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Behaviour/development

At wits end with 1 year old not eating and throwing his food

4 replies

Moonshine160 · 22/04/2020 18:40

The title says it all really, I know some of this might sound trivial but I’ve had a cry in the bathroom tonight because I just don’t know what to do.

My 13 month old is a happy boy, sleeps well, 50th centile for weight and 91st for height. Meal times have always been a battle, but not in the sense that he gets upset or anything like that, he’s perfectly happy in his high chair but just won’t eat. It’s literally like he’s never hungry. People keep telling me it’s a phase but he’s thrown food from his high chair since he was 6 months old.

If I try and spoon feed him he won’t open his mouth or pushes my hand away. If I put food on his tray for him to feed himself it gets thrown on the floor and then he points and laughs at the food on the floor. If I give him a spoon and show him how to eat then he takes no notice and just bangs the spoon on the high chair like it’s a drum.

When he throws food I’ve tried putting it back on his tray but it gets thrown again. I’ve removed the food completely and tried feeding him again an hour later but the same thing occurs. I’ve told him ‘no’ but he doesn’t stop. He’s been obsessed with throwing toys or food from his high chair onto the floor ever since we started weaning. He does it repeatedly and then leans out the high chair staring at it and laughing. I thought it was a phase but it’s been going on months. I’ve tried everything I can - I sit and eat with him at meal times and try to encourage him but hes not interested. Tonight I’ve been scraping kiwi fruit off the walls. Sometimes the only way to get him to eat is by sitting him on the living room floor with his toys and putting food in his mouth with my hands when he’s distracted. I know this isn’t sending him the right message but I don’t know what else to do to get him to eat. He does know how to pick the food up and feed himself because on the odd occasion he will do it if it’s something he really likes like raspberries or omelette, and he has a good pincer grip because he’ll pick up individual grains of rice and eat those. If he’s literally eaten nothing during the day then I’ll offer him a pouch of baby food - again I know I shouldn’t do this but I don’t want him to have literally no food in the day. He then drinks the pouch like it’s a Capri Sun!

It’s like he’s never hungry but surely he must be as he only has around 15oz milk a day now and never near to a meal time. I think the reason this stresses me out so much is that I’ve always been a picky eater - not so much now compared to when I was a child. When I was a child I had a phobia of trying new foods and anything that was lumpy. Social situations around food used to make me anxious and miserable and I really don’t want the same for my son and I’m scared that’s what will happen.

Sorry for the long post. Does anyone have any advice on how to improve this, or even just reassurance that this will pass?

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JiltedJohnsJulie · 22/04/2020 22:42

If he’s on the 50th centile, has he been on this for a while?

If he’s not drifting down the centiles, is bright and alert at times and is meeting his milestones, I think you need to stop worrying. Much easier said than done I know, but they really do pick up on your anxiety.

It’s your job to provide the food, it’s entirely upto him if he eats it or not.

I’d also cut back on the milk, he only needs 10 floz of full fat cow’s milk a day now Smile

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ppeatfruit · 23/04/2020 08:31

Yes Jilted is right. He's full up on milk. Do you sit round the table with him? I would offer him small plastic bowls of fruit and or toast fingers etc. (put them on the table ) so you can eat with him. Ignore any throwing on the floor, (babies don't see food as we do) it's just something to do if you see what I mean.

Ignore him completely if he eats or not (don't make it into a big issue, he's enjoying the attention) Maybe have a teddy or something that he can feed. Babies love doing something different.

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JiltedJohnsJulie · 23/04/2020 10:40

Are you doing anything to work on your anxiety too Moonshine? You sound very stressed Thanks

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Mekw · 26/04/2020 07:34

I understand you're frustrations - my DS1 was the same (hes now 4 and eats fine)! and my DS2 who is 15 months does this now. He's does eat quite well but goes through phases where he's not interested in food. At the moment he eats ok but throws food once the hunger has gone. With my DS1 I used to worry so much about him not eating and it would cause me so much stress but this time round I know that it is just a phase that will pass. If he is keeping a good weight and happy then I would just keep trying and eventually he will come through the (annoying ) phase. I hate mess but I've just had to embrace it now with DS2 as he eats better if I put on tray for him. Also I use toys or any sort of distraction to manage to get a few spoons in him. Try not to worry too much - it is normal for some to do it and it won't be forever xxxxx

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