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20 mo won't eat meals! Advice please...

4 replies

elsabel · 24/02/2015 17:37

My daughter is 20 months old,always been a good eater and enjoyed most foods, Iv always cooked healthy meals and she's been really good until recently. The past couple of weeks she has started refusing to eat a meal and whinges and walks off as soon as dinner is put in front of her before she even sees what it is! She has had the usual colds/teething the past few weeks so assumed her appetite was off but I'm beginning to think it's behavioural especially as she has started pushing other boundaries recently. She would happily pick allday at snacks. Does anyone have any advice please?

Don't know if it's relevant but she has refused to eat in a highchair for months now so sits on a normal dining room chair at the table with me.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Helenc19 · 24/02/2015 22:56

Try not to worry about it, it's very normal behaviour for toddler's as their growth rate decreases they dont neex as much food as they used to. Keep offering mesls but dont force them on her. Keep snacks light, maybe just fruit so shes more hungry at meal times.
highly recommend the book 'my child wont eat' by carlos Gonzalez

LetThereBeCupcakes · 25/02/2015 08:05

My DS is going through the same thing - it started after he'd had a really nasty D&V bug in November. He'd never been sick before and I think it frightened him. I posted a couple of weeks ago as he'd started to lose weight.

This weekend just gone we went to stay with family. Very busy weekened, lots going on, and all of a sudden he's started eating again. I mean, SERIOUSLY eating. Yesterday, he had 3 helpings of lunch at nursery (proper cooked meal) and 2 helpings of his dinner (another proper cooked meal). I don't know if it's just a coincidence or if the busy weekend with lots of big family meals just kick started things.

Try not to worry. Don't make a big deal out of it. Just keep offering meals as usual and she'll get back in the habit eventually.

poocatcherchampion · 25/02/2015 08:08

Some times they have less of an appetite. My two haven't eaten a single thing after lunch for a week now.

But cutting the snacks will be your answer if eating 3 meals a day is important to you. If not, then make sure the snacks comprise the sorts of food that you want her to eat - veg, hard boiled egg etc not crisps and sweet treats.

ChocolatePecanPie · 27/02/2015 21:16

Read My Child Won't Eat.

I just wouldn't make an issue.

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