anyone had a picky eater early toddler (15 month) who has developed into a normal eater child? I am utterly desperate

[bbface]

Another utterly crap dinnertime. He eats nothing other than bits of tortilla, yoghurt and fruit puree. I refused to give him the yoghurt and fruit puree. Not that he understands, but just so I could feel I having some control over the situation.

He is destined to be a faddy eater? Or do some of you have children that were faddy at this age?

What did you do?

Thanks so much

They all go a bit funny at around 12-13 months ime, get a bit more normal around 18 months. It is really annoying at the time but normally they will be getting enough to make them grow even though in your opinion it is absolute crap.

At 18 months I stopped offering alternatives. I put dinner in front of DS2, gave him half an hour, then chucked it. Tried not to look how much / what he ate, made sure there was one thing on there that at least approximated something he liked - eg. a few baked beans on most plates. Now he will have a go at most things - doesn't like most dark green veg but he's not alone there.

Wouldn't do that before 18 months though, they are too young to understand cause and effect much before that. I would give him a plate with a bit of tortilla on and something else you want him to try. Let him eat with other kids who are good eaters if possible. If he will eat fruit puree move on to stewed fruit with lumps in it, try mashed potato / carrot mash etc. Assuming he has no other health probs?

12-18 m.o. was a fussy patch for DS. He wouldn't eat veg or lots of other things.

He's much better at 23 m.o. although still most children this age I know won't eat veg.

yep - my DS was awful at that age -took a while but graduadly started eating more stuff - he is fine by 4/5 - wouldn't say he is a great eater but eats a normal diet and will try stuff - its a real pain through

My youngest had phases. And he still does ( he is 3yrs old and dairy intolerant just to make it more fun).

Just try to keep calm, don't worry too much about it and keep on trying stuff. People say write thing down and you will be surprised that they eat more than you think.

My 3yr old has refused bread for over a year but the other weekend with nothing else on offer ( we were out and I had taken a packed lunch but forgot his crackers) he ate a sandwich. Then he has decided to eat pitta bread. And asked if he could have some of the pasta ( usually scorned at) his older brother was having.

Minor break thoughs but it was a good week!

Your responses have relaxed me a little, thank you. I love our life together, my DS and I, but I really despise feeding time. I think, in fact I know, he is aware of this and it worries me further that he will probably get a complex about eating because mama gets moody around food. I simply have to relax.

Thing is, he is a big boy, and friends have expressed disbelief that he possibly isn't one of those toddlers that Hoover up everything. They don't know the half it... the boy used to eat so well but last month... living on air.

In answer to your question absolutely yes. Don't worry it will get better. DD was a tiny eater at this age and we were so worried that she would either starve to death or have nothing in reserve if she got ill. I spent more than one "mealtime" in tears or getting extemely wound up - which doesn't help at all.

Try not to let mealtimes become a battle and try not to let it become about control. Once I managed to convince myself that dd would not starve herself and tried to relax about it it did become less stressful. Don't let mealtimes drag on - dd could spend an hour eating a couple of teaspoonsfuls - setting a time limit does help. Once she got to nursery at age 3 and had to sit with the others at snacktime even if she didn't eat was a major turning point.

From then on she was much better in terms of quantity. We always let her try things she wanted to try and we had a house rule that no-one could say they didn't like something until they had eaten at least one large teaspoonful (DH was a bit of a fussy eater at times too !)

As Pancakeflipper says keep trying stuff and I was quite insistent that vegetables had to be eaten.

DD is now 12 and eats well and has quite a mature palate and is willing to try stuff . Don't despair.

My elder DS was fussy as a toddler, he only wanted to eat peanut butter or marmite sandwiches or chicken nuggets and chips. As he was one of three he got given whatever we were having and I would just make sure that he had one meal a day (usually breakfast) that included things he would easily eat.
He's 18 now and will eat most things and is the most adventurous eater of them all , eats snails, mussels,etc.