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Original poster

11 month old won't eat bloody anything, tearing my hair out.

80 replies

ruty · 16/04/2009 10:10

Ds ate like a horse. Dd has always been fussy, at the breast [better now but not a huge feeder] refuses all formula and bottles, and hates food. At 6 months anything that went in her mouth was met with crying, outrage, gagging. Slowly got better but suddenly the last couple of weeks she has been refusing all breakfast [baby cereal, small pieces of toast and butter] spitting ou the fruit puree sachets she used to have as snacks, refusing supper. She has always rejected the chicken cassroles i make her, she chews small pieces of chicken and roasted carrot then spits them out, gags on mashed potato, and now rejects the little organix chicken baby food she used to accept.

I know she can swallow and chew because i tried her with a piece of chocolate the other day [would never have allowed ds at that age] and she wolfed it down happily. She like ice cream too. And teddy bear crisps, terribly salty, but her brother has given her a few and she loves them

So what the hell do i do? She will only eat high sugar, salty food, and not much at that. She is small for her age, but i haven't had her weighed for ages, now she is rejecting pretty much everything i am going to get her weighed tomorrow. Really really exasperated now. Any ideas?

OP posts:
Original poster
ruty · 17/04/2009 15:06

yes i'm going to try that. Doesn't help that we all eat at different times and rarely around the table [dh gets home too late] will try to get me, ds and dd to eat together.

OP posts:
cktwo · 17/04/2009 17:44

Good luck

becaroo · 17/04/2009 17:50

Hi ruty.

If you are worried about her intake of vits and minerals how about vitamin drops?

Also, have you tried mini rice cakes? Ds1 who is a very fussy eater even now (he is nearly 6) loved and still loves them....

becaroo · 17/04/2009 17:51

"On the other hand she just stole her brother's mini magnum and scoffed it!"

....sounds like a girl after my own heart ruty!!!!

Original poster
ruty · 17/04/2009 18:09

yes an we just had another baby round and she stole the biscuit from his hand and tried to eat it, dropping her own half. Can't think where she gets it from.

I did ask HV about vitamin drops but she said wait for a couple of weeks. can i get them myself anywhere?

OP posts:
becaroo · 18/04/2009 20:18

Yes, you can get them from any pharmacy/supermarket - I use abidec (they are the ones usually prescribed by GPs, Hvs etc)

I am very surprised at your HV Current DoH guidlines recommend vit drops for bf babies after 6 months and for ff babies if they are having less then 17fl oz per day.

HTH x

Original poster
ruty · 19/04/2009 09:55

thankyou Becaroo, i will look for them tomorrow. Yes i was surprised at her too, not even sure if she was a fully qualified HV, clinic so crowded and usual HVS not there.

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iwantitnow · 19/04/2009 19:08

Get the LLL book "my child won't eat" will set your mind a rest. My DD didn't get the hang of food until she was nearly , she self weaned from BFing and her solids in take didn't improve at all. I did let her eat junk and am still trying to reduce it now at 2.5 years but she is a very healthy weight now but she did plummet down the centiles but has come up again.

AitchTwoOh · 19/04/2009 19:18

aw you poor thing. second the vitamins and iron, the eating together and most of all the LLL book. it's very good on how you handle this intractable situation, how you get your head round it and respond to it, iykwim? (cos it'll all likely work out, cos it just will... )

oh, and watch out for a programme called 'professor regan's...nursery', part of a series coming up. i'm watching it now, it's quite interesting on things like sugar in cereal etc. basically the nutritionists seem to be saying that eating breakfast is the thing, and not to worry about what it is, sugary or no.

Original poster
ruty · 19/04/2009 19:19

thanks iwantitnow that is good to know. I bought the abidec drops today but no iron in them. Did your dd need iron drops?

OP posts:
Original poster
ruty · 19/04/2009 19:21

really Aitch? I worry about her teeth [though she only has 4 so far] and about diabetes, a bit in the family [not me or dh though]

She drank some milk today, but only because it was chocolate milk

OP posts:
becaroo · 19/04/2009 19:21

There was a panorama programme on last year with a consultant nuttritionist (from Guys Hospital, I think) treating children with food phobias/wouldnt eat etc etc and she gave such senisble advice...it really cheered me up and I wished I had seen it when ds1 was smaller and going through his really fussy phase.

Basically, she said that food is food...if they will only eat chocolate, apples and milk then give them that and supplement with vitamins. 99% of children will grow out of fussy eating and for those that dont, there is normally an underlying physiological or psycological reason eg: allergy/phobia etc.

With my ds1 I gave him what I knew he liked to eat, kept offering different foods but didnt make a big deal of it if he didnt like it and tried not to worry that his diet wasnt exactly what the books tell you!!!!! (Although he has never eaten sweets or chocolate!! - unlike his mother I should add!!)

With ds2 who is 7 months next week, I will do the same, as ds1 now eats much more than he did - things like pilau rice, onion bhajis, naan bread, pasta, garlic bread etc etc - still havent managed to get him to eat fruit or much veg though

good luck x

becaroo · 19/04/2009 19:24

....Re: iron, you can get iron drops too - I used some called Minadex (I think!) particularly good after illness to help build them up again. Or your GP can prescribe them and then you will get them free

Original poster
ruty · 19/04/2009 19:26

Thanks becaroo -trying to get her to swallow them will be interesting!

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LittleRascal · 19/04/2009 20:09

this is such an interesting read as my ds (12months) is/was similar. At 10 months he refused everything besides his bottles. drove me maddddd!!!!!! after a while or trial and error I landed up asking my friend to feed him with me not in the house. - it worked! so realised my stress about his eating is probably having an effect on him.
He now goes through days of eating only rice cakes and fruit squeezey things. then he will eat anything for a few more days. He goes to nursery 2 days a week and eats everything in sight- so again- probably me!!! and the fact that he is watching others eat.

so my tips-
focus on 1 meal at a time- eg. at lunch times eat with her (like others have said)
take her out to where other people are eating. like a soft play area
give her raisins or something to focus his attention on
give her finger foods. even if she plays around with it, she is interacting with food
Have messy play with food
dont stress
if she is teething, go back to purees
if she starts fussing, take her out of the chair,play for a few mins in another room and then try again with a smile on your face

good luck! it is sooooooooo annoying!!!

AitchTwoOh · 19/04/2009 20:36

yep, they were talking about kids going to school having eaten breakfast and were 100% clear that any breakfast, sugary or not, is better than none for continuing health. so boiled egg and toast or frosties... the scientists weren't bothered. they didn't mention anything about tooth-brushing, but i assume that they'd think it was a good idea.

i saw that tv show as well, beca, it was good. in a way it wasn't that dissimilar to the LLL book. basically don't sweat it, these things sort themselves out in time...

becaroo · 19/04/2009 20:54

Very true aitch, they do....I just wished I'd seen it sooner IYSWIM? It would have saved me lots of worry over ds1.

My mum reminded me the other day that my brother only ate onion monster munch, jam sandwiches and sweets for about 2 years when he was about 5/7 He is now 6 foot 2 and weighs about 14 stone!!! My mum was very stressed (of course) and he picked up on it I am sure.

My biggest tip would be...dont let the child/ren see your stress at mealtimes (I know this is hard when you are worried) but it pays off in the long run, I think.

Sounds like she may have a sweet tooth ruty!! but regular toothbrushing will negate any probs in that regard.

Original poster
ruty · 19/04/2009 21:23

so tonight we had a very messy time! We all tried to eat together, and we had fishfingers [suggested by HV] and oven chips [you may have worked out by now I'm not a great cook] and cherry tomatoes. She seemed to enjoy a couple of pieces of tomatoes, and even showed interest in the fishfingers. She enjoyed feeding me even more of course! She also tackled a tub of custard, and I think she eat quite a good amount of it. May be a one off, we'll see, but we'll try to eat all together more often, and see if that helps.

Thanks for all the reassurance and ideas. Would still like to get her some iron drops though.

OP posts:
AitchTwoOh · 20/04/2009 02:46

oh i LOVE fish fingers.
good one, ruty, i hope things stay messy and keep getting better. just press for the drops, it doesn't matter if dd needs them or not... if it'll help keep your stress levels down you can wean yourself off them when she's a gannet.

Original poster
ruty · 20/04/2009 09:37

thanks Aitch. Will do.

OP posts:
becaroo · 20/04/2009 20:41

That sounds great ruty...I love fish finger sandwiches!

I know my dc always eat more when we eat together but its not always possible.

Good luck x

AitchTwoOh · 21/04/2009 10:49

with salad cream... yum.

Original poster
ruty · 21/04/2009 15:58

back to pret a manger today for another avocado sandwich - she ate all the avocado and mayo in the sandwich - the staff must think I'm bonkers, I'm in there nearly every day!

OP posts:
Original poster
ruty · 21/04/2009 15:59

[she won't eat any other avocado i buy, however i present it]

OP posts:
AitchTwoOh · 21/04/2009 16:47

lol, she's off her head. just wait until she's older...