1 year old not eating much - should I be worried?

[Puffinella]

DS is 1 year old (12.5 months). He has never been a big eater; I hadn't worried up till now because he seemed to be happy enough with milk. I assumed he would gradually eat more over time, but he hasn't really.

He seems healthy, gaining weight, a decent size etc. Has loads of energy.

In a typical day, he would eat:
Cereal (baby muesli) with milk - equivalent of about half a Weetabix
Half to two thirds of a large banana
Half a slice of toast
A Petit filous
Some mashed potato (usually with some veg or mince mixed in) - about the equivalent of a medium-sized potato

He also has milk first thing in the morning last thing at night, and sometimes during the night (not loads, unless he hasn't eaten much at all during the day). He's breastfed.

He also drinks water at meal times, and is much more interested in that than in food.

Does this sound anywhere near enough food? I've no idea how much is average.

My 15month old (also breastfed) doesn't eat much either and I do worry!

Yesterday she had:
a handful of Rice Krispies, with almond milk (won't touch them with cows milk)
Quarter banana
About a quarter of a large potato mashed with butter/cream/spinach and 1 homemade fish goujon (about the same size as a chicken nugget)
A few grapes
Half a slice of toast with some mushed avocado.

Would breastfeed every hour or two if I allowed it but try to limit it to one in evening and one at bedtime.

I should add that yesterday was a good day! Frequently has no breakfast, small snack, few bites of lunch and maybe nibbles something from my plate.

Have you spoken to your Health Visitor or anything like that, milky way? I'm wondering whether all babies are like this, but some mums just describe it differently!

Just remember, if they're hungry they will eat!

There has been battles with DD 17months to get her to eat.
Her usual day consists of

Half a bowl of porridge
Fruit
Few mouthfuls of dinner (usually meat/fish and veg)
Yogurt
Again a few mouthfuls of her tea

She drinks no milk at all, she started refusing that at nine months and has knocked at least ten years off my life with worry

As long as they're gaining weight, seen to be thriving then just try to relax about it

Hi Puffinella. I've briefly spoken to a dietician (work in a hospital) and they said its not unusual and just gave me advice to make meals as calorie dense as possible (hence mashing potatoes with cream and avocado on toast!). She is very active, running around constantly and very happy. Just has a tiny appetite and loves her milk. I'm trying to cut down the milk to encourage her appetite but it's a major battle.

She's small too- has dropped from midway between 50-75th centile to just above the 25th centile, is just over 9kg and mostly still on 9-12month clothes. But then her feet are tiny so she may just be naturally small! It's stressful, isn't it? I don't want her getting any anxiety around meals and eating so I act very calm and relaxed with her even though I can't help but worry!

That's good to know. DS is actually a decent size for his age; goes up clothing sizes at about the stated age etc. As I say, he has loads of energy too. I try to make sure that the food he does eat is nutritious, though it's sometimes a balance between that, and just getting something into him that he'll take!

Yes I'm the same. I try not to stress too much about nutrients- I offer w mix of reasonably nutritious food a few times a day and always try to make sure something she likes I'd available as well as re-offering previously rejected things. She will happily eat something one day and refuse it the next anyway. She eats better in nursery, probably as I'm not around to cave and breastfeed her if she doesn't eat!

Doesn't sound outrageously little, especially with 2-3 breastfeeds a day still- he does need a decent amount of solids as well as milk now, but it's still nutritious. I'd take the precaution of doing as milkyway does and trying to make meals calorie dense. Butter on the toast, full fat milk on the cereal, both in the mash- you may be doing this already. Mince is also more calorific than potatoes so I'd probably give this as much as possible. Red meat's also a great source of iron, which he does need from his food as the stocks he was born with will have run out and there's not enough in breastmilk unless they're drinking litres of the stuff.

Thanks everyone, that's helpful advice. I'd forgotten about him needing iron in particular, so I'll keep an eye on that. I do give him baby muesli, as it's got vitamins and iron in it, but I'll keep an eye on the rest. Also have to try to stop other people feeding him junk, which fills him up with no nutrients!

Milkyway glittertwinkletoes and op my 19 month old is surprisingly similar. Bf morning, twice in the day and evening usually plus on average one night feed. She seems to be just about growing out of 12 to 18 months clothes, haven't had her weighed in a while. Sorry to not be able to show you there is an end but she's still here and healthy (only ever had coughs or colds). Some days she seems to eat double that amount and other days she has less. Hopefully this means she is eating more when she is hungry.

I read this, which I find helpful. Its our responsibility to offer a healthy range of foods and their responsibility to eat it.

My 11 month old is similar but is clearly growing.

Oops hit post.
I make her meals very rich as PP have suggested and find grazing (offering some organix puffs here or some fruit there) bumps up the total solids.
I am scrupulous with the haliborange as it's the vit D I worry about.