Help with 11mth old. Eating issues

**IndigoJ** · 10-04-2012 14:36

DS2 is 11mths old on Sunday. He doesnt eat very well. He refuses to eat anything (except jarred custard) off a spoon/fork/finger. He also doesnt sleep more than 2hr blocks.
I believe the non-eating has something to do with it. He does eat finger foods but only gets 1-2tablespoons of food down at each sitting (eats 3-4times a day). He is still fully breastfed.
When he was born his weight was above the 97th %ile. Then he dropped to the 75th %ile. Now he is below the 50th %ile. His weight is steadily dropping. Between 6mths and 9mths he only put on 500g. He is now 9.2kg which is only a rise of 70g in two weeks.
The nurse i saw suggested i feed him cows milk at lunch ect. But this doesnt sit well with me. I dont feel he needs cows milk, but with his little weight gain i dont know any more. Any ideas? Any one been through this with an older baby.
He still breastfeeds every 5hrs. He also wakes 5-6times a night and at least once over night refuses to go back to sleep without a feed.

**Happy2be3** · 10-04-2012 14:57

Sounds like my son whose now 4. He did end up having a speech disorder though which caused his issues, im sure it's nothing like that going on. Just wanted to say that he did drop from percentile the minute he started solids and has been 4th% ever since. He is however healthy, gets enough nutrients from the small amounts he does eat.

Whatever u do, DONT make food an issue.. You do NOT want food aversion issues from being too forceful. Be cool, calm and don't stress. Even if his % drops its no biggie, so long as he's getting bm still and is trying small regular foods I would not stress!

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**IndigoJ** · 11-04-2012 17:12

bump

**Rose&Aurelia** · 11-04-2012 18:52

Can you increase his breastfeeds during the day? That way he might feed less overnight. At that age DD was breastfeeding 5 -7 times in 24 hrs. Early am, mid am, occ midday, mid pm, post nap, bedtime with 1-2 overnight feeds.

This feed pattern only dropped to 2-3 at 14/15 mths when she went to 1 sleep a day.

**IndigoJ** · 11-04-2012 19:04

I have tried that. I was feeding him every 2-3hrs, he still woke overnight.

**wigglemum** · 11-04-2012 19:10

Hi, my 22 month old doesn't eat. It is related to his severe silent reflux, duodenal ulcers and iron deficiency. It's all related. Perhaps get a referral to a paed gastro and have a chat. I'm in Sydney so I can highly recommend someone for you. Best wishes.

**wigglemum** · 11-04-2012 19:11

Oh and he doesn't sleep for more than 2-3 hours EVERY night, and wakes for bottles. Best wishes

**IndigoJ** · 11-04-2012 19:12

We only have a visiting Paed here. He/she comes about once a month. He has been seen by two so far and neither think he has reflux. He is happy and looks healthy, but doesnt eat or sleep and is slowly dropping down on the charts

**hopefully2** · 11-04-2012 19:13

I know you probably don't want to hear this but I think he is still relying heavily on breast feeds and is too full for solids.

I would reduce breast feeds to two feeds a day. For example, One before lunch sleep and one before night time sleep. He needs nutrients from meat, vege, dairy.

I would really seek advice from a pedeadtrician.

**wigglemum** · 11-04-2012 19:34

Yes, my little boy looks happy and is a barrel of laughs. But just won't eat or sleep. He's a great size too. He has everyone confused, but just won't sleep or eat. Can you get some bloods done by a gp? Even something like iron deficiency is enough to make them not eat or sleep. I hope you find an answer.