15 month old food routine

[TinyStar]

Hi there I need some tips on implmenting a structured routine for my 15 month old.

Anyway we fell out of a routine and this has led to a whole lot of knock on problems, (not sleeping because we are hungry, but too tired to eat).

I need to know how persistant I should be with getting my DD to eat, and getting her to drink from a cup. Also how often should she be eating and what amounts.

She loves to feed herself, but has only just gotten teeth so biting hard foods is still a tricky business. I also find that if she feeds herself she wont eat much and ends up playing, if I try to feed her she refuses the spoon.

We are in a bit of a mess, and I'd like to get out of it without too many tears.

[the pero clinic]

Dear TinyStar,

Your 15 month old should be eating small amounts every 2-3 hours – or when she is hungry. Children have a very small window of opportunity when it comes to their appetite (less that 10 minutes!!). So when they are hungry – feed them as soon as possible - before the moment passes and they refuse.

In terms of persistence, it is strongly advised that food or meals don’t become a point of contention or a battle of wills. Your daughter’s hunger levels may vary from day to day, as may her like / dislike of specific foods. This is normal. Avoid bribery or any type of forced feeding as this can quickly escalate to make a very fussy eater.

Offer small meals so there is not a lot to play with. Offer finger food if this is what she is interested in at the moment. See a recent reply to a question about finger food ideas under Fussy Eaters (Finger Foods?? Posted on 15/9/06). Offer meals for a limited time (e.g no more than 20 minutes) and calmly remove whatever food is left over.

Try to offer your toddler a variety of foods including dairy, meat, vegetables, fruit and cereals. At this age, children can eat what the rest of the family is eating without too many modifications.

It is probably a good idea to choose one ‘target’ area at a time, and leave cup drinking for a little while until the food situation improves.

the pero clinic