Feeding

[Flynn]

My 21mth old will only feed himself breakfast and certain meals at lunch. I have tried encouragement and praise, walking out of the room and leaving him every mealtime is a battle to get him to eat. i ususally end up feeding him myself and that is still difficult. Has anyone any ideas?

[james030405]

Sorry you're having trouble  Do you do finger foods for him?  Maybe you could try things like little sandwiches, soft fruit, veges, cheese etc or if you can handle the mess, things like baked beans, spaghetti etc that he can pick up with his hands.  Forget about the fork and spoon for the moment and see if finger goods might encourage him to feed himself and then you could gradually introduce the utensils again.  Even things like little meatballs, rice etc.  As long as you are with him so there are no chocking hazards.  Is he comfortable where he eating?  Is he still in a highchair?  If so, maybe he would like to sit at a table with you?  does he eat at the same time as you?  He might like to sit at the "big table" and eat with mum and dad.  if it continues, maybe you have to look at the times he is eating.  Do you still give him breakfast/lunch and dinner at exactly the same time?  Maybe he is not hungry and you might have to adjust the time he wants something to eat. 

Anyway, I hope these things might help you. 

Lisa

[Flynn]

Thanks for the advice. He has been feeding himself with a spoon since he was about 9mths and all of a sudden he is being fussy. He will still feed himself the food he really likes and is easy to eat i.e beans or fish and mash potato and also any pasta but other things he just screams as soon as I put it in front of him. He will eat toast but not sandwiches. He is quite fussy about having his hands dirty and wont pick up bread if there is too much butter on it,also any spills on his hands and he wipes them straight away!! I have tried splitting the sandwich so he can see the filling and that just makes it worse!!! He sits in a high chair to eat but it is at the table with us. I have adjusted his mealtimes e.g smaller breakfast and smaller lunch then later tea, no change!! I am worried that I am making him worse in some way by pressing the issue, but I feel that if I just accept that he won't eat then he will be waking up in the night hungry and it will also allow him to think he can refuse anything and then the situation will become worse. Should I introduce new meals in the hope that he gets interested again or should I just persevere with the ones he is cureenlty refusing?

Flynn