What to offer DD who isnt really eating at the mo?

[Beabea]

She is happy to snack away from the table but isnt eating a substantial meal very much. In fact I cant even get her in her high chair.

Any dairy free ideas of what to offer her for lunch. And even how to get her to sit in her chair. She is extreamly strong and she can get out of all her harnesses. I do have dairy free cheese and yoghurts. Though if anything has cheese on she only eats the cheese!

Im also going shopping today so lots of ideas would be good

Cheers

Looks like breakfast before bottle wasnt the best idea. DD was still wanting something to eat at 8.30am, her usual breakfast time. Decided to reduce her morning bottle a little instead.

Last night was a complete mess. DD was so hungry when she woke and her teeth hurt that she didnt eat a thing. I had to give her a bottle of milk instead.

Lets hope todays attemps at eating are better than yesterdays.

Still doesnt like her highchairs. Has a complete hissy fit.

DD1 loved a good bowl of soup - sloppy enough to be non-threatening, but packed with good stuff.

Though it does need to be spoonfed until she gets used to the messiness of it. Could she get on better with one of those booster seats perhaps?

I think at this age it is not worth the hassle to get them to sit down if they are not into it. The main thing is that they do enjoy what they have, and even more importantly, that this minor issue doesn't become a major issue for the two of you and interfere with your relationship.

I would just leave out snack type meals on a table where she can reach them and let her help herself while she is playing. They can't sit still at this age and it is very young to learn table manners. It will all come when she is a bit older - she will want to sit down at the table with you soon enough. Have you tried cubes of tofu? Ds liked them just raw at this age as the texture is nice and easy, and the taste is non-threatening. Hard boiled egg if she is allowed those, breadsticks with dips, little chickpeas to pick up. This is a classic age for fussy eating and she will soon be on 3 course meals with silver cutlery

I have tried a few soups - homemade, but she doesnt really go for these much either. I have to watch out for the hidden dairy ingredients. Will look into some tinned ones rather than the fresh made ones I usually get.

We do have a booster type seat - this is the one she nearly tipped herself in. Im looking into the fabric sort you sling over a normal chair.

Thanks frannyandzooey I just left her a plate of food out and all she ate was the sweetcorn. Which also comes out the other end fully intact!

oh its hard isn't it?

supper last night completely rejected, wasn't too bothered as alledgedly he "ate everything" at nursery...but then the little minx wouldn't sleep as hungry and he ended up eating some of ours at 8.30. today is looking better. breakfast (scrambled eggs, wholemeal toast and half of daddy's shreddies) was stuffed down. at lunchtime he sucked the goat's cheese off the top of some bread, turned his nose up at the soup but fed himself a yoghurt. so on the whole i regard that as success i think.

just repeat to yourself "if she's hungry, she'll eat" so long as the only choices you give her are healthy ones, she'll be ok.

forgot to ask is it all dairy or just cow's milk. can she have goat's cheese etc?

oh yes, just thought, have you tried the "seeds of change" soup in foil packets, they do a lentil one that ds actually always eats if offered, quite thick so easier to manage. they are organic and i think vegan. worry about the salt content but ok for occasional use i guess

Thanks Mazzystar. I must say I dont feel so alone now. We arent really sure about goats or not but we do and have given her a bit. Our local sainsburys only have goats stuff that also has milk in it. Doh! She skin has improved since we stopped giving that to he.

Although she did have a little of my dairy cheese today. I just try a little every now and again to see if she reacts. Trouble is it is so minor for the amount I cant really tell.

I will look out for the soup. Thanks.

As for eating the right things. DD has taken to chasing other children for their biscuits. Oh dear! I chase after her with a cereal bar.

Hi beabea. I have a 20 month old DS who is just coming out of a non-eating phase which started about 4 months ago. I also have a 4.6 DD.

I think part of the problem was that I had got used to feeding DD at set times as she was at playgroup, then nursery school and expected DS to just fit in. We are conditioned to eat 3 times a day, but for a very young child this doesn't neccesarily work. Looking back I remembered that at 13 months or so DD ate about 4/5 small meals a day and it was nearly all finger food. Also, children like repitition in their diets, unlike adults. Maybe try little and often?

As for the high chair problem; despite DS eating very little for months on end he is very strong (and heavy!) and also kept getting out of his chair. We found a plastic boxy type chair thing which straps into a normal dining/kitchen chair which has kept him contained and stops him from feeling "different" IYSWIM.

HTH and good luck!

Mercy - thanks, we already have a travel seat and she does sometimes sit with us quite happily. Just nothing much works at the moment.

I wonder if she is a little unwell as she seems to have a cough that sounds like she is smoking 40 a day. She woke herself up both times today with it.

How's it going Beabea?

Hope the cough has cleared up, is she teething?