15 months old spits all her food. How can I get my lo to swallow her food?

[v_hirth]

My lo has always been an extremely fussy and picky eater. The only thing she really likes eating is chocolate, and THAT she won't spit out. Everything else I offer her she spits out -  bread, rice, beans, pasta, chicken, vegetables, etc. She kind of likes beet but she accepts, chews a little bit and spits it out. I've been giving her vitamins since she was a little baby but her appetite has never been really good. She used to swallow puree but now she spits that out too.
Any ideas? She weighs only 18 pounds at 15 months.
Thank you!
Veronica

[dkjokisch]

I wouldn't worry so much about the weight as with developing good eating habits.  Dd prob weighed about the same at 18mos.  She just hit 20lbs at about 20mos.  Weight aside, we made a conscious decision at about 14mos to teach her good eating habits.  We put healthy food in front of her and do not offer junk food or desserts unless she has eaten a decent meal.  I actually find that offering too many sweets (as my mom did offering dessert for every meal last spring when we visited) prompts her to reject her proper meals as she comes to know there are sweets to follow.

That is not to say I don't maximize every calorie I offer.  I make her oatmeal with milk, put cream cheese on bagels and bread, etc.  I buy the highest fat dairy products I can find for her.  She's never had juice, and I think that helps keep her milk intake up.

I make dd kid-friendly stuff for breakfast and lunch, then serve her the same meal dh and I have for dinner.  If she chooses not to eat, that's fine.  It usually just means she has a better breakfast the next day.

Can you give an idea of what a typical day is like for her, food-wise? snacks and meals? what you offered and what she ate?

[EmMUK74]

do you eat with her?  DD used to do this and then I started eating with her and she copied how I ate and everything is much better now

hth