11 month old won't eat, slowly being drove crazy!!!

[kellie_w]

Hi ladies, can anyone relate to this, is this a phase?! My lo won't eat, has been like this just over a month. I have tried everything, mashed or puree food gets spat out after 6 mouthfuls, finger food gets thrown on the floor. Every meal time is a stressful struggle except breakfast where ready Brek goes down a treat. I just don't know what else to try, all he likes is yoghurt and fruit pots. Today he has eaten a portion of ready Brek, 1 fish finger, a fruit pot, 2 florets of broccoli, 2 of cauli, 4 slices of carrot, 1 tortellini, a pack of annabel karmel biscotti, a couple of pieces of dried pineapple and a petit filous. Hardly a decent amount of food! I'm worried as he is 1 in 15 days, and food will start to be more important than milk. He isn't teething and I now if he was hungry he would eat but I still feel he isn't eating no where near enough. please if anyone can suggest anything I would be really grateful

 

[Mrs Doddy]

that doesn't actually sound that bad hon, he has had veg, fish dairy and a bit of fruit

I can relate to the fussyness too- its really hard work isn't it

 

[kellie_w]

It really is! He weaned really easy, so I guess That's why I'm getting the trouble now! How long has your lo been fussy for? X

 

[OmarsMum]

Agree with PP, I also have a picky eater, it seems that your LO is having a balanced diet. Omar doesnt eat more than your Lo & he's almost 2 yrs.

He eats

Breakfast - baby cereals (he hates adults cereals) mixed with water or fresh mandarin juice + 1/2 piece of fruit or a fruit pot

Lunch - 2-3 tbsp of cooked food (a small piece of meat/chicken/fish + 1-2 veggies + 1 tbsp of rice or pasta)

Dinner - cereals / chicken nuggets / omlette/ small sandwich/ yoghurt /lunch leftovers

He doesnt eat snacks between meals, some days he doesnt eat anything for 6-7 hours. He's not into food but I make sure to offer him 3-4 servings of fruits & veggies (a slice of fruit is a serving & 1/3 banana is a serving) + 1 cereals + 1 carbs + 1 protien + 2-3 dairy

 

[buddyIV]

My LO seems to be going through the same thing as yours! He's gone from happily devouring everything we give him to throwing most of it on the floor, wearing it, or trying to put it on my head...nice! The wierd thing is he only does it some of the time. There's always at least one meal a day that he eats without any mucking around.

I read somewhere that at around 10 months to a year old, babies start to learn that they are autonomous, and they quickly realise that food is one of the things they can control. I also read that their appetite can decrease a little bit around this time too, though it picks back up again later on. Knowing this, I just let him do what he wants with it. He cant be that hungry if he's lobbing the pasta across the room, and I lessen my frustration by thinking that he's just using food to learn a few new things (gravity being one of them ). The only thing I do as a reaction is to not offer any alternative to his original meal.

Hopefully they'll come out of this soon!

 

[hel_5]

It may not sound a lot to you, but I think he is doing really well, when DD1 was that age if she had eaten all that I would have done a dance, rang DH, my mum AND MIL to tell them the good news, keep offering him food at regular intervals. They do grow out of it, DD1 has a really good appetite now, just try and stay calm at meal times x

 

[tu123]

In the same boat hun! LO is eating a quarter of what she used to in the last few weeks!

I just keep offering tidbits here and there like a piece of cheese or a finger of toast.

It is also driving me bonkers!

 

[Elphaba]

Same boat here too. My son is just a day older than your little one. He is driving me mad with how little he is eating. He only seems to want sweet stuff or breadsticks/cracker/rice cakes. Managed to get half a bowl of pasta and bolognaise into him for his tea today but most days this past week he hasn't eaten ANYTHING for tea!

 

[kellie_w]

Thanks for all your responses ladies, it always helps me to hear that others are going through the same. It is so hard to keep calm, I have had to stop myself throwing his food at the wall so many times, the thought of cleaning it up stops me! Yesterday I resorted to a jar of c&g chicken mushroom noodle as my nan died and I had nothing in except a emergency jar in the cupboard and of course he ate the lot. Frustrating he will eat that but turn his nose up and something fresh! I guess I just have to accept he hasn't got his mum and dads big appetite! He also with this not eating thing has dropped naps and now sleeps for only a hour from 6.15 til 8pm, 30 mins at 12 and 30 mins at 4. Has anyone noticed this too?

 

[kirsty1987]

I dont know for sure as my daughter is only 8 months and refused to eat mashed food a while back so we went onto baby led weaning, but could they have gone through a growth spurt and eaten lots so you get used to that amount and now the spurt is over they are eating a "normal" amount of food and it seems less? hope that makes sense!!!! xxx

 

[kellie_w]

I'm bumping this as I am losing it. I cannot do this anymore. Luke is now refusing everything and yesterday has started sicking up any solids he eats. The only thing he now isn't throwing up is milk. I don't know what else to do, I'm getting him weighed tomorrow as I have had some comments saying he has lost weight, but this constant battle to get any food in is just getting too much. His intake yesterday was a bowl of ready Brek, everything else was sicked up instantly. Today he won't even eat ready Brek.

 

[Elphaba]

Oh hun

If he is actually throwing up, that doesn't sound right. Maybe have a word with the HV when you get him weighed.

I hope this is just a phase. I posted earlier in your thread about my son of the same age eating ver little either - and this week he has suddenly gone to having a really good appetite!

Definitely get him checked out or speak to someone about the throwing up in case he's not well at the moment. Otherwise, maybe he just isn't a big eater for now. It's hard not to be incredibly frustrated and worried though, isn't it.

Let us know how you get on at the weigh in clinic

 

[OmarsMum]

I'd take him to the dr to check for throat or chest infection Hun. Omar has been throwing up solids for the past few days, his gag reflex is very sensitive, he was coughing we throught it was teething but it was bronchitis.

I wouldn't worry about solids if he's not feeling well, offer him more milk, it has enouh nutrients.

Omar is eating almost nothing other than few spoons of baby cereals & some plain yoghurt. Anything else is ending up with a gag & a throw up.

I'm stickin to milk & some cereals until he gets better. xx

 

[kirmal12]

Do you think he is feeding off your stress?. They are very clever little peeps and if he gets stressy vibes off you it could be making him worried to eat?.

Once you have ruled out any kind of illness, try and just sit him in his chair while you/family are eating, give him bits to play/try/suck/throw and just leave him to it. Try not to watch him to closely and sit on your hands and just smile if you have to!. Try this a few times every meal, don't worry to much about what your giving him yet as you just need to get him to relax around food first, and don't worry to much about how little he does eat, that will all come in time.

My LO didn't really eat much until he was 13 months and even now he isn't that bothered to be honest and he is just fine!. just out of interest how much milk is he on?.

 

[kellie_w]

Thank you everyone again for your replies and advice, it means a lot to me. Well, Luke had gained weight, just over a pound in 3 weeks and is just under the 91st centile. The health visitor said as he has had two tummy bugs in 5 weeks he may just not be ready to eat yet, but this has gone on since the end of June so I disagree. I have to turn off the tv (it's always on in the back ground) and try and get us all to eat together more. No easy as my husband has a different hometome everyday, and is normally home after lukes tea time. I know eating with him makes no difference, we eat together breakfast and lunch together, I really don't think having dh there will help! Also I'm not to stress as he will pick up on it. So basically she gave me the advice you girls did! Other than that she said not to worry, he is gaining weight and very active, so much so he doesn't want to sit and eat as he has too much to do! It's so easy to say all this, but so hard to actually go through it, I feel like im watching him starve (even though he is a good weight) I'm going to continue with upping his milk intake until I hope what phase this is passes

Omarsmum, I hope Omar is feelin better really soon. He is gorgeous x

 

[Elphaba]

Sounds like he is doing well, Kellie, and should be getting plenty of nutrients from his milk. I totally get what you are saying though. I was the same with Xavier - everyone was saying don't worry, blah blah blah, but you do don't you. It's not the HV who has to sit there and watch your child cry and push their food away.

I do hope that he comes through this phase soon. As I mentioned, Xavier has done a complete 180 in the past week. From eating virtually nothing to barely being able to get enough into him - he had a full on tantrum after finishing his muesli this morning because there was no more in the bowl!

Do keep us updated on how your little man is doing. I know how nice it is to have support with stuff like this.

 

[fairypop]

I have just started to have the same problem over the last few weeks, my LO has gone from being a good eater, to barely eating, I am having to distract him and shovel a bit in lol, it is a nightmare. The only thing he will eat is avocado, banana and cheese!!! Argh!!! It is so frustrating and worrying too. He is still having some milk, but his intake varies a lot. X

 

[llsarahll]

i feel ur pain aswell, although ryan is eating less than ur lo he just throws everything on the floor wont touch any veg or fruit its really getting to me and i dont know what to do i seem to be putting more things in the bin than in his tummy xx

 

[Nicola_1987]

I know how u feel! I'm pulling my hair out because my 11 month old hasn't been eating properly for 4 weeks now. I use to spoon feed her for every meal and she would gobble it all up. Then I was told she should b eating more finger foods for her main meals. I started doing that but she was throwing everything on the floor and not getting any food in her belly. So I tried going back to the spoon feeding and she refuses to open her mouth!! The only thing she opens her mouth to is yogurt, custard or rice pudding. Anything sweet!

So now this is all she eats -

Breakfast - toast and a handful of Cherio's. She only manages half a slice of bead because the rest is on the floor. Also she has her milk.

Snack - a few mini cheddar's, little rice cake's, breadstick

Lunch - three pieces of scrambled egg, 1 cracker, bits of toast, a fruit pouch that she'll suck, bits of bead, grated cheese, few bits of banana, bit of cucumber, yogart. Most of this goes on the floor.

Few snacks again

Tea - she won't eat any veg like carrots, string beans, potatoes. I can only get in her to eat spaghetti hoops with bead soaked in that she can pick up. She hates pasta swirls, mac cheese, rice etc. If she doesn't eat her spaghetti hoops I just offer her the same as lunch. She will mush up a banana and eat bits of it.

Then she picks at some Cherio's while I wash up.

I feel like I'm the only mum who is experiencing this!! Everyone I talk to says their 11 month olds are eating well and loads of fruit and veg!! I feel like I've failed but it's helpful to know a lot of people go through this. I dread every meal time.

Hope this helps, sounds like my 11 month old eats less than yours.