Hi, perhaps this is just teething related (has several molars and bottom front teeth all coming through at once!) but our little man has been getting really upset at mealtimes for the past 3 weeks and refusing to even taste many of his meals. He gets really excited when I say it's dinner time and can't wait to get in his high chair but as soon as I put the plate of food in front of him, he takes one look and bursts into tears. Often he will continue to cry for over an hour, no matter what I do. I've never forced food on him, I try to be chilled about it so it doesn't become a big deal but to no avail. I've tried offering alternative options, fruit (which he'll occasionally take but not always) and I've tried getting him down and telling him it's ok, he doesn't have to eat if he doesn't want to. Nothing makes a difference and when he gets like this, he only wants me to hold him and walk around with him. No sitting down, no playing and even the slightest offer of more food makes him get hysterical. He does however go to the snack cupboard and say "snack! snack!" but although we only have healthy snacks in the cupboard, I don't want him to think i's ok to just live on oatcakes and raisins and never even taste the meals I make him.
He's usually a good eater but this has been going on for 3 weeks. Today he only ate 2 mouthfulls of breakfast, no lunch and a handful of melon for supper and he cried for an hour at each mealtime. The only way to cheer him up is to go out somewhere and distract him. We've spent a lot of time at the playground! I've even tried packing his refused meal up and taking it with us for a picnic which he usually loves but same thing happens. He gets really excited at the prospect of a picnic, then when he sees the food, he just melts down all over again and eats nothing. I cook him a wide variety of food and he's even reusing some of his favourites too.
Do you think this is teething related, i.e. should we just ride it out best we can until we're out the other side, or could this be the onset of toddlerhood? I'm a little worried that he's made the developmental leap of understanding that there are other food options in the house (snack food!) and would prefer to just eat oatcakes 3 times a day, therefore kicking up a fuss to get his own way?? Not sure at 18 months as he's still on the shoulder between baby and toddler. Unfortunately he's too young to tell me effectively what he really wants so it's often hard to know the real reason behind the tantrums.
It's so sad seeing him so upset every day, he's usually such a jolly little man and a great eater
and frustrating when I can't find a way to help!
Arrrg! Any ideas??
Thanks! xxx
