13 month old will not eat dinners, help!!

[becs31]

Hi everyone,
My 13 month old only eats; toast, bananas and grapes. She totally refuses all dinners and screams and REALLY upsets herself until i bring out the sodding bananas as i am scared she needs to eat something!
I have tried EVERYTHING in the Anabel Karmel book and spent months cooking and blending everything. I think she hates any lumps and has a very sweet tooth, I am worried she is not getting enough nutirents. She also has 2 bottles of milk in the day and one at night. We do this as she never slept for 7 months and the milk is the only thing that gives us 5 hours kip now!
I am a bad mum!! Anyone help?!! thanks xx

[Mum2FunkyDude]

Firstly she won't starve herself, ds has done this to me before, I just offer him his meal, with one thing he likes as well, if he doesn't eat, I take it away, he goes to play without any snacks and the next meal the same, by the evening he was very hungry and ate everything I gave him. It is a very emotional thing for us moms when our lo don't eat, but no one has ever starved with food in front of them. Good luck!

[MrsBadger]

how does she do with things she can pick up and eat herself?
It may be she's just fed up of purees...

[NannyL]

the answer is dont offer toast or banana or grapes at all and then she will soon be hingry enough to eat the food you serve her.

dont let her drink more milk either

hungry children eat. period

[puffling]

DD , also 13 months will often refuse meals. If she looks fussy, I give her a rice cake to get going and then give her a spoonful while she's munching. When she realises it's not going to be vile, she will eat more.
It's good that your dd will eat bananas and grapes, cos it means she's willing to feed herself. DD will not feed herself any nutricious finger food like veg or chicken, she just chucks it, however cake she will!
You could if you could bear to, get rid of one of the 3 bottles, to make her hungrier for her solids. We just do a morning and an evening bottle of 6 or 7 oz each.

[NannyL]

have just noticed... that she has 3 bottles a day (per 24 hours)

she only needs 2 bottles per 24 hours, 1 in the morning, 1 in the evening,before bed, (None during the night)

also technically should not be having bottles but cups of milk anyway.

[MrsBadger]

Do you all sit down and eat together?
Will she eat what you're eating?
[contraversial]
bin AK and try this instead?

[becs31]

Thanks everyone, Puffling, it seems as if our girls are quite alike! My DD loves cake even tho she just had it once at her 1st birthday!
I appreciate the comments about the milk nanny L however DD was very ill with acute aosephageal relux from birth up until 7 months and could not lie down, we had to hold her upright all night so she got some sleep. When i finally got her off breast feeding and onto a bottle it changed our life as DH could help feeding. Now the only way to get her to sleep a bit is after the bottle and i can't risk no sleep again as it is exhausting. I have to tackle one thing at a time! I agree that the day feeds are too much and i will phase one out and cut the other right back. As for cups, i am happy to let her get comfort from bottles a bit longer, maybe i should not do that but it makes her happy and thats my number one concern.

[becs31]

Thanx Mrs badger, we do try to sit down together but is hard, i just had to start back work part time so its not always possible. DD looks v interested in our food but never accepts it if i try to give her some!