Does any one have any ideas? (LONG)

[Shri]

My LO has just turned one, there are a few things he can't eat because of sensitivities and lots of stuff he just flat out refuses, even though he might have loved them before...

My latest problem is a bit of a mystery - he is refusing more and more things and at first I thought he wanted to feed himself more, so I've let him, but he pushes away stuff he loved just a few days ago

We've done a mixture of BLW and traditional. Mostly traditional because that is what felt most right for us as a family.

He is good at feeding himself and if I give him dry things (cereals, ricecakes) and bread and butter and banana, and raspberries, he will happily tuck in, but other things he cries and pushes away, even strawberries which he loved! And if I persist he has a bit of a tantrum!

He won't touch cooked and cut up veg, and he will very happily eat anything sweet and sloppy (rice pudding) or a savory dish that is purreed even though he was doing really well on chunkier food.

I'm totally at a loss. I have given in a couple of times and given him more snacky stuff just so that we can get through a meal without drama but I don't want to do that again because I feel it's just going to make more bad habits.

He's always been picky, I can't fathom it, I keep offering him all sorts and a wide range of things - he often refuses without even tasting it which drives me barmy because I KNOW he would like it if only he would try it.

I've tried everything, showing him that we eat it and it's yummy, giving him bits on his tray, giving him some with his own spoon and bowl, even giving him some with a "grown up spoon and bowl" - it's maddening!

Does anyone recognize this sort of behavior and have any ideas what to do?

 

[Vickie]

yep I recognize it in Hannah. Unfortunately she got used to us offering her other things when she didn't eat her meals. We had to stop that and if she didn't eat we didn't make a fuss out of it but took her out of her high chair and let her go on. If she was truly hungry she'd eat. And yep she went to bed a few nights without dinner which I hated. But she ate well the next day and has been pretty good since than.

The only other thing I can think of if he's not just testing his boundaries is possibly teething? When Hannah's molars cut she refused pretty much all foods but blueberries

 

[Shri]

Thanks Vickie - I gave him less at lunch today - as soon as he started fussing I just cleared up. It felt horrible but he is quite happily playing now. I know he will tell me if he is hungry because he can sign for it and oddly enough, a few days before all this fussiness began, he seemed to want to eat non-stop....so maybe it's just a growth spurt sort of thing.

It's a horrible feeling though, a) feeling like he hasn't eaten properly and b) wasting the food that I lovingly prepare for him at each meal time!

It's exhausting though. He's a good weight so we will see what happens if I just stick to my guns, and especially avoid snacky foods and sweet stuff. I feel like he might have learned that he can get that sort of food from me if he refuses all other : /

 

[Vickie]

Hannah had a monster growth spurt right around a year old and than her eating tapered off. It does go up and down and varies greatly day to day. I figure she can tell me when she is hungry and if she was truly hungry she'd eat and so would your LO Trust me I know it is very hard, not to mention stressful, when they don't eat because of the reasons you mentioned but making it a big deal doesn't work either and probably pushes him more towards not eating (it did with Hannah at least). I'm sure his eating will pick up again and as long as he's a good weight and not losing than he's okay. He knows what his body needs

 

[Shri]

thanks hun - I feel reassurred by this.

If anyone else has any input its always good to know too!

 

[nikkip19]

my niece literally only would eat cheese sticks at that age. not a bite of anything else. they finally did what the above poster said... didnt give her anything and she finnally started eating normally again. docs always say kids wont starve themselves! although im pretty sure my luca would haha

 

[WannaB]

Your doing a perfect job, you offer him the good stuff and if he doesnt eat it, dont fuss just clear it away and let him get on with play. Like the others said they wont starve themselves and hes a good weight so there is no problems. Its just like you said, its more frustrating to you than to him, but your doing the right thing, he will eventually settle down again. Great job mum!