Support thread for moms of picky eaters - Part 2

[Jiinx]

what are veggie straws, Kar?

We're just trudging along. She's so picky. I don't even know if it's called picky or she's just not into eating. *shrug*

[~Sara~]

*hugs* Sarah!

We're still same ol', same ol' here.  I feel less stressed than I did just a few days ago bc DH and I have decided to do one recipe a week that's just for us...and if Aaron tries it, great.  If not, no biggie.  LOL, I think this will work...I'm just tired of being stressed out over this all the time.

[Mom to M&M]

Veggie straws are basically "healthy" chips/snacks made from veggie powders and potatoes. Really yummy but not much nutritional value!

Sarah - could she have any other food intolerances that are affecting her eating and/or appetite? Have her iron levels been checked? HUGS

Sara - I think that's a great idea - keep us posted!

BAD teething here. Top left eye tooth almost through and bottom right close behind. Totally affecting his eating. But still better than it had been for the most part. I too have stopped stressing about it as much. It still bothers me but I'n hoping one day it changes...

[Jiinx]

oh! Those are yummy! I had some at my ILs place and my daughter inhaled a whole bowl of them.

I don't know of any other intolerances that she may have. She's usually happy for the most part and her poos aren't stringy....

can't wait until she talks

teething vibes for you dear..

[Sam-n-Max's Mommy]

I too am trying not to stress about the eating as much.  I can't anymore because I am driving myself crazy. FX that our picky eater get more adventurous sometime soon!

Karen - sorry about the teething. We're in the same boat over here.  Ugh!

[Mom to M&M]

Teething really does STINK! But on an amusing (and healthy) note, Matthew is currently enjoying some roasted/lightly salted pistachio nuts with me. First time he's had them and keeps yumming them and wanting more. Good thing it's almonds he is intolerant of (and somewhat with peanuts too) - pistachios were fine on that test for him!

[~inbalance~]

*tiptoeing in* Can I join you?  F is officially a toddler, and I think he is officially picky.    He has never been one to eat a lot, but at least previously he would eat something.  Now it's almost nothing.  He just throws it all at me.    I thought if I cut back on his milk he'd eat more solids, but that hasn't been the case and now I am tempted to give him milk just so he is getting something, kwim?

This is new territory for me.  T was not particularly picky.  He wasn't one to eat with gusto, but at least he ate.

Actually they are both picky at the moment.    *sigh*  I've never been one to stress out about my LO's eating habits as I knew that they were eating healthy stuff even if it was in small amounts, and over the course of a week they were doing pretty good.  But now it's just ridiculous.

[Jiinx]

welcome Martina..

ah the world of toddler eating Nothing stresses me more (has to be something!)..I'm definitely not one to suggest anything bc I'm still clueless. My daughter is falling further below the average curve..she doesn't even hit it. I think I just agree with the saying they'll eat when they're hungry..I am guilty of making a couple of things for lunch just so she eats something. As long as they're eating well throughout the week..I wouldn't worry?

[Mom to M&M]

Welcome Martina (though sorry you have to be here)! My Matthew started getting really picky right about F's age - before then he would eat pretty well and it was so nice! Then things got worse around 13 months, even worse around 15-18 months and have slooowwwwwlllllyyyyy started getting better (though it's still MILES from respectable).

Does F have any food intolerances? Low iron? Both of those things were at play for us and cutting dairy out of his diet and adding an iron supplement (he was mildly anemic) have helped some (low iron can lead to low appetite). But almost every night I have to make him a separate meal from us, or at least something modified.

What foods does he like? Does it help at all if he sees his brother eating something?

HUGS

[Sam-n-Max's Mommy]

(((Hugs)))), Martina.  I feel your pain! I have gone through the whole should I give him more milk (well he's on formula because he has had a little trouble digesting cow's milk at the moment) to compensate.  I too tried cutting back so that he'd eat more solids and it has helped a little bit, but not always.  It doesn't help with what he will actually try.  He eats the same foods almost every day and it has driven me nuts.  

I was so ecstatic over the weekend because he tried a few new things and liked them.  And he actually picked up some pieces of fruit and put them in his mouth.  He spit them right out, but I was happy that he even tried it.  Come Monday, however, the foods that he tried over the weekend and liked, were disgusting to him LOL.  

I have noticed that he is more willing to try new things when we are out to eat.  So I told DH we need to start eating out like 3 meals a day LOL.  I think it is because he is more distracted and will just pick things up and put them in his mouth and isn't really paying attention.

I'm not much help because I haven't made much progress on the pickiness, but I will tell you that there will come a point that you will just say whatever and not stress about it.  I got to that point about 2 weeks ago when DS decided that the ONLY thing he would eat was cheese.  He would hold out, throw his food, and yell until I gave it to him.  He got over it in a few days, but at that point I decided there is nothing I can do but offer him healthy options. (And I thought I was very close to losing my mind!)  I never thought I would stop stressing about what he eats, but I did (more or less).  I've told the doctor what he eats and he doesn't seem concerned, so I am trying not to be.

Sarah - I am guilty of making a few things at mealtimes too- just to make sure there is something that he likes.  My ped told me absolutely not to do that (as well as not to offer a few different purees if he's rejected one he usually likes), but I still do. I've gotten better with not offering him a different puree if he rejects one, but I do still put quite a few different things on his tray and cross my fingers..

[~inbalance~]

I'm not sure where F sits weight wise at the moment (will find out on Friday), but I know he is pretty tiny.  T is tiny too though, as am I.  I offer him different things too but still nothing.  I thought maybe he was tired of the same old stuff, but it doesn't seem to really matter what I make, and I'm running out of ideas anyway.

We thought F was mildly MPI when he was younger and I eliminated dairy from my diet.  He did seem to outgrow that around 9mos and now eats food with dairy in it with no problems that I can see.  We have been trying a bit of cow's milk recently, again I can't say there have been any problems with it but I decided to stop it for now since we have also been dealing with teething and reflux med weaning, and that was just too much going on at once. 

I'm sure he is teething which probably contributes to the pickiness. 

He seems like like chicken fingers, like the frozen store bought ones, but I don't like to offer them too much.  I was all excited a few weeks ago because he was going nuts for scrambled eggs, but now he is throwing those too.   There are some things he will munch on, but not enough to make a meal out of.  For example he will happily eat a piece of cheese or two, but that's it.  He used to eat some vegetables but doesn't seem to want any these days.  He doesn't like pasta.  Sometimes he'll eat a bit of chicken but not beef.  He doesn't really care for bread.  He will eat some fruit at least.

I'm tired of having food thrown at me!!

T likes all sorts of things but just isn't eating much atm.  

[Keira]

Hello!  Does anyone know if Tracy had any advice on this whole picky-eating toddler situation?  I don't remember her mentioning it in her books.  I offer a variety of foods at each meal and the result is DD will eat the starches (pasta, rice, bread) and leave the rest.  She'd rather starve than eat something other than a starch.  I'm at a total loss.

[~Sara~]

*hugs* Martina...like Karen said: welcome, but wish you didn't have to be here, too.  It sounds like you're offering F a lot of variety, so I'd just keep offering it and one day (fingers crossed) it will go into the mouth instead of across the room at you.  I don't think you're NOT doing something that would make it all work, iykwim.

I've gone back and forth over the whole "Do I make him something else if he won't eat?"  And my thought is, "Yes."  For now, anyways, until he's old enough that we can negotiate.  Like, please eat one bite of x (would love it to be a veggie), and then you can have some more of y (whatever he really likes at that meal, never with a dessert type item).  He's not there yet, so, I continue to offer different things.  May not be very BWer of me, but it's not a battle I'm picking right now.  Will be changing my tune in the future, I'm sure  But, he's not even 2...almost...and there's a lot of ground to cover in the meantime.

I was looking at his height/weight...he's 90%ile for height, below 50%ile for weight.  His weight gain has REALLY slowed down lately, as he used to be close to 75th.  He's really skinny and has no baby fat left on him.  I guess that's okay?  His 2-yr wellness check-up is in a couple of weeks, so DH will talk to the ped about it all then.

[~Sara~]

Hello!  Does anyone know if Tracy had any advice on this whole picky-eating toddler situation?  I don't remember her mentioning it in her books.

I'll check TBWSAYP, but I can't remember...it's been a while since I've read the books.  I think what you're doing is great, just keep offering.  DS won't eat any veggies, but we always put them on his plate and tell him it's yummy.

[Mom to M&M]

Keira, ITA with Sara!

Martina - my DS went off scrambled eggs at that time and sadly hasn't added them back in (though my SIL had success at that age by stabbing bites of them on a toddler fork and letting her LO self feed that way). I only get eggs in DS by making challah french toast with double egg - he LOVES that! As for the chicken fingers, you can make them super healthy at home - cut up boneless skinless chicken breasts (maybe pound them first so thinner and softer?) and dip first in flour seasoned with salt and pepper, then egg then crushed cornflakes (or breadcrumbs) and then pan fry and/or bake.

Sara - I too offer my DS something else but usually only one other option and then I stop there.

Have to dash but thought it might be helpful in terms of ideas if we all post what our LOs DO like to eat? I can come back with that later!