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Why will he not eat? End of my tether...

8 replies

pacific407 · 13/06/2012 17:21

My 15MO DS has always been a bit unreliable with food - even with his bottles when he was really young. He seemed to have got so much better since he turned 1 but recently he has got so difficult. So much so that I had to take myself away for a cry earlier when yet again he refused the food I had cooked for him (food which I know he likes because he's eaten it before).

It started with a refusal to use a spoon (up until then he had been spoon fed alongside self-feeding finger foods). I thought maybe he's just growing up and wants the independence of feeding himself. So I spent ages making some nice finger foods for him (and of course he hate buts of banana and cheese etc). To start off with, that worked great. But the last couple of days...nothing. Just the odd bite here and there, maybe a slice of toast, and as many goji berries as he can fit in his mouth (I know!).

The result is, he's not eating enough during the day, so is waking up ravenous in the night. Eating at night then probably starts up a viscous cycle. I'm knackered and am literally dreading each meal time.

I know it's probably a phase and maybe I'm a bit emotional and need a rant ( am feeling pretty rough). But if anyone does have any advice or has been through (and come out the other end of) a similar situation, please do let me know!!

Oh, and let me know if I've posted in the wrong place...

OP posts:
pacific407 · 13/06/2012 17:22

Sorry that should have read ate bits of banana...

OP posts:
Thankgodforcaffeine · 16/06/2012 07:30

Keep trying all sorts of food, and try and act like it's not a big deal (difficult, I know )

Try giving him porridge or similar in the evenings, it might help him last until morning.

And chances are, this too will pass...

Good luck OP!

DontstepontheMomeRaths · 16/06/2012 07:33

Are his teeth bothering him? I had to slather bonjela teething gel on my two DCs gums 10 minutes before meals or they'd barely eat, at one stage.

OneLittleBabyTerror · 16/06/2012 07:49

It is a truth universally acknowledged that the amount of food a toddler eats is inversely proportional to the effort you made.

For your sanity stop making those special finger foods for him. Give him your normal meals instead. If he's not eating at the same time, save him some leftovers. DD only gets two things made fresh for her, omelette and pasta. Ofc things like toast, cheese slices are staples here.

Now you aren't making so much effort, hopefully you can relax. He will eat when he is hungry.

notcitrus · 16/06/2012 08:05

Ditto stopping with the effort! Also simply wandering off and leaving ds to it helped - often he'd eat the food half an hour later.

whatinthewhatnow · 16/06/2012 08:16

ditto what they said. stop making special stuff and then you'll care less when it gets igonored. the night eating is tricky and i went through the same. I just started saying 'no, wait for breakfast' and giving him a drink instead. my 4 year old has never been a good eater, I used to be bonkers about it, now I don't care. I offer him good food, he eats what he wants, we're all much happier. good luck.

Hebiegebies · 16/06/2012 08:22

Unless he is seriously underweight I'd not worry either.

Sit down to eat together the same food. Make no comment about eating just chat about your day.

Do you just give milk at night?

pacific407 · 09/07/2012 14:32

so sorry not to have posted to thank you all for your responses...i was away and have only just come back on mn. youre all absolutely right, of course! now he hasnt eaten for three days because of a sicky bug and it's made me realise how silly i was getting in a tizzwozz about this in the first place!!

oh, and to answer your q hebies, he has breakfast lunch and tea and then a pre-bed snack. then milk just before bed. i basically have taken every opportunity during the day to get some food into him!! i will definitely (try to) be more relaxed when he's got over this bug!!

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