Toddlers and fussy eating (merged)

Lola23

Hi

Just been checking to see how you are getting on.

You do get there and you are doing a grand job.

You are getting lots support here and I think it's great so many people write with help and suggestions.

Wish MSE had been here when mine were wee.

Take care.

:j

nearlyrich

I am shocked that your little one has got to 1 already! He looks lovely on your avatar;) and I am sure he will not allow himself to starve.:rotfl:

daisyH_2

Got to agree with all the other great advice people are giving - my little darling is 15 months and was a nightmare to feed around the same sort of time. It sounds trite, but the best thing that worked was relaxing - I gave her more snacks during the day so I wasn't worrying about food intake, smaller portions of main meals, so she wasn't climbing a mountain, bought the Finger Foods book recommended by someone else, and plonked the highchair in front of Cbeebies, trying to make meals less of a big deal. I also tried to always have something to eat with her. She's now loads better, although still has her moments. She absolutely refuses to be fed ANYTHING with a spoon, and can't do spoons herself, so she eats everything with fingers, including weetabix and yoghurt. If he likes it, little pasta with sauces works well - she adores bolognese sauce with mini-shells and will eat that if all else fails. Chicken with cornflakes (Annabel Karmel recipe) is great too - strips of chicken, dipped in egg then into scrunched up cornflakes and fried quickly (with, oh the treat, tomato sauce). She loves it when she won't eat chicken in any other form! I always do pudding too, so there's a chance she'll eat that if she's bored of main course. Rice puddings are always a winner.

Good luck - stick with it and just keep telling yourself that no child will actually starve themselves.

chivers1977

I thought that as you had updated your avatar, I would too!

bloomin_freezing

Hi

Excuse me if this becomes longer than I had planned....

My 18 month old daughter is such a fussy eater, and its getting worse. Currently there are about a dozen things she'll eat but thats all. Now you might think that a diet of a dozen differnt things for a baby her age is ok but she's started to refuse certain things from this list too. She'll eat toast, weetabix, cheese, a couple of slices of cucumber and raw carrot. Sausages, yorkshire pud, occasionally fish fingers and chicken dippers (yes I know they're not ideal but its food!), she was eating waffles (potato) but has now decided she doesn't like them. Fromage frais are usually a hit, but no variation is allowed, by this I mean she won't touch mousse, rice pudding from a pot.....

She has been pretty picky since birth, well weaning, and it has always worried me. Her height and weight are fine and she is developing brilliantly for a toddler her age, she's always been ahead of other kids her age apart from this food business.

I have taken her to see health advisor who suggested I feed her less for breakfast so she'll be more hungry for her dinner. She only used to have a slice of toast or one weetabix with her milk for breakfast so hardly much but I went along with this for a week, it made no differrence. She still has no interest.

She is obviously too young to be able to tell me what she does want but i'm starting to lose it a bit (not with her, i'm just taring my hair out). She won't even taste new foods she just shakes her head at them. I know it can take 10 or 20 times for a child to eat something new when they have always up until that point refused and I am offering food which is 'different' on a regular basis in the hope that she'll eat it eventually but she isn't.

Can somebody please reassure me that this is only a phase (a very long one mind you) if she's not careful she'll end up looking like a chiken dipper soon!

Any suggestions/advice will be gratefully received.

june1970_2

it sounds harsh but if my kids would not eat their food they went without, after a few days of going to bed with no tea they started to eat their teas.

lottee

I agree with june, yes it does sound harsh, but if my DS refused food, then he just went without.
She may be a little young, but have you tried to get her involved in helping preparing snacks/dinner. I know she won't be able to dice the onions & carrots! lol ! But even stood on a stool as to be able to see what you're doing/passing you things.
Maybe speak to your health advisor again, not too sure if they could advise any further perhaps?
Hate to say it, but when my son hit 18 months, 'terrible twos' set in, a little too early for my liking! So it may get tougher before it gets easier, bless ya x

newcook

Im another who agrees with June. don't forget you are the adult and know what is best!!!
I'm sure it is just a phase - my mom tells me I went through a phase of only wanting either strawberry jam sandwiches or lemon curd sandwiches. I think they got me out of that by everyone making extra yummy noises at tea time and obviously if their tea was nicer than mine then I wanted what they had!!!

chewy62

I wouldn't worry at all, as long as she's eating something, that's great!
My 2YO wnet through same at 18months, would only eat spaghetti hoops and toast! But now he gradually seems to be trying things again and getting an appetite back.he actually took a banana off me and ate the lot which I was thrilled about! But today he won't touch one, I think they are all odd creatures!
I have never forced my kids to eat anything and if I find meals that are healthy and that they like, that's what they get! I try the odd new thing but I make sure and not worry about it anymore, after all it's only food!

Jet

I totally agree with everyone else. Don't be held to ransom by a toddler over food! Don't justify it by telling yourself "well, she needs to eat something, so I'll let her eat rubbish". toddlers need very little food to thrive, so be the parent, and don't be given the run around. :rolleyes:

My little boys friend's Mum used to take Sausage and chips to nursery everyday as it "was the only thing he would eat" and now he is nearly 9 years old and the fussiest eater I have ever met. They can't even eat out in a restaurant - and the Mum moans to me about his eating habits! But it's not the boy's fault, it's the parent for allowing it to get to this stage.

BTW, this is the same boy that has a packet of biscuits dunked in a mug of tea every morning for breakfast. Grrrrrr. :mad:

OP - it will be a phase she will grow out of as long as you don't encourage it to go on longer than it should.