storing food in her cheeks

[FiThomson]

Hello

I have a new eating issue with my LO who is 21 months.  She has been a bit of a fussy eater for about six months now but has eaten the things she likes (the few there are!) well.  About 2 weeks ago I noticed that she has started storing her food in her cheeks like a little hamster.  I wondered if it was because she was putting too much in (I admit there have been times when a meal has been a struggle and I have cajoled 'just one more for mummy!') but I have stopped doing this and have been making sure not too much goes in at once.  She does it with little bits of food she loves too - she held a chewed up single grape in her mouth for 20 minutes tonight.  I was hoping if I ignored it she would swallow it or get rid of it but no, 20 minutes later I had to go in an sweep it out.  At most meals now she will eat no more than 5 spoonfuls before she just refuses to swallow anymore. 

Is this just a phase?  is there anything I should do to try and overcome it? Meals are becoming more and more of a battle and it is a battle I seem to be losing!

Thanks

Fiona

[Colin Macs Mom]

Colin did the same thing, for a very long time. Actually it's only been recently that he stopped. He absolutely would not chew or swallow unless his mouth was crammed as full as possible. I just ignored it unless he was eating something that was dangerous for him to do that with. Then I would only give him a reasonable mouthful at a time, and once he ate it I'd give the next mouthful, etc.

He still holds water in his mouth though - no idea why 

[Hunter & Sithia's mom]

Hunter is 3 and we catch him doing that too.  Especially with raw hard foods like carrot or potato (thanks to MIL), as well as water.  It took DH and I 2 hrs once to get him to swallow a bite of carrot that he was holding in his cheek.  He wanted to spit it out near the end, but we felt that at this stage if we allow that, he'll keep doing it.  So, we made him swallow it ... eventually.  For the most part though, like Jessica said, we ignored it unless it was a dangerous food, like grapes etc.

Beth