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Mealtime meltdowns 1yo advice please

8 replies

hamncheese · 02/10/2013 17:22

DS is 14 months. He's always been a fab eater. But recently he's going berserk when its time to eat. He's fine with breakfast goes in his high hair eats laughs happy as can be. But for lunch and dinner he basically starts crying hysterically as soon as he even cottons on to the fact you are preparing it. It can be seeing the high hair, seeing that I've got a spoon or me going into the fridge. He gets all red and cries real tears to the point he is gasping away. If this starts before he is in the highchair he will not be put in it. He does it with finger food, being spoon fed. Started that he would just do it for some food and would always have his favourites (yoghurt, berries) now he does it for nearly all. He only seems to do it at home, never with his grandparents. And at home if they feed him he still does it only is less likely to refuse all food.

He is teething... But is always teething IYSWIM. Has recently started meltdowns which are similar for other things like being taken inside when he wants to stay outdoors, or when you tell him no etc. I usually leave him to get upset for a moment or two them say its ok DS and give him a cuddle and distract. Works mostly. How tired he is makes no diff, lunch is right after his nap (2hrs) and dinner not long before bed.

Did your dc do this? And how do I go about it? I am trying to not get upset or angry and try feeding him on my lap in a diff room etc which rarely works, but often have to get him out of the highchair and he has no dinner but is very upset because he's clearly hungry. He still has a bed bottle so I don't worry about him being hungry overnight. We can get food in but it is so distressing. Help please!

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cravingcake · 02/10/2013 19:37

Its tough when they do this. My DS is sometimes like this and one thing that worked was feeding while distracted. So he'd be in the lounge watching cbeebies and i would just pop a plate with a few little snacky bits or toast on it in front of him and let him pick. Dont make a big fuss out of it and within a few days went back into highchair. I also made myself a plate of food (cheese, apple & raisins) and let him come over to 'steel' some.

The other thing that i found helped when teething was to give calpol (or baby ibuprofen) about 20-30 mins before food and also try rubbing bonjela on the gums a few mins before food time.

melonribena · 02/10/2013 20:26

My 14 mth old can be like this and I agree with craving! I pop him infront of cbeebies or set the ipad up at the table with in the night garden on. He watches that and then snacks on finger food while I slyly pop in the odd spoon of yogurt/ peas/ etc!

I know tv isn't ideal but it's important that he eats. He needs it about one meal out of 10 so it's not the end of the world!

hamncheese · 03/10/2013 07:16

Glad others are having this happen too... Do you think its just because he can't be bothered sitting still??

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cravingcake · 03/10/2013 07:35

It could be a number of things and its such a guessing game. If he goes into his highchair ok for breakfast then it may be simply that by lunch or dinner he just doesnt want to go in there or be restricted. Days like this i just offer more food at breakfast/early morning when i know that my DS will eat.

CreatureRetorts · 03/10/2013 08:12

Why not lunch before his nap? Or give him a snack or bit of food on a table he can reach? (can he walk?)

MiaowTheCat · 03/10/2013 11:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Davsmum · 03/10/2013 13:42

What is different at his Grandparents ?
I would not go with sitting him down in front of TV to distract him while he eats - it may work short term but is that something you would want him to do all the time?
A booster seat on a chair with you having lunch with him at the table may help and maybe let him 'help' you get lunch ready.
Also, if you are expecting a reaction and getting stressed a bit before you get his lunch - he may pick up on that?

hamncheese · 04/10/2013 07:26

Thanks everyone. Grandparents ... With two of them its highchair, the other one its sitting on a seat. Nothing else is different really... Same food and everything.

He naps 11-1 so lunch really has to be after. I offer him a snack of some fruit and a biscotti before the nap though which he sometimes wants.

Last night my mum was over and he ate a full meal happily for her in his high chair. No idea what's going on there!

I'm not worried about weight or him not eating etc, know he will eat if hungry etc I just don't want to make it a big issue that's worse because of how I deal with it.

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