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Original poster

This is the 3rd day of a complete food strike! Help!

29 replies

fastasleep · 22/02/2006 10:04

DS is clinically underweight (he's lingering just below the very bottom of the dreaded centiles) he has been from about 2 months of age, I expressed milk for him because he could never latch on, which was a constant battle with my HV because 'it was making him so thin'...

I tried really hard to wean him onto food that is good for you, he barely ever has 'cake' a piece of sponge-cake once a week if that, he doesn't eat chocolate or crisps or any pre-made stuff... (he's 2 btw!) he loves his veggies so much that he'll often ignore his pasta or whatever's with it, and I was really proud of him.... but he keeps having these phases of refusing to eat antyhing... this one's got to the third day now and he just can't afford to lose the weight..

All we've managed to get down him since well Saturday really (that's the 4th day, poo!) is 250 mls of cows/breastmilk (I'm currently expressing for DD lol) and that's it! He'll put things in his mouth and look as if he's eating them but then they get spat out... what am I to do??

Wonderful GP says 'just add butter to all his food and he'll be right as rain', yeh thanks mate great, but he won't EAT it you numbskull!

OP posts:
Feistybird · 22/02/2006 10:09

Do you think it's a power thing with him - vying to get your attention away from your DD?

Original poster
fastasleep · 22/02/2006 10:09

Ah poo... I have to attach myself to my breastpump... I'm making a last ditch attempt with an early lunch of homemade pizza with tomato sauce, fresh tomatoes, tomato puree and cheese (tomatoes are his fave) but I don't think he'll eat it

OP posts:
Original poster
fastasleep · 22/02/2006 10:10

I've been giving him lots of attention recently, possibly too much, as he's had a cough and been Mr Pathetic, maybe that is it, but don't know how to make it better!! Argh!

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mummytosteven · 22/02/2006 10:12

i think it's all these bl**dy colds take their appetites away, so I don't think there is that much you can do about this until he's over the latest cold. Would he eat yoghurt?

Feistybird · 22/02/2006 10:12

Have you done the 'but you won't get any igeer unless you eat'

Feistybird · 22/02/2006 10:13

bigger

Passionflower · 22/02/2006 10:47

See here

TBH when mine are ill I give them whatever I can get them to eat and if that is cake and icecream then what the hell. He must have some 'naughty' favourites you could try.

Original poster
fastasleep · 22/02/2006 14:25

He licked the topping off one piece of pizza Sigh!! He's only just two, so doesn't understand the 'won't get bigger' he just happily sits there going 'won't get bigger mummy, yesssss' lol

have tried him with cake, which he stuffed in his mouth, pulled out and the crumbled all over the floor.... he's refusing yoghurt... might try him with a muller rice of mine lurking in the back of the fridge (if it's in date!)

OP posts:
Original poster
fastasleep · 22/02/2006 14:28

Argh this is not being helped my DD who has been crying all day except for when she's asleep for no apparent reason! ARGH!

OP posts:
claire7676 · 22/02/2006 14:42

Fastasleep, sending you a hug. My dd is a dreadful eater and I find it SO frustrating. I think with my dd its all about attention and the only thing she can really control at the mo - shes 1. Everytime we get somewhere, she then gets a cold or something and her appetite goes - genuinely I think, agree with mummytosteven - but then as soon as shes better, we have to start all over again.xx

claire7676 · 22/02/2006 14:43

BTW, my GP said, just make her eat!!!! Yeah right!!!

Original poster
fastasleep · 22/02/2006 14:44

Yes, if only February wasn't one long flipping cold eh!

Oh I'm exasperated today. That's the word.

OP posts:
doormat · 22/02/2006 14:47

fa would he eat food off your plate

Original poster
fastasleep · 22/02/2006 14:49

No we eat at a little coffee table together and I usually let him have my spoon/fork and let him finish off mine and he didn't want any waaaahhhh!

OP posts:
claire7676 · 22/02/2006 14:52

I get that and I can feel it in your posts, which is why I had to post really, despite not really knowing what to suggest!! The only thing that works with dd - when shes well - is being really strict. No desserts after food , she just holds out for them! And if she doesn't eat, no fuss, just take it away and theres nothing until the next meal / milk time. That can be a painful experience sometimes, but it does work. I have a dreadful cold at the mo and I'm really not hungry, must be the same for the little uns. I console myself with the advice a good HV gave, whih was that no child, offered food regularly will starve themselves, that she will eat when shes hungry. Agree with passionflower, if you're worried he has no weight to lose, try anything!! You can do battle again when hes well!! BTW, the centile charts refer to bottle fed babies, not breastfed. My SIL (paeds nurse) says they develop in very different ways and not to pay too much attention if they are breastfed?

Helen38 · 22/02/2006 14:54

Is he drinking?

How about making a milkshake with banana in it? at least that would get something into him, they work best with icecream too but without if you haven't got any.

cece · 22/02/2006 14:55

I know my 2 year old does the opposite of what I ask him to do so how about leaving a plate of food and telling him not to eat it - then leave the room.....

Original poster
fastasleep · 22/02/2006 14:55

We usually do the strict thing, with no dessert.... my MIL's a nurse who was in paeds and all she can bang on about is how they're a third of their total size at the age of three and he's so thin..grr!

That's the thing, he has got no weight to lose but I don't want him just eating cr*p either!

Crossed fingers and toes that this is just his cold speaking, he seems much better today, maybe when I start taking him out again he'll get hungrier? Even though he spent all this morning enegetically bouncing on his trampoline!

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doormat · 22/02/2006 14:55

fa my ds3 is like your little one, he can go without food for days and then just pig out all day
he doesnt like cake/choc neither, he prefers veg and home cooked food
he has to be up at least an hour in the morning before he will eat breakfast, this is a pita as he goes to school so wake him early.
have no ideas I am afraid but know a small bit of how you feel.

Original poster
fastasleep · 22/02/2006 14:56

Actually banana milkshake was the next thing I was going to try...

Doh but that's my Hagen Daz Vanilla... grumbles

I may try the don't you dare eat it thing as well before the day is out lol

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Original poster
fastasleep · 22/02/2006 14:57

Thanks guys it's nice to know there are some other weird anorexic vegetable loving children out there!

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harpsichordcarrier · 22/02/2006 14:58

oh please don't despair fa [sympathy]
will he drink? could you give him complan or smoothies? or even (dons hard hat) milkshakes with ice cream etc?
do you still bf him? if so could you up those feeds?
I must say in your situation I would be less concerned about what he eats for the time being. Give him what he will eat and then you can both stop worrying about it for a bit.
does he eat with friends/at grandma's/in restaurants? could you use that as a tactic?
or (I know he is quite young for this) any chance of a star chart/sticker system?
I know I am a single issue fanatic about this, but I am a strong believer in doing anything to avoid making mealtimes a battle ground. makes everyone lose their appetite.

harpsichordcarrier · 22/02/2006 14:59

(sorry that took me ages, the thread has really moved on )

Original poster
fastasleep · 22/02/2006 15:12

He ate at Pizza Hut predictably lol... he has been drinking, I just made him a milkshake, I had a glass and he had his cup... he took two big mouthfuls happily went 'YUM' and then tipped it out everywhere. So screw it I'm not bothering to feed him anything until DH gets home at five when he can try!!

I've been trying not to make meal-times weird... I just put the food out and sit there and eat mine casually pointing out the yummy tomatoes etc... but it gets really easy to slip into 'Theo, eat your dinner, Theo... now... THEO!'

Not breastfeeding him, as neither baby could latch, am just expressing for 4 month old DD with a bit to spare, he was downing about a litre of EBM a day last week at the worst of his flu but now he doesn't want that either! Pah.

He's now sitting on my knee with teddy going 'Oh, shake gone... shake gone where mummy? Where shake? Yucky shake.'

OP posts:
doormat · 22/02/2006 15:19

have feeling here as others have mentioned it is maybe a power struggle

leave his plate for him and dont sit with him or interact at all
just leave him to it