Eating problems again - this time I'm losing it... agrggggggghhhhhh!!!!

[leonieandevie]

Ok I've posted this a few times before but then at least I had friends and family around me. Now that I'm alone in Sydney (apart from DH and DD) I'm finding it really hard. DD is beginning to refuse food again. Today for breakfast she had 2 soldiers of toast and cream cheese some pureed pear and a teaspoon of yoghurt.Everything else got spat out. Meals are based on her watching the night garden so that I can get some food into her which is so wrong I know. I'm still breastfeeding once in day and once before bedtime, which I'm trying to cut out. Shes now 1 and I thought this would get better.
I'm so worried she's going to waste away. I know they decide when they're hungry but this is taking the mick. Plus its making me feel very low.
She drinks as much cows milk as i can get down her plus water and watered down juice although not enough to decrease her appetite.
Shes walking now and really active - where the hell does she get the energy from without any food?
I know I've got to chill out but its so hard...can someone offer me a kick up the arse?
BTW anyone who knows me by now, I know I haven't changed my ID yet after saying I would but thats how stressed I am!

i think the milk is key sweetie, a gp friend of mine had heaps of success with this when he persuaded mums to cut the milk consumption. have you a nice gp or hv type you could get some advice from?

Not yet - we've only just moved here. She's really not drinking that much cows milk - but maybe if I cut her breastfeed out in the daytime altogether it may help. Its the only way she can gets to sleep in the day, even though she can put herself down at night...its weird.
All those wretched books say that babies/toddlers after 1yr need at least 300 mls milk. Should I stop reading the books and do whats best for DD. To be honest I don't think she even likes cows milk that much.
Shes not feeding herself from a spoon yet although will eat with her hands.
I'm just so bored of this - theres so much to do here and I feel like we're tied down so much of the day by this trying to eat saga.

What the hell is going on with this post? It seems to have regenerated itself 4 times! Apologies - I'm not trying to attention seek!

don't worry bout spoons etc. my dd's are now nearly 8 and 5,i really can't remember quantities of milk tbh. i was bf both of them at a year and would be loathe to give hat bit up. a friend who moved to sydney a few years back raved about tresillian clinics - not sure if they're just for sleep issues or if they help with eating etctoo

it must feel v isolating having to cope with this on your own, do try and chat it over with a dr/nutritionist, x

lol

Thanks bundle - will go and get registered with a doc asap.
I'm sure this is just teething but it just seems to go on and on..

And BREATHE...
OK, not seen your other messages, but for a one-year old, that seems like a great breakfast...toast, fruit, yoghurt (even in small quantities)
She is NOT going to waste away!
I would say DON'T stop the breastfeeding - that will be giving her lots of nutrition, even if she is not eating much else. Breastmilk is much better for her than cow's milk.
Of course, go and see your doctor if it will give you peace of mind, but just trust your DD, she will eat if she needs to. Just provide small quantities of food for her, so she doesn't feel overwhelmed, and so you don't feel bad if she doesn't eat it all. Aim to have about 5 or 6 tiny meals a day...and lots of exercise outside to build up an appetite.Good luck! And RELAX!

At 1 they still have relatively small tummies so prob can't do huge quantities. Her breakfast seems fine to be honest.

If she is bright, alert, active, happy, pooing and weeing normally, then she is okay. Some days my four year old has little more than your dd has for breakfast in a whole day. That's what it seems like anyway.

Without wishing to come across as a condescending mum of three, I do think you need a kick up the arse ( your words ). She is only one, you may have years of this. Sometimes it's amazing how little small children need to eat to stay active and grow. Just because she is not eating what the books say she should be, or eating three square meals a day, doesn't mean there anything wrong.

It must be terribly hard to be on your own in a new country. A support network when you have small children is SO important. Relax and enjoy your DD, and don't sweat the small stuff.

If you don't want to be tied down and want to get out and about, then sandwiches and snacky pic-nic-y type foods are fine! There are plenty of years ahead for her to be learning about table manners and eating proper hot meals. Pack up a tuppaware box and get out there

Just relax. Why don't you let her feed herself rather than spoon feeding her. Give her lots of finger foods at each meal. She sounds like she's eating plenty anyway. She has more for breakfast than DD2 (3). She doesn't eat a lot, but eats enough for her, has lots of milk. i don't stress. I give her liquid multivitamins at times when she's eating less than normal. I'm of you living in Sydney.

I would be ecstatic if my ds ate that for brekkie! He is 15months and gets by on about 8 weetos and 3 teaspoons of porridge, then for lunch perhaps a few bites of bread and cheese and a handful of blueberries, and for dinner half a jars worth of babyfood/homemade mash etc and half a baby yoghurt. It used to worry me silly, especially when all my friends babys seemed to wolf their food down. Im a little calmer now - hes obviously extremely healthy - running around like a loon all day! He is also bf - about 4 times a day and a couple of night feeds if he cries.

I suppose im trying to say - you are not alone - and if your dd seems happy and healthy then just continue to offer a variety of foods (have you tried corn on the cob? my ds loves it!) and if she leaves it - she doesnt feel hungry. I'd continue with the bf as you know shes getting the best food she can from you.

Good luck and try not to stress (i know i know - its just awful when you prepare loads of tempting morsels which end up on the floor) and discodizzys idea of letting her feed herself is a good one - ds always eats more if i leave food on his tray and bustle away in the kitchen. He just pushes the spoon away if i try to feed him the same thing!

Thanks everyone - just what I needed to hear. Shes a very happy and healthy bubs so no worries there. I think I'd be more relaxed if I was at home but its all so new here. Just don't want to slip into depression as I had PND last year.Hilarious moment a minute ago - she turned down ice cream but ate a passionfruit!