had enough of feeding my son

[Little Gorilla]

gosh, i've just come from leaving my son in his highchair covered in food he kept spitting out.
he used to be such a great eater (when he was under 12 months)- he won't eat what we eat
he hates chucky food (he's nearly 18 months old) - so he is still having mashed veggies
he will eat other food he has to chew (ie rice cakes, crackers, muslie bars), but if I make a stew I have to mash it all up
he won't eat pieces of fruit - full stop....
i kept trying to take the advice i give out to mothers that post similar things on here - look at what he eats over a week rather than at that one sitting.
also, he has eaten lamb cutlets before - but then I've done them for him again and he refuses to eat - this is the same for many foods ie eggs, pieces of schitzel
i'm just worried he isn't eating enough variety
he is about 15kg (which I know is good for his age)
he loves yoghurt, custard, toast, sultanas
i'm at my wits end - i literally shoved the food in this mouth so he would eat it and good I feel so bad at myself doing this - i'm in tears, I'm angry, I'm frustrated beyond belief - i've come to post this thread so I can calm down before I go and attend to him....:banghead: :banghead: :gloomy: :banghead:

[drewid]

I know its not much, but whenever Andrew goes through these phases, I just try to chill out. He DOES eat when he's hungry. So I don't force the issue. If he plays with it excessively and doesn't eat it...then its gone until the next meal/snack time. I offer and its his choice whether to accept or refuse.

I really don't think they are capable of starving themselves. Just keep offering a nutritious variety of food and let your child sort out what they want to eat. Its no use stressing over it...it won't help, so you may as well chill out IYKWIM. Its just food, and as long as he's eating SOMETHING, then all is good.

FWIW, my son lives on yoghurt and sultanas...so I make sure he at least has those every day, and anythign else he eats is a bonus. He just loves the two foods. :) Maybe its an age thing? Andrew is 17 months.

It will be fine! Just go with the flow and take it easy :)

[GuruMama]

Your not alone. My daughter is 20 months old and she still is a BIG food editor. Im at the stage where if she doesnt eat what shes given well then its nothing at all. Eventually she becomes hungry ( sometimes several hrs later ) and have a guess what she gets to eat... the left overs that she didnt eat earlier. I watched on telle the other night to make there food fun eg.. bite sizes of soft boiled veges layed out in a smiliy face design on the plate, it worked and DD got heaps of praise for eaten it all up. But I know sometimes you just want them to eat and get it over with. I hear your pain. They test us all the time, try not to show him that he has won and offer the food again later prehaps when he's a bit hungrier. Good luck

[mrsd]

I hope things have got better for you while you've been out, BG.

I don't know if it helps, but this whole parenthood thing is just really, really, really frustrating at times and you're doing your best !

If it's any consolation, fussy eating comes and goes - children won't starve themselves. What can be most annoying for us adults is that we're trained not to waste food - then see it spread across the room. After all our hard work !

Good luck with it all. I hope you enjoy your own dinner !

[xkwzit]

If its of any use at all both my girls went through a similar stage (DD2 is still there). The only meat DD1 would eat for a lengthy period of time was sausages, fish fingers or chicken nuggets :eek: . They do grow out of it (DD1 did at the age of 3 :eek: )

I did hear a tale about it being a normal developmental stage, when children learn to walk they seem to get fussy about what they eat. It was explained as a survival mechanism, so that as they get more mobile, they aren't sticking every interesting nut, bolt or berry that they happen upon into their mouths.

HTH

[Little Gorilla]

Thanks everyone.
Well it didn't go much better at breakfast, same thing happened again.
That's why I've come to sit on bubhub to calm down...gave myself a "time out".
Its just so frustrating.
Anyway, I've spoken with DP who is going to feed him for the rest of the day because I'm just over it for now - I just don't want the tug of war between bub and myself with eating...

[GuruMama]

Good idea, take the day off from feeding. Sometimes they eat more when someone diffrent feeds them. Enjoy yourself today. :yes:

[Chickadee]

Good idea to leave it to your DP for the day and try to limit your stress over it.

X is right, it's a pretty normal thing for kids to slow down in what they eat after their first birthday and also become a bit pickier. We went through this too and I was seriously stressing myself out, because DD was small for her age to start with and I really was concerned over her weight. This page from the Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto Canada helped me deal with my concerns: Appetite Slump in Toddlers (http://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/Article.asp?articleID=1702)Once I was more relaxed and used the suggestions there (like not offering huge snacks to try to make up for refused meals :rolleyes: ) we were both happier at mealtimes.

Good luck!

[veve]

I dont know if this will work ... but as a teacher I have done this many times ... rofl ...

if a child eats yogurt??? try dipping things in yogurt...

I remember one child only ate yogurt... but would eat ANYTHING dipped in yogurt... whether it was sweet or savory!!! he LOVED it ...


oh - and would he eat dried apricots etc if he eats sultanas??? (sorry if you have tried that .. just a thought ...

(hugs) - it is frustrating....

[wattle]

They seem to go through phases don't they. Ds used to be potty about yoghurt, now he's lost interest. Same with sultanas.

I make up a mix that he loves - couscous, put sultanas in it too so they puff up. Once the couscous is ready, add 1/2 tin sandwhich tuna (flavoured if you like) and a handful of grated cheese. Goodness knows why, but he thinks it's the bees knees.

Also baked beans have been popular.

How old is he BabbaGanoush? Can he feed himself at all? I remember ds refusing to eat for a while. So I left him alone with the food and he started to work out how to feed himself and seemed much happier. Maybe it's a bit of an independence issue with him too?

I can understand your frustration though - some days it all just seems impossible. I really struggle when ds throws his bowl upside down on the floor and food goes everywhere - especially as I'm soooo pregnant and getting on the floor to clean up is a massive effort. But one day he'll probably just bring maccas home and silently sit in front of the telly with a bad teenage attitude, so I must remember to cherish these difficult toddler moments now. :rolleyes:

[Terrible2+1cutie]

You are definately not alone by son who will be 3 in September has been going through this phase for the last 12 months, i have tried everything and he wont eat, i have thought that maybe he is tired come dinner time and that is why he isnt eating, so tried giving him his dinner reheated at lunch time the next day but that hasnt worked either. I make my son sit there every night, so long that he is still there come bed time and goes to bed hungry. He doesnt eat fruit either, but will eat fruit flavoured things i.e muesli bars etc.

Everybody keeps telling me that this phase will pass eventually but it is such a long phase i am losing hope lol.

Catherine

Mum to Blaze and Bailey

[Little Gorilla]

veve - i will try your yoghurt suggestion...I hadn't thought of that...I actually went a bought him dried apple and apricots yesterday...he wouldn't even put them near his mouth.

wattle - I like the sound of that couscous - will have to give it a go. Often he will refuse to eat food I try to feed him and then I will let him have a go and he will feed it to himself (this does not happen that often).

martham - I've been trying to cut down his snacks to virtually nothing so that basically he is really hungry by dinner time, but I'm finding this really hard because he can now go to the cuboard, open it and point to what he wants and says "more, more, more"......I will have a look at that link you posted - thanks.

terrible 2 - my son is 18 months old and everyone keeps telling me its a phase too....hopefully it is....or else I'm going to go insane..:laughing: (thats an insane laugh by the way!!)

I almost feel like I spend the whole day obsessing about whether he is going to eat the meal I have prepared or not - I know I just have to chill out about it - kids won't starve themselves - its just hard - I actually never thought the whole food issue with kids would be this hard actually - one thing that only being a mother can teach you!

[Little Gorilla]

Well, would you believe my bub just ate his whole lunch - Im so happy I feel like crying!!

He had pasta, chicken & veggies (mind all all mashed up), however, I thought, ok, if he eats 1/4 I will be happy...so he did...then I thought, ok, if he eats 1/2 I will be happier....so he did...then he ate it all and only spat out the last spoon full!!!!:smiliedance:

Now, its amazing how him eating his lunch that I cooked for him can just change my mood for the day - I feel soooo good now - far cry from how I felt the other day when I opened this thread.

Anyway, just wanted to share my joy...it may seem like such a small thing to others, but to me this is HUGE.

[jessgray]

:yelclap: yay thats great news :D

[Chickadee]

That's excellent news! And I agree, it's amazing how much our day can be lifted when things go well with our little ones.

[mama2cierra]

I did hear a tale about it being a normal developmental stage, when children learn to walk they seem to get fussy about what they eat. It was explained as a survival mechanism, so that as they get more mobile, they aren't sticking every interesting nut, bolt or berry that they happen upon into their mouths.


to respond to that survival mechanism statement I recall someone telling me that If food is sweet then its not poisonous and back when humans were first gathering food if whatever they found tasted sweet then it was good for them and safe to eat. maybe that would also explain the fussy eating in my daughter who will only eat , custard, yogurt and fruits at the moment!

[Little Gorilla]

I did hear a tale about it being a normal developmental stage, when children learn to walk they seem to get fussy about what they eat. It was explained as a survival mechanism, so that as they get more mobile, they aren't sticking every interesting nut, bolt or berry that they happen upon into their mouths.


to respond to that survival mechanism statement I recall someone telling me that If food is sweet then its not poisonous and back when humans were first gathering food if whatever they found tasted sweet then it was good for them and safe to eat. maybe that would also explain the fussy eating in my daughter who will only eat , custard, yogurt and fruits at the moment!

that's very interesting!!!