.... well, I know that's going to be a process. I'm hoping that my surgeon's support group (that meets twice a month) and maybe some therapy will help. Of course, I'm always open to learning how to knit.
I had RNY on 11/11/09. I did find the baby utensils helpful. Then again, I have three little ones so I have them here at the house already. My main standby items are those lil spoons and the 4 oz ziploc container cups.
I treated myself to some inexpensive seafood forks and some demitasse spoons... they are much smaller and I just like them. Hubby has always used regular utensils.
Baby Utensils???
