16 months old baby boy, Does not eat anything

[alyfarhan]

I am concerned about my boy. He is 16 months old and says "NO" to every single food. His mom trying to stop the breastfeeding but he do not accept the bottles or sippy cups. We tried giving him Oatmeal, fruits, boiled vegetables but he refuses every thing. He is loosing weight too. Is there anyone with this experience can help?

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Is he loosing weight or just not gaining? What do you do when he refuses food?

[Wishfulmakeupping]

Have you tried playing with the foods ie finger foods to make it more like a game?
I would speak to your Hv though

[alyfarhan]

Saying loosing weight will not be the right term but yeah he is not gaining weight.

[alyfarhan]

We played with him hours to feed him. Sometimes he eat but after three, four spoons he refused then we wait for hour or two and he does the same thing again. Plays some songs an nursery rhymes so he will feel better but we parade all day to feed him.

What is Hv?

[Sativa]

HV is Health Visitor

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Personally I don't think that seeing the HV will do much good. Most HCPs know very little about bfing. Does your DW and DS wish to continue bfing? If so, your DW would be much better talking this through with a BFC. Is there a Bfing Support Group she goes to or could go to? There is some information on bfing support here.

Kellymom has some good information on toddlers here. Think it has some suggestions that you may find useful.

I'd also try to change your approach. Unlike wishful I don't agree with plying with them at mealtimes. I'd serve the food, then just chat and relax while you eat your own food. Don't offer alternatives and if he isn't eating, don't encourage. At 16 months he shouldn't need spoon feeding unless there is another issue that you haven't mentioned. Have a look at the book My Child Won't Eat by Carlos Gonzalez, it's often recommended on MN

16 months is a naturally fussy age, they are learning the power of saying no and it sounds like for him, refusing food gets mum and dad would up and lots of extra attention, result! Just ignore him if he refuses and he'll soon realise that nothing else is coming his way!

If you have a day off work, could you take him out for a day or half day without your DW? Maybe take him swimming then out for lunch so that he works up a good appetite but hasn't got his mum around for top ups

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

And there's more on MN abbreviations here.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Sorry for the typos.

[alyfarhan]

appreciate your suggestions. I never took him out without his mom. I think I should take him even if we go out for swimming his mom is always around. Yes! we still spoon feed him and sometime he picks up his food but as I said after two or three bites he stopped and refuses. What you suggest If we finished our food and he didn't eat his, then should we stay on the table with him until he finished by him self ? because when we finished then his mom spoon feed him and I see them having a WAR kind of situation :).

I will see the book of Carlos Gonzalez.

Thanks

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

If he's not eating and everyone else has finished, just clear away and let him get down from the table. The worst thing you can do is to try and persuade him to eat. Children love attention and at the moment he sounds like he's getting plenty of attention by refusing food

[KateMoose]

Have you thought about not feeding him but having picnics on the floor together and he can explore the food and help himself? At first he might play with it and some may end up in his mouth, but then gradually he could get used to it. What do you feed him at the moment?

[BeaWheesht]

Give him his food then when everyone is finished clear it away. No punishments, no discussions, no battles, no praise when he does eat.

Seriously you must stop the stress around it now.

[alyfarhan]

Having picnics is a wonderful Idea, I will apply this. We are feeding him the baby cereal, boiled vegetables, soups, finger good and all the other non-spicy food that we eat usually like chicken, rice and vegetables . But, as I said we spent hours with him to have him eat.

after 5 days, not having Bfing he start taking feeder for two ounces at one time.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Why are you giving him bland food? He can eat spicy food, if its too hot just stir in some yoghurt or cream.

Is your DW happy to give up bfing? Personally I don't think the bfing is the issue here, being fussy is just what lots of toddlers do and he's realised he will get lots of attention for refusing food.

Has she just stopped bfing completely without cutting down, she could do with talking this through with a BFC as she is risking mastitis. Are you in the uk?

If you are the uk, and your DW is happy to give up bfing, once she has the recommendations is for 300ml of full fat cows milk a day and in a cup, no bottles.

And just don't spend hours getting him to eat, serve the food and if he's hungry he will eat. Might take a few days for him to realise that's what's happening but he will do it.

My dd was fussy at that age, and bf, she now is happy to eat most things we give her, including curries and chilli con carne.

[KateMoose]

Feed him exactly the same as what you're having without the salt. That meant to for, not cooking with salt for anyone.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Think the picnics might be a good idea once in a while, but I wouldn't do it very often. Ideally you want him to eat what everyone else is eating and at the table, if that's where you normally eat.

Agree with kate on the salt too.

[mummyto2boysandagirl3]

I agree feed him the same as everyone else minus the salt. Ditch the spoon he's more than old enough to feed himself just put some old clothes on him. None of my 3hace been spoon fed in fact they refused the spoon v early but would happily try anything if they picked it up with their fingers. Dd is 1 and ate cottage pie last night with her fingers. Also they wouldn't have eaten something different to the rest of us