Author Topic: Tell me I haven't created a bad habit....  (Read 2119 times)

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Offline jessmum46

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Tell me I haven't created a bad habit....
« on: December 11, 2012, 12:09:33 pm »
J is normally a great eater - but last 2-3 weeks she has had molars coming through, a sickness/diarrhoea bug and now a cough and cold, and has been refusing pretty much all 'main course' options I offer.  She will occasionally take a bite or two, then sign 'enough' and gets very upset if I try to offer more.  She will however happily eat cheese, raisins, yoghurt, fruit and cereals.  I've never wanted food to become a big issue so if she's clear she doesn't want any more, I've been taking it away and offering fruit or yoghurt as I would normally after her first course.  Part of me says this is normal because she's still not 100%, but just a little worried that I'm reinforcing the refusals and creating a bad habit......tell me I'm doing the right thing?

Offline Buttonbobs

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Re: Tell me I haven't created a bad habit....
« Reply #1 on: December 11, 2012, 12:21:40 pm »
Katherine, I don't think there is any harm in what you are doing so long as you still offer her the main course too to keep giving her access to lots of variety. Shortly before E turned 1 year she started refusing to eat anything but cereals, toast, yoghurt & fruit and after posting I think it was creations who advised that there is often a fussy phase around the 1 year point as LOs become more mobile. There is a theory that LOs go more for foods they feel are "safe" during this time and that historically this was a survival mechanism to prevent LOs wandering away from mum and eating something poisonous iykwim.

And I'm sure teething plays a part in food fussiness.

Try not to worry about it if you can (easier said than done I know) & keep doing what you are. After all, you can hardly ignore a signal as clear as "enough".
~ Naomi ~




Offline jessmum46

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Re: Tell me I haven't created a bad habit....
« Reply #2 on: December 11, 2012, 12:30:01 pm »
Thanks Naomi :) really appreciate knowing that hopefully its just another of those phases - is E eating well now?  I love that she has started to sign - it's new in the last couple of weeks.  She even did it after finishing her BF this morning - cute! 

Offline Papaya

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Re: Tell me I haven't created a bad habit....
« Reply #3 on: December 11, 2012, 12:31:42 pm »
I agree :) If you would normally offer the fruit or yoghurt after the main course anyway, then I would continue to do that - I do the same with F. Sometimes she eats a MOUNTAIN of rice, pasta etc and THEN a whole mango; but on occasion it's just the mango. But I wouldn't offer more than you usually would - unless maybe you know her teeth are really sore (or her throat) and yoghurt and bananas are all she can manage! When F is badly teething, I occasionally do make what I know she will eat somehow part of the main - banana on toast for tea, for example :) 

And yay for the signing! 

*Nuala*










Offline Buttonbobs

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Re: Tell me I haven't created a bad habit....
« Reply #4 on: December 11, 2012, 13:05:01 pm »
Well done with the signing J! E loved the signing classes but hasn't signed yet and now she's got some words she's less keen on the signing :(

Yes, she's eating much better again now, the phase passed. Although not the last couple of days as she has a nasty chest infection...but apart from that all fine and back to normal eating wise.
~ Naomi ~




Offline eva026

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Re: Tell me I haven't created a bad habit....
« Reply #5 on: December 12, 2012, 09:02:15 am »
Sorry to hop on here but what you wrote about creating a bad habit got me thinking.
DD does that at least 2/3 meals, she'll take a few bites and then push the rest away. I've been offering her bits of other things instead, like if she refuses cereal and fruit in the am, I give her toast or egg or a pancake instead.
Should I be doing this or am I creating a fussy eater?





Offline TracyP21

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Re: Tell me I haven't created a bad habit....
« Reply #6 on: February 26, 2013, 08:43:53 am »

Hi, this post was reassuring to read as my nearly 13 DS has started to refuse his main dinner (veges/meat).  He eats breakfast no problem, lunch is usually yoghurt/custard and finger food.  Dinner is some finger food but as soon as the bowl and spoon with dinner comes his way he starts to cry but will eat some while crying (which is horrible for me to watch).  If I gave him yoghurt as second course not a problem it is polished off.  I tried veges/meat at lunch and got the same reaction.
So this could be a fussy phase or teeth (cutting at the moment).
I just keep offering the food in the hope that some goes in.

Offline jessmum46

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Re: Tell me I haven't created a bad habit....
« Reply #7 on: February 26, 2013, 11:01:56 am »
It could well just be a fussy phase, although I've noticed J will now do this when she actually wants to be more independent and feed herself.  She sometimes will point blank refuse it from me, but if I load the spoon and then let her pick it up and feed herself, she is usually much happier.  Worth a go?

Offline Buttonbobs

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Re: Tell me I haven't created a bad habit....
« Reply #8 on: February 26, 2013, 13:34:29 pm »
Tracy - glad to hear this was reassuring. I agree with Katherine that it could be a desire to eat more independently and it's definitely worth a try. It's fun watching them enjoy making a mess in any case ;)
~ Naomi ~




Offline TracyP21

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Re: Tell me I haven't created a bad habit....
« Reply #9 on: February 26, 2013, 21:56:24 pm »

Agree - I will give this a go.  Though we have a cold now (sigh) so it might only be yoghurt for the next few days (its his go-to food).