Spitting everything out - is she getting enough ?

[Tillysmummy]

My dd who is now almost a year used to be the best eater in the world, she likes everything and ate a lot of everything. The last month she has become a real minx with meal times. Even with her favourites most of it gets spat out.

She doesn't eat nearly the amount she used too and meal times are becoming a real hassle. Has anyone else experienced this ? I had a look through the food threads but couldn't see anything exactly.

She probably averages one good meal a day. Is this normal ?

[Azzie]

Sounds pretty normal to me! Just as you start congratulating yourself on what a good and varied eater your child is, they start to get fussy.

She won't starve herself. Just make sure that she's not getting some payoff in terms of you making an extra fuss at mealtimes, otherwise it reinforces the behaviour. Give her loads of finger food, stand her chair on a large sheet of plastic, stand well back and let her get on with it. As long as you offer plenty of food but don't make a big issue of it, she'll get enough.

How was Paris, by the way?

[Bozza]

I think that at this age sometimes children's appetite reduces as they are not putting weight on as quickly as in the first year. Are you still feeding her or is she wanting to try herself. I think at this age DS used to eat most things with his fingers - even things like mashed potatoes, baked beans etc that aren't strictly finger foods.... It might be an independence thing or if she might be bored with eating and want to go off and discover something.

Definitely with us the independence thing was a big thing. DH had to really force me to sit back and let DS get on with it because like your DD, DS was a brilliant eater as a baby. Still he's got to eighteen months and ate a full bowl of cheerios for breakfast with a spoon, messed with lunch because it was a playgroup picnic with friends and he wanted to play, then ate shepherds pie and peas followed by choc ice-cream with a spoon even managing to pick out the peas (his fave) so I feel like we are getting there. But he is so independent. He won't drink his bedtime milk if I pass the cup to him - I have to put it down next to him so that he can pick it up himself.

[Tillysmummy]

Bozza I think you are right about the independence thing. I also think she does it as Azzie said to get a rise out of me. I just ignore her now and say that's fine, enough food then and start clearing away at which point she gets upset ! Re feeding herself. She has loads of finger food but I must admit I haven't plucked up the courage to let her pick up mash and things like that with her fingers for fear of her putting it in her hair which im sure she would take great pleasure in doing ! I know it doesn't really matter so maybe I'll let her do it anyway. She is very keen to feed herself and I normally do let her have a go but with mummy assisting

[Tillysmummy]

Hi Azzie
Azzie,
Thanks for asking, Paris was great. We had a lovely time. Tilly was exceedingly well behaved and it wasn't too much of a problem as long as we let her have a good hour or two of crawling in the morning and afternoon. I didn't manage to borrow a back carrier but the buggy was fine.

I am sure you are right re the eating thing. I had thought she was getting enough but she then became so fussy. I just let her get on with it !

[Bozza]

Tillysmummy - I think eventually you will have to take the plunge and let her get on with it. Perhaps start with a meal shortly before bath time - so she can be immediately transported from high chair to bath? Occasionally I have had to sit DS in the bottom of the shower and hose him off - but this is infrequent. And he even seems to be getting past the stage of throwing as much on the floor. On good days he will even put his spoon and fork in his bowl to indicate he has finished - on bad days he still throws them in different directions across the kitchen followed by cup and bowl.

But I have been amazed by how well he has responded to being allowed to get on with it.

[dot1]

my ds is 9 months old and was also a brilliant eater until last week, when he's started spitting things out - but he's also just started teething and I was wondering if there was a link there? He is also v. independent - nearly walking and likes to try to do everything himself. But it's really frustrating seeing all this food coming back out when a few weeks ago he would have eaten it all..!

[Chinchilla]

Sounds like teething to me! Don't worry, he will eat when he wants it, from my experience.

[manna]

my ds (9.5 mnths) did the same. Is his food too smooth? this could be a problem. In ds's case I think he'd just discovered spitting out - did it for a few days, and now only spits out occasionally. Usually, I give him some water and then he's fine. I think it may be his way of saying 'not food, WATER!'