Eating too little.

[queenofthehouse]

I was hoping for some reassurance and guidence from someone who has experience with an 18 month old not eating properly. My little one picks at meals, refuses meat and most veg and just snacks mostly on fruit, rusks etc. He is great at eating fruit I must say but some days I panic he's barely touched any food. I'll plate up dinners and try all sorts of fresh food as well as frozen and it's hit and miss as to whether he'll eat some (never all of it.) If I put three things on a plate I can garuntee he'll only eat one thing so I've tried giving him one thing at a time. He will not eat in public he just wants to get down and play in a different environment to our home. He'll except treats, milky buttons, crisps, cakes etc off anyone and eat them all up but you give him a healthy snack other than fruit and he will throw on the floor. I have tried not giving treats (i don't a lot anyway it's more when he goes to see family) and he still doesn't touch his meals, I even try letting him get down and leaving food on his table for him to go back to between playing. What I don't understand is how he is tall and a decent weight for his age (not over or under average,) everyone always says he looks 2 and he has so much energy. Also he does a poo everyday so surely if he wasn't getting enough he couldn't do that yet I am so concerned about the fact he'll barely touch his food all day somedays and even on good days I can't see how he's had enough. Any suggestions? Please help. I am going to speak to the doctor but reluctant since last time I just got given a healthy eating leaflet. My mother-in law seems to think he'll grow out of it and I'm hoping I am just fussing.

My DD1 24 months is exactly the same!

You could have written this about her.

She is a good weight, very tall for her age. Something must be going in so I don't really worry about it at all.

She is also big on fruit, but not so much veg. I find the best way to get veg down her is as a snack - so I will give her a bowl of just sweetcorn or peas to snack on and she will generally eat them that way.

I honestly, genuinely think the best thing to do is be laid back about it and keep offering food. That way they won't get a complex about eating and you know they will always eat if they are hungry as there is plenty of food available.

I too could have written your post. My DD was light at birth and has remained skinny slender. She barely seems to eat and never touches anything healthy. I had days of tearing my hair out when she was about the same age as yours is. I spoke to the doctor about it and he said, she's growing and healthy so she must be getting what she needs. It's true, she is 9.4 now, thin as a rake but incredibly healthy.

Is he drinking a lot of milk? My grandaughter was the same at that age and the health Visitor told my daughter to cut right back on the amount of milk she was having. She had a couple of difficult transistion days but got her down to a small drink of milk in the morning (about 100ml in addition to what she had on her cereal) and then a bigger one before bed. The result was quite dramatic - she began eating more quantity and variety of food within a couple of days.