fussy eating - yes I know it's been done to death but am getting desperate!

[flirtygerty]

DD is 21 months. We eat together whenever possible but she always eats with big brother. Refuses point blank to eat any savoury food at teatime. Hasn't touched a vegetable for about a month, won't eat meat or chicken. Tonight has had 5 peas & refused anything else. Will not eat sauces. The only thing I can guarrantee she will eat is cheese & bread (& anything at all that is sweet.)I usually give her banana & custard afterwards as I know she'll eat this but am beginning to feel that she is pulling my strings so tonight I just took her down the minute she started messing about. She drinks about 16 oz milk at bedtime as I just don't want to go back to night waking.

Do I
a) just feed her pudding regardless of what she has eaten?
b) hold off the puddings for a while to see if that stimulates her appetite?

Would welcome any ideas/advice/help/support!

I feel for you, it must be very difficult but if it were me I would withhold anything sweet for a while and stick to your guns as you did tonight.

Children do not, IME, starve themselves. You could try things like baked beans as they are a little sweeter and plenty of finger foods (including fruit). Her milk consumption is enough to keep her going and I'm sure hunger will win in the end!

with holding sweet stuff will work but you need to realise that it will probably take at least 3 days before she is hungry enough because she is having milk etc.

Just take the sweet stuff away completely. If she's having milk she'll be fine for a few days. Does she eat cereal? Could be a halfway house between sweet stuff and savoury for a little while?

p.s. I totally sympathise. My son was a very fussy toddler and is still a fusspot now, although nowhere near as bad as he used to be...

thanks. yes I guess I'll just have to put up with the screaming tantrums for few days. unfortunately baked beans get thrown at the dog- who incidently loves getting all these leftovers!

we have had 10 long long years of ds being fussy but last week we had a break through and he ate tuna pasta salad and a baked potato with all the skin .
i was so happy i nearly cried .
until you have had a fussy eater you cant understand how hard it can be.