dd 19mo, complete pain with food

[fizzbuzz]

She used to be an amazing eater. Would just keep shovelling it in and she ate everything....alas no more....
Not interested in anything much (except puddings , which I have cut out)
2 or 3 spoons at breakfast, and nothing else.
2 spoons at lunch time, and then screams and screams. Take her away from table, and try again later...same reaction. Won't eat foods she used to love.
Not very interested in finger foods, and never has been, but ABSOLUTELY won't let me feed her.
Teatime repeat performance of lunchtime.
Am completely confused all the time. I don't know if she isn't hungry/being awkward/not liking what she is given.

Will only try and eat anything sweet, so I have stopped giving her anything like this, but sometimes am so desperate for her to eat will give her some rice pudding which she wolfs down.

Am totally peed off with her...can't do right for doing wrong

She's going to keep going because she know's you'll cave in and give her what she wants. I know that you must be on the verge of giving her permanent rice pudding but it's really not a good idea. If she knows that you'll give in then she's won this battle. Children rarely starve themselves. Make sure she's got enough to drink and stick to your guns. No sweet stuff. Proper food. If it's not eaten, leave her a little while and try again. Keep calm and don't give in. Good luck.

fizz, mine's the same age and the same behavior! We have started letting him go without and it is beginning to work. Best not to make a big deal of it. Easier said than done, I know...

Poor you. It's soooo frustrating.
Could she be getting molars? Lots of little ones go off food when teeth are arriving.
How about taking away some of the pressure. What about a kitchen or living room picnic (ie when the pressure is off). Could start with some naturally sweet veg finger foods. What about sweet potato chips? Toast with philly cheese?
Please try not to worry about it. Toddlers are strange little creatures who eat one day and not the next.

My dd does this, too. Tho' she eats properly at nursery - ha double helpings and everything. Clear she's just being manipulative for my benefit.

Try different foods at different times other than mealtimes
Have a picnic on the kitchen floor, give her something in the bath, give her a plate full of lots of little bits and see what she does

Maybe just try different approaches
Hope it gets better

so so sympathise with you fizzbuzz! We often have this sort of thing with ds - he's 20 months. Only difference is he's never been a great eater. Oh and he does always gulp down his breakfast (weetabix or porridge) which is a relief.

At the moment it's not so much screaming but after a couple of spoonfuls/bites he'll start tipping everything over and banging the spoon, spitting out water etc. So meals tend to end very abruptly.

I have always offered him a yoghurt (no added sugar type ones) after his lunch and dinner so have just continued to do that - it tends to get eaten. If he wants more yoghurt I always tell him no and offer him the rest of his meal. On the odd occasion this has worked and he has eaten a bit more. Some nights he's gone to bed having had nothing but a cup of milk since 3pm but when that's happened he's slept fine so I guess he just must not get very hungry.

oh ds eats brilliantly at nursery. so frustrating.

Crikey....feel much better now. Soooooooo glad to know it's not just me.

Don't think she's teething, prefer to think she is being bllody minded!! She behaves the same with her childminder as well.

She used to love yoghurts but won't eat that any more. Ds had some horrid "sucky" yoghurts (His name I hasten to add)in a tube a week or so ago, and she loved one of those, and screamed and screamed for more. Found her with the whole box, which she had pulled out of the fridge.

I don't give her puddings every day, usually after about 2 1/2 days of this behaviour, when I really think she must be hungry. However I think I must cut this out as well.

I hve tried little plates full of nibbly bits, but it doesn't work...they just get dropped or sucked, but never eaten.

Grrrrrrrrr...such a pain

Perhaps she is becoming one of these news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/454313.stm

nothing helpful to add I'm afraid but just to say I have one of these too!! my DD is 19m and since breakfast today has had a pot of fruit puree & a yoghurt. I am now at the stage where I am not to going to offer anything else if she refuses her main meal. as someone else says here I figure she will eat if she is really hungry. I am incredibly frustrated about it - on teh other hand teh dog thInks its great!!

But, if anyone eats anything around her when she is on one of her difficult days, she goes mad for some as if she is really hungry, but only wants what you are eating...

And sometimes she just starts crying in a hungry manner as if she hasn't realised she is hungry and is suddenly ravenous.

So confusing

dont forget that growth slows down after 1st year.
The first year is a period of massive growth, and quite a lot of healthy eaters cut down on food once over a year old.

small frequent meals is the way forward.

three small meals plus one mid snack.
or perhaps,
count up the tablespoons eaten over a three day period, things not as bad as you think.

however, must point out that my eldest refused any form of carrot and cucumber from 13 months of age. When previously he loved the stuff.
He is going to be 17 this year , and STILL wont eat those foods. ( has loved curry all his life though)

my 2nd son eats well, loves healthy foods such as salad and fish, doesnt like sloppy food, such as stews or cassroles. ( I still make them though)

3rd son, underweight, had lots of help with dietian, lots of food allergies to medical problems stopped him eating.

4th child.
eats really well, a wide varity of food, not too keen on fruit.
loves meat in all forms, early years loved pheasant. ( was good at spitting out the shot out of corner of mouth at 2yrs)

I like to make veggies flinch when i tell them that my children cut their teeth on chop bones and wet flannels..................sorry , drifing from subject here.