15mo DS suddenly throwing food on floor and getting upset

[sunnyfields25]

Hi, I tried posting this in Weaning but didn't get any replies, so thought I'd try my luck here...

My DS is 15 mo and up until recently did fairly well with food. There were things he would refuse to eat, but in general would eat enough variety to have a balanced diet.

For the past few weeks he's been getting fussier, and the past few days it's got so bad that all he's really eating, other than a good breakfast, is fruit. Everything else gets chucked on the floor, even the foods that he previously loved. He's also started getting very upset when we put the food anywhere near him.

Has anyone else experienced this? If so, is it just a phase?

I think he's got a bit of an upset tummy as he was sick last week and has slightly runny poo, but personality wise he's his usual cheery self. It also looks like his final front molar is coming through.

Does anyone have any tips? I am probably handling it badly because I get quite stressed when he doesn't eat, and I realise he probably picks up on that.

What's bizarre is that he goes to nursery one day a week and they say he wolfs down all his food without any drama. So it feels like it's something I'm doing wrong.

Thanks

He is picking up on your anxiety. Children go through phases of not eating. Just continue to offer him foods that you know he eats. Don't hover over him. Remove him once he has lost interest. Continue to offer him drinks and fruit. I am sure he will settle back into eating eventually.

I do definitely need to stop stressing about it because I completely get that it is probably rubbing off on him. Although DH and my mum are more laid back and they are both having the same problem with him.

What doesn't help is that I try to eat my breakfast and lunch with DS, but at the moment as soon as I put food in front of him he gets upset and wants to get out of his highchair. So I think part of my anxiety is the pressure to hurriedly eat my own food while DS cries so that I can quickly get him cleaned, pick all the food up off the floor and get him out again.

I have started to dread mealtimes

Does he still drink a lot of milk?

Unfortunately I don't have anything to say to help. My 13 month old has started throwing food on the floor once he has eaten enough, but he is starting to eat less, so I'm wondering if we could be I the same situation soon, so just having a watch if that's ok. Sorry again for being no help.

No @ApolloandDaphne, unfortunately since I stopped BF he has refused cow's milk. We keep trying but no luck so far.

No worries @bourbonbiccy, hopefully your DS's food-flinging phase is short lived

I've no advice, I'm afraid , but I could have written your post about my 14mth old.
Everything upsets him and makes it's way rapidly to the floor at the moment.
I'm fingers tightly crossed that it's a phase

No helpful advice really but just reassurance that it will pass. DS is 2 now and doesn't really mess or throw anything anymore, unless he doesn't want anymore. You just have to persevere. I wish I'd chilled out a bit more about it, I got so wound up and it really used to stress me out, but just keep telling yourself that he will eat if he's hungry.

Is he feeding himself? Dd is a similar age and got a sudden burst of independence and now resents being spoon fed. The only way I can do it is by giving her a spoon or.cutlery to hold by herself. Similarly shes a lot better feeding herself with a fork than without

Thanks @DinosaurPoop, it's reassuring to know that your DS grew out of this. DH and I are making a real effort to 'not care' whether he eats or not. We chat between ourselves while DS just eats the bits he wants. And we're trying to encourage him to hand anything he doesn't want back to us rather than chucking it on the floor. This does all seem to be helping a bit. We have some meals where things are almost back to normal, but then others where his entire meals will consist of just melon.

Yep that was a good idea @Smurfy23, we've been handing DS a loaded spoon and he is then happier to eat if he can put it in his mouth himself. It doesn't always work but it helps.

I keep trying to tell myself this will pass at some point. DS has a tooth still coming through, a cold, conjunctivitis and has had an upset tummy. I'm just hoping once all of these things have died down I might have my happy little eater back!