13.5 month old won't eat much

[mommy2mason]

My LO has barely been eating a thing lately and I'm just curious of other LO's go through this as well. He used to eat pretty well...things I knew he liked anyways. He's pretty picky and still won't eat any veggies. He screams when I offer something new. He used to love things like spaghetti, meatballs, chicken, and ravioli but now he'll eat a couple pieces and throw the rest on the floor. The only things he's eaten the past few days is cheese, fruit, yogurt, bread, and crackers. He just got all 4 molars and has two eye teeth poking through with the other two on the way so I'm thinking that may have to do with it? But then I wonder because things like ravioli and spaghetti are the same consistency as his pieces of fruit so I wouldn't think it would bother him. I'm just having a really hard time trying to find something he'll actually eat. I've been trying all sorts of things with no luck.

Any suggestions?

[jaedagal]

I know when my son is teething (just got his 4 molars and the canines are one the way, but taking forever to poke through) he goes on a total solid food strike. It took a couple weeks to get him back to even eating soft food. It just this weekend that he started eating a variety of food again thank goodness and just after the strike it's been either chicken soup (minus the chicken because I think it hurt too much to chew) or banana or cheerios and nothing else.

He's a horrible teether -- so I know his food strikes are caused by teething. I've been told many toddlers begin to cut down the amount of food they eat by 13 months for various reasons ie: too busy playing, can't sit still, a smaller amount of calories needed etc.

[emmas]

Hi Amy!

Is he drinking much milk?  I strictly won't let ds drink anymore than a pint a day (600ml) otherwise he won't eat.  And like pp I'm having the same troubles, getting him into the highchair is a battle! 

DS has decided that any he needs to chew he pushes out with his tounge after a few bites.  I've been offering softer foods and trying to go with the flow - however frustrating it is.

If he is really refusing I sometimes have some success if he has a book to read as well - I think iots a combination of reduction in appetite and like pp says they are missing out on too much fun to sit eating!

[mommy2mason]

Thanks!

I sure hope it's the teething! Today he still would only eat bread, cheese, yogurt, and tons of fruit. I just always worry he's not getting a proper diet. I even tried mac and cheese today (his favorite!) and he just screamed.

He used to drink up to 16oz. of milk a day but now that's gone way down too so I know he's not filling up on that.

But it makes me feel better that I'm not alone! It is very frustrating as when I talk to other moms whose LO's eat anything put in front of them. Also, I don't know if it has anything to do with it or not, but he is getting pretty good spoon feeding himself and always wants to do it. He can do yogurt and applesauce pretty well. The other day I put some pasta on his tray and he wouldn't touch it. Then I put one on a spoon and he would eat it off of that. He ate about 10 bites that way so that was good. Who knows!

[jaedagal]

Hey, at least you're a few steps above us! He won't feed himself because he has textural issues (hates getting his hands dirty/stick) and he's still pretty clumsy with the spoon -- unless it's ice cream/sorbetto. He'll only feed himself cheerios, cookies, blueberries and banana with the peel left on to hold on to.

Mind you he use to feed himself rocks, dry dirt (he hates touching wet dirt) and sand not too long ago! Silly boy...