HELP! Need ideas to get Toddler to eat Again...

[squeakersmum]

So lunch yesterday was pretty good but dinner a bust. What about if you were to switch them round?? I know you were saying about lunch foods being for lunch but if you tried him with his dinner foods at lunch time and went with grilled cheese or the like (yay for the bit of meat by the way) at dinner you might not get the hunger NWs. But infuses that would be a huge pain with the cooking aspect of it.

Maybe a way to try the newer stuff is to do it on the run. Arrange to be on an errand or shopping etc give him the new food in a little pot - And let him get on with it. The distraction might be enough for him to at least try it.

[Jiinx]

hmm..I'm lurking..but Steph reminded me of something I've noticed with my daughter. She tends to eat in her car seat. I can't give her rice or anything messy but I've noticed she will eat food that she can hold her hand onto - like a kebab, or pieces of chicken that I can bend over and give to her. Messy a bit and a hassle but if I'm on my way home from someplace that she didn't eat at...then it usually works. Maybe?

sarah

[Mom to M&M]

So just realizing that part of the loss of appetite, for now, might be from shots. He had his first Hep B and a polio booster on Monday. Loss of appetite are a side effect for both, as well as irritability (check), headache, slight sore throat... After that night and EW he STILL only drank 3 ounces and hasn't shown signs of hunger yet at a little past 7 (making oatmeal pancakes as planned though).

Problem with that, Steph is that (1) DD then complains about why she is eating fish or meat or whatever and he is getting GC, etc AND (2) he doesn't want those foods at lunch either - I've tried! And since I'd eventually like to get him eating family dinners - at least some part of them, I'm not keen to go that route.

I actually don't have a problem with eating on the run either - but even then he only wants familiar things like a banana, crackers, sometimes french toast, etc. But again, will keep trying... In fact I'm going to for a 2.5 mile walk with him in stroller after DD's bus comes so if he doesn't eat breakfast will bring the pancakes and a banana with me.

I really don't mean to dismiss anyone's ideas - believe, I appreciate and consider all of them and keep trying!

Today's meal plan is B: oatmeal pancakes; S: (if needed) banana; L: chicken nuggets and sweet potato fries; S: ?? and D: pasta bolognese

[squeakersmum]

Maybe ignore pm snack time and offer cold chk nuggets or potato fries if he doesn't eat them at lunch. Poor thing - with the jabs! Hope he feels much better soon! X

[Mom to M&M]

Yes, that is what I will do if he refuses lunch, though guessing he may eat at least some of it. In which case do I offer a choice of banana (if he doesn't have it this morning) or a fruit/veg pouch? Dinner is usually about 5:30 - or at least that's when DD, DS and usually I eat (sometimes I wait for DH). Sometimes more like 5 or 5:15 depending.

As for the pancakes, they came out REALLY good (and healthy) if anyone wants the recipe! Maybe will post over on recipe swap. He did end up eating two small (silver dollar size - heavy TBSP of batter) pancakes. Then he ran away from the table to go play. Will bring 2 more pancakes with me, as well as a banana, on the walk this morning.

[koe2moe]

Since DS doesn't really eat what the rest of you eat anyways, why not just give him your dinner food at 4:30 or 5??  He's hungry and he will eat, hopefully!  If he lost his appetite due to the shots then it doesn't matter what you offer.  Does that make sense?  Last night when he woke, did he need you?  For us, if DS didn't eat enough dinner (as in stuffing himself with dinner and then 2 whole bananas and then 8oz milk), then we would get 2 NWs demanding bottles of at least 8oz each time.  If he had good dinner, then he would wake once.  That was the hell I went through. 

[Mom to M&M]

Koe, it's more just a logistical nightmare. DD doesn't want to eat that early and neither do I. But DH isn't usually home until 6:30/7 and she can't wait that long and I don't usually want to if I'm running that night. So if I give DS dinner 4:30 or so I'm cooking/preparing/heating up food 3 times!

Plus, I do want to ENCOURAGE him to eat what we are eating and keep hoping it will help if he seems Marisa (and to a lesser degree me) eating the same. It did seem to help a bit with the pancakes this morning.

He did not need me at 2am - just woke me up, cried a bit, then fussed and I think back to sleep relatively quickly. But by 5:45 this morning he was getting loud and angry LOL!

He was starving by 11 and tired and cranky. He had two baked chicken nuggets and six sweet potato fries, as well as big handful of strawberry/beet puffs (for him that's a feast). So am thinking might do the yogurt for banana choice for snack and the pasta bolognese for dinner along with a fruit/veg pouch?

[squeakersmum]

Could you get away with giving him a smaller snack - so just the yog - in the hope that he'll still be hungry enough come dinner time to have something? The banana seems to fill him up. Pasta bolognese is a real stand by here - DS loves the stuff!

[Mom to M&M]

Steph, I'd definitely prefer just the yogurt for snack. Ideally by 2:30/3 pm (he just fell asleep right before noon so will wake him at 2 if not up). The banana is more there just in case he won't eat anything else. But ideally he'd have the yogurt by 2:30 or so and then just some apple slices or puffs if he needs?

Matty "sometimes" loves pasta bolognese - you never know. Sometimes he feels it and then won't eat it! But the rest of us love it so I'm going to make up a batch and hope for the best. His with pinwheels, ours with whole wheat shells.

[koe2moe]

Koe, it's more just a logistical nightmare.

i'm still living this nightmare!!  so you're not alone! 

We had two 6am wake up.  DH was working till 2 and I still couldn't fall asleep by that time!!  aarrrghhhh... 

best of luck at dinner

[Mom to M&M]

Dinner ended up going well. He did have most of a yogurt and a tiny handful of goldfish (TINY) at 2:15/2:30. He was whining for food at 3:30/4 but refused the apple slices I offered. Rushed to get dinner ready for 5:15 instead of 5:30 - he was hungry but starting to get upset when he saw the pinweels/bolognese. Then he saw DD's plate of same bolognese but with whole wheat penne and started pointing at that. So I gave him some of that instead and he ate quite a good portion (and I made sure a nice amount of meat was inside the noodles). So guess he's off pinwheels for now and onto the penne! Fine with me - the rest of us prefer that and it was whole wheat to boot. I'm thinking maybe last week when he had pinwheels it turned him off - he'd been eating fine that time until he got one piece that was too hot?

So three good or decent meals today - unheard of! Guessing that means tomorrow will stink...

Now if only I could get him eating ANY fresh fruit again other than a banana sometimes (he used to LOVE blueberries, strawberries, grapes, apples, etc) and using a fork!

Koe - hope you get some sleep tonight!

[squeakersmum]

A great eating day! Well done, M!

Funny about the penne! At least you can fit more 'inside'.

I hope today is good too

[Mom to M&M]

Thanks Steph! Not sure what offering today - taking a night off and the rest of us getting deli sandwiches. Maybe will make him the grilled cheese/chicken? Though was thinking of doing that at lunch today.

Now need to get his EWs back under control. SO tired.

[koe2moe]

At least DS had a good night sleep.  He slept 11h50!  Not cranky this morning   But I woke up early myself to pee and couldn't go back to sleep.  Still better overall.

Give him grilled cheese, if he prefers yours, he will point!  

How are the EWs?  Do you think it needs some tweaking??  When he gets better sleep, he eats better, too.

[Mom to M&M]

Awesome night of sleep for your DS Koe! Too bad you couldn't take advantage as well. Darn bladders...

I'm thinking DS probably needs less day sleep. He's always been tricky - odd combination of low sleep needs but gets tired/cranky early. Going to try cutting nap to one hour 40 (instead of two hours) and see if that helps. Cause he NW at 10:30 and 3 something (didn't have to go in at either) and then up at 5:27, might have dozed another 10-15 after that.

Yea am thinking will offer soup and broccoli pancake and yogurt at lunch today and the grilled cheese/chicken at dinner. REALLY need fruit back! Maybe will go fork shopping with him this weekend too.

Also got some whole wheat crackers and whole wheat graham crackers - will try with a bit of PB on them at snack time maybe.