Aaaaaaaagh - 1 year old and stressing me with his eating

[evansmummy]

Up until his first birthday ds was happily eating lumpy purees, and eating a lot! There was nothing that he refused to eat. Then I thought with him being a year old and everything that I should start giving him some real food. So i've cooked up a whole batch of little meatballs, veggie rissoles, pasta sauces and the like that he can eat with his fingers. Only thing is that HE WON'T EAT!!!! Every day for the last week I've had to throw it away cos he refuses it. He'll eat two or three mouthfuls from a spoon if I feed it to him, but he won't pick it up himself or eat anymore than a tiny bit. I'm coming to the end of my tether. HELP!!

could you gradually introduce the new stuff? From what you are saying, it sounds like he has had a change he doesn't like. With ds I have just given him the same stuff, only lumpier as time has gone by.

stick it in sauce in small lumps

twiglett, what sauce? for potato croquettes, for example??? and isn't one year a bit late for still eating purees?

Dont stress about it is the main thing. Offer him food everyday, he will eat when hungry

I know its frustrating but as long as he is drinking then its not such a big deal.

Not too old for eating lumpy mashed food, not at all. And anyway, who cares if someone else says it is 'too late' - your ds clearly strongly disagrees! I'm probably too old to get excited about the pantomime, but I do! Why not chop up the pasta in a sauce and mash the meatballs and give him some on a spoon and encourage him to use the spoon himself?

Have you changed it all of a sudden?

2 spoons, one for you, one for him.

Also, I think 1 year old is when a lot of babies lose their appetites, and stop growing for a while. Ds suddenly stopped eating all fruit and vegetables, he started eating fruit again at 2 yo and veg was only a month ago (2.7!)

They're just like that.

DS2 sometimes eats really well, will try everything, really good appetite. Last night, he ate steak, roast squash, roast onion. This lunch, he had squash + onion soup with bread, and ate with a spoon.

But there are days where all he wants is bananas and cheese. I keep offering other stuff, but don't get stressed about it. Very few adults live on bananas and cheese.

So yeah, I'd keep offering lumpy purees, and keep offering finger food and grownup food.

Thanks all for your encouragement. I guess he's just not reay then. At least i don't have to feel guilty for not trying. Back to the lumpy purees then, and me and dh are eating finger picking chicken and potato balls until they run out!

DS,also 1yo, will eat bowlfuls of lumpy puree - particularly if it includes red meat Will chew bedgrudgingly, but to be honest takes so long we both get bored. Won't bite food (i.e sandwiches or carrot sticks a complete no-no). Very frustrated. Was hoping to be off the mashed stuff by now.