28 month only eating very small amounts....somebody please help.

[J & J's Mum]

Help!

I am at my whits end now!  I've posted before about this and followed the advice given, but it's not working.

My DS is almost 28 months.  He's always been a fussy eater but just lately he's been terrible so I posted for advice.  He would just eat the same meals - no seperate veg, so I've been making pies with veg in (cottage pie, shepherds pie, fish pie) He just won't try anything new.  He is now having only a few spoonfuls of his favourite and that's it.  I've started putting a bit of his fave on a plate with a few new other things like veg.  He won't even try them. 

Here's a list of things he will eat sometimes - some breakfast cereal, mashed potato (he loves), spaghetti hoops, fish fingers, chicken nuggets, a little bit of bread and butter, sausages, sausage rolls, apples, raisins, a little bit of toast.  I've tried mixing some corned beef in with potato to make a corned beef hash and that's succesful sometimes.  He loves yoghurt and ice cream and biscuits oh and cakes, he sometimes eat bananas.  That's about it.  It drives me mad!  I read everywhere that they should be eating the same as us......how do I manage that!  It's really affecting me, I know it sounds silly, but it is.  I absolutely dread mealtimes.  I try not to get upset in front of him.

He's had a few nasty nappies this week and I think a big back tooth is going to pop up soon, so I think this is why he is only eating a few spoonfuls of each meal this week, but how do I deal with it after that?

He refuses sandwiches, he used to eat crackers, but doesn't now, won't even try cheese

His routine is:

7.00-7.30 wake and small drink
8.00-8.30 breakfast (sometimes successful with a whole bowl of cereal and a cup of milk)
12.00 lunch
12.30-1.00 nap
2.00-2.30 wake
3.00 either the refused lunch or a snack
5.30-6.00 dinner
6.30 bath
7.00 bottle of milk and biscuit
7.30 bed

Please can somebody help.  I just really don't know what to do.

[Ennypen]

Hi there!

I've just noticed your post hasn't had any answers as yet so I wanted to send you a hug and see if I can help in any way. I am blessed with a toddler who has so far been a fairly good eater.. so my advice isn't really based on experience.. its more of a "this is what I might do"..

My first question is.. when Jacob is not teething does he refuse to have more than a couple of spoons? The back molars that he and William are teething at the moment are enough to put an elephant of its food.. so if its just when he's teething that he's refusing a lot of foods then don't worry too much. Just make sure that hes staying hydrated and has as much as things as he will take. William has been teething recently and ironically he has preferred the hard crunchy foods like crackers as it helps him to grind his gums on it.. like chewing on a teether.

If he remains the same when he is definately not teething.. then just step back a bit and ask yourself whether he is happy and healthy and thriving.. if the answer is yes.. then try your best to relax. Woo surprises me sometimes.. on occasions he seems to be running on fresh air!! He's been though a phase recently too where he has absolutely refused anything off a spoon or fork.. it all had to be finger food.. so out came the birdseye veggie fingers, the chicken dippers, the fish fingers, pizza with cheese and tomato, veggie pizza, cheese pieces, sausage pieces etc etc.. so I got his diet fairly balanced and as healthy as I could by being a bit inventive with the finger food.

From the list that you have given that Jacob will eat - I personally would not worry about introducing new things. If he will eat cereal, some bread, yoghurt, apple, fish fingers etc.. then his diet is fairly well balanced and if he eats it.. give it to him. There is plenty of time to be introducing new things when he is a bit older and you can make it fun for him. If you want to try to increase the things he will eat I like your idea about sneaking things into mash.. grated carrot or swede is  fairly undetectable in mash.. will he eat cheesy mash???

As parents there is so so much that we feel that we "should do" and then when we find we can't do it for one reason and another we always feel guilty - food is just one of them. We hear about how we should be giving LOs the same as us by now.. but I haven't achieved that yet! DH and I are eating more healthily than we ever have but William just will not eat things the same as we have. I cook him his own meals and give him what I know he will eat.

I guess after all this waffling I am trying to say.. don't let feeding your son bring you nothing but sorrow and stress.. take it easy..  He may well be picking up on your stress about meal times and wondering why eating is not a good thing.. so give him what he likes to eat and don't panic if he only has a little each time.. he will not starve, honestly! If he's thriving and as mad as my son he's doing great. If you are worried that he's not thriving and full of energy then see your dr xxxx

Hope this helps a little xxxx

Big hugs xxxxxxxx

H xx

[J & J's Mum]

Hiya,

That's great thank you. 

He's is a totally different eater when he's not cutting a tooth. 

He is a fussy eater though and I know it's all down to me.  In the past when he hasn't eaten anything I have offered him another choice, which he now plays on!!  I'm working on it though!!

Rachel
x

[Ennypen]

Rachel in that case ... just relax xxxx

Do you use Ashton and Parsons Teething Powders.. they do wonders for teething tummies xxx