re. not eating - what would you do?

[zelda]

my 11.5 mo has recently become very picky.  today i wanted to give him something new, he didn't really like it.  so i had a back-up prepared, something that he had eaten and enjoyed before.  he didn't want that, either.  i grabbed some jarred food, again no.  this all wouldn't have bothered me so much except that he was obviously hungry.  i took him out of his chair and he followed me around whining and pulling on my leg.  so i made him his milk that he normally gets after lunch and gave it to him.

i really don't want to get into the habit of making him a million meals only for him to turn them down.  at the same time, i don't want to leave him hungry, either.  i know that he will always eat fruit, but i don't think only eating fruit and milk is a very balanced plan.  i also don't want to start making my back-up meal fruit in case he starts holding out for it.

what would you do?

[mcruari]

I'm certainly not an expert in this field but have had to overcome a few issues with my DD so here goes...
IT IS A PHASE AND WILL PASS. I know this sounds ridiculous but it is so true. I personally thought my DD would never eat again, but of course she is a helathy little girl. Try and offer him new things alongside things that he likes. I would however give him what he likes first. If he is as stubborn as my DD he'll refuse anything after not getting what he wants 
Just keep trying and do not force food on him as I did otherwise you really would have a problem on your hands.
I think if his weight is not a problem and he misses a few meals, do not worry. I hate it when my DD doesn't eat but I think it is worse to carry on offering and stressing them out with different options. I never had a back-up meal

HTH

Sinead

[AGS Mom]

My ds is 13 months and suddenly cut back on eating at around 11 months (which is apparently normal).  He had a couple of days where he ate only a few bites throughout the day as well as liquids.  I was very worried, but he went back to eating a few days later--if they are hungry they will eat! 
Sometimes teething causes a loss in appetite?  My son also gave up baby food completely at 12 months and was very ready for grown up food.
Hope that helps!!

[Ruggie]

DS did something very similiar at around 12 month.
He refused whatever I feed him and would only eat what he feed himself (which isn't alot). I offered him alternatives, but soon realized its not the food.
Like you I was very concern about his diet, but alot of moms from here told me it was a passing stage so I just let him be and didn't fight or make a fuss over it. When he lost interest and sign that he have had enough (even if its only 5 peices of pasta) I take him down from his high chair. I would try again about 15 min later sometimes it worked and he eat a bit more, sometimes it didnt.
He lost 1 kg in the process, but went back to his usual self about 3 weeks later. Things are well again and he has gain back his weight, plus he is now very good at feeding himself:)

Apparently they all go through his at around 12 month. Hope that helps

[zelda]

maybe it's the point where their growth rate slows down and they don't need as much food.  at any rate, it is already a bit better and it is pretty irrational of me to worry anyways as his weight has never been a problem.  i am giving him two food choices plus his milk at every meal and letting him eat however much he wants.

he is also showing  A LOT more interest in chunkier foods and less in purees, i wonder if this is the outcome of a developmental spurt of some sort.

thank you for your replies, i feel very reassured.

[sarahj]

hi i have a 2 yo he refuses everything. i was told it takes them 15 times of trying somthing to like it just dont back down keep on giving it to him its better to get on top of it now while he is younge enough. because i gave in to him he wont even put things to his mouth no fruit no veg what so ever. sarahj mum of sam

[notenoughshelfspace]

My thirteen month old has lately become very fussy; actually when she is in the mood she will eat pretty much anything but it is a struggle to get the first mouthful in; I have a whole bags of tricks which I feel I must use to get her to eat; e.g. eating a mouthful muself, putting it on a fork for her etc..... Othertimes she has no interest, even i her favourites. I find it very frustrating and actually upsetting because I make all the food myself and I know I shouldn't but I feel like it is personal. I hope she will grow out of it, what scares me is the thread with 2.5 year olds that are still not eating..............

[zelda]

now i just usually offer him what i have made, let him eat what he wants (or not!), and give him his milk afterwards.  we have mostly stopped stressing about it and life is easier, although i admit it is a little frustrating when a meal that i have spent time preparing is outright rejected.  i have noticed that he has fallen into a two-day pattern of eating a lot on one day and almost nothing the next so we're going with that right now.

sometimes he is more willing to eat if he can hold his own fork or spoon, but i can never persuade him to eat.  lo has some very clear 'no' and 'no more' body language and when he pulls those out, the meal is over.  he turns his whole body away or pushes his plate away when he is finished.   

if he has eaten poorly all day, i tend to make him a 'favourites-only' dinner so he can fall asleep with a full stomach.

[notenoughshelfspace]

I tired doing the favourites thing as well but when she is not eating, she does not eat anything. I made her her favourite for lunch ( lentil soup) she totally refused it and instead ate one piece of bread with the smallest amount of of cream cheese and four blueberries; I also managed to squeeze in about 4 spoonfuls of the soup. Is that normal?

[zelda]

oh, yes, we have been there.  totally normal.  it really used to upset me but lo has worn me down.

lo is exactly the same, sometimes even rejects his favourites.  when he was about 12mo, he would just go days with only the odd bite of food here and there.  but lately i have been lucky with green grapes, homemade veggie muffins and pasta.  and he always, always drinks his milk, so that's something.

i think (and i fully admit i have no experience here whatsoever) the key to growing a good eater is just to keep offering different foods along with the old standbys and once in a while hauling up the old rejects again.  beyond that, you get what you get.  i'm also afraid of 'the picky toddler', but what can you do besides the obvious?  there are tons of moms here who try so hard with their meal plans and offer great food to their kids - and some get picky eaters and some not.  who knows?

[sarahj]

pepole always say he wont go hungry but i am afraid won't know when he is he has never been a child that crys for food he wont drink milk .my friend gave him a sandwich once and he was sick all over it wasn't in his mouth long enough to taste it. the one thing he will eat is Indian curry and rice he loves it.