2 year old being fussy

threemuttleys

DS up til the last 2 months or so, had been a good eater. Even if he didnt like something, he would at least pick it up and have a go (baby led weaning)

BUT, the last 8 weeks or so, he has not been eating anything. (Bar, bread, pasta, rice, sweets, biscuits) He is drinking normally, and t'other end is regular enough.

Oh and I had a chat last night, and we have decided to go down the "if you dont eat it, you will get nothing (lunch) piece of fruit (dinner) route")

Am I going about this the right way?

Jox

I don't have kids but would be inclined just to let him eat what he wants but to make sure that he sees you eating a variety of foods and make a bit of a production about how yummy your food is and it might tempt him??

But I don't have kids so don't listen to me

pawsies

Rather than punishing I think you need to look for the cause.

Has he had a fright whilst eating certain foods and now thinks those foods are scary?
What do you do when he doesn't eat? Could be a form of attention seeking.

I would possibly offer him the good food, he doesn't eat it then I wouldn't give him the sweets/biscuits as he seems to have realised that he'll get the 'good stuff' if he doesn't eat the real good stuff?

threemuttleys

I dont do punishing for not eating, but we do use loads of praise when a new item is tried (not ott tho)

No fright that I know of. When he doesnt eat, we generally dont do or say anything. We always have meals at the table, and include him in convos about the day etc.

I dont tend to give loads of sweet things (incase anyone is wondering)

Jox

My 18 month old nephew sometimes doesn't want to eat and me and my mum pretended to feed a doll some food and he wanted some then.

It can be worrying and exhausting getting a child to eat!

I made my nephew a banana and strawberry smoothie and he drank it with a straw. He would never have eaten a whole banana and 5 strawberries but he drank it happily enough!

newcook

My mom said I went through a similar strange phase – I went from eating pretty much anything to only eating jam sandwiches! Apparently it lasted about 2 months – she got that worried about me that she took me to the doctors who told her ‘if that’s what she wants and she is still eating it, then let her have it – she will soon get bored’!
Mom also tried ‘if you don’t eat what you get given…’ but after 2 days of me not eating she caved and gave me my jam sarnie!

Funnily enough though, these days Im not a fan of jam at all!!


I agree with Pawsie - dont give the sweets/biscuits etc

threemuttleys

Oh, we have no issue with bananas :-) he would eat 2 of those in a go!

Most fruits he will eat, every pasta under the sun too...plus cheese.

newcook

if he is still eating loads of fruit etc and will eat different pasta's I would leave him be for now - unless he starts refusing those!

could you mix things into the pasta such as bolognaise sauce?

Raksha

so long as he's active, sleeping well, doing good poos (which are 'normal' for him) and drinking well, I wouldn't worry. IMHO kids appetites do fluctuate and making a fuss about it and especially giving some foods a higher 'value' by making them rewards is the way to easting issues in later life.

charlieann

Mine went through simular at that age.
Would only eat certain foods after previously eating anything given. We always made him a meal of what we knew he would eat, with some of what everyone else was having on the side.
We ate at my mum's house and he had food previously refused when I cooked it. Got him involved in choosing the meal and preparing it (putting veg in empty pan etc) and he now eats anything again.
He should still be drinking plenty of milk at that age also.

See your health visitor if your concerned though.

threemuttleys

newcook wrote: »

if he is still eating loads of fruit etc and will eat different pasta's I would leave him be for now - unless he starts refusing those!

could you mix things into the pasta such as bolognaise sauce?

I do, but then he picks out the pasta :cool: