16 month old just doesn’t eat

[AshtonsMummy2017]

My 16 month old daughter barely eats, she likes yogurt and crips, Will occasionally eat random bits of toast, sausage, ect but real food nope. She ate better when she was 12 months than now. She didn’t get any teeth until 14 months and now has 7 so I know she’s been suffering with that but she’s now waking twice a night for milk, which I’ve eventually just accepted after many nights of trying unsuccessfully to get her back to sleep. I feel like she’s going backwards. Has anyone else been through this? Any tips for fussy eaters? I’ve put her on follow on milk now for the nutritional support and I add fruit to her yogurt but it’s hardly an ideal diet. I give her anything she shows interest In, but some days I sit her In The high chair and offer her so many different types of food which she just says no to and throws off, and when I’ve put so much effort into making nutricious meals it’s infuriating, as well as worrying. Everyone just keeps saying it’s a stage and she’ll grow out of it but it’s dragging on now. Any tips or ideas much appreciated.

Check out kids eat on color on facebook/insta. Really useful resource.

Key concept is division of responsibility- your responsibility is to provide a decent meal, incorporating a safe food which the kid definitely likes. The kid's responsibility is to decide how much they want to eat. If they eat nothing - fine. If they eat everything - great. The key thing is to exert no pressure whatsoever - just put the plate down and let them get on with it. Don't do 'just one bite', don't bribe them with TV, don't do the silly aeroplane. Just let them explore the food. If they eat nothing, don't offer them a million alternatives. The meal is the meal. If they're hungry later, offer them what they didn't eat earlier, or something boring like bread and butter.
My almost 4 year old existed on air for ages but is so much better now. Believe me, you do not want to get into a war of wills around food, the more you push the more they will dig their heels in.
Also found cooking with her really useful when she was older. Younger one eats what we eat now and is a million times better, I think because there is zero pressure.

Eat in color

You need to stop with the milk, if you genuinely think she's hungry at night offer food,then you can limit that to day time only. If she's full of milk she won't eat. You need to stick it out ,it'll be tough for you as you'll think she's starving but it's the only way.

Offer food,she either eats it or doesn't. No fuss,no drama like the PP suggested.

You’re so right with the battle of wills thing, she’s so stubborn. I will definitely have a look, I hate the whole pressure we’re feeling around meal time atm. thank you for your advice.

@MrsPelligrinoPetrichor i knew the milk was a bad idea, we did try roughing it out overnight a couple of times but she kept waking iur 5 year old so we caved in. She’s definitely hungry as she’s barely ate in the day and her little tummy makes crazy noises. Will try again next weekend maybe.

If she's hungry give her food 😊

Babies and toddlers don’t just want milk for hunger though, it’s often for comfort too, and why wouldn’t we want to comfort them?

my 18 month still wakes up overnight sometimes and when he’s teething he’ll want milk. Why would I refuse to give it to him?

honestly OP there’s absolutely nothing wrong with giving them milk overnight if that’s what will help.

@EJRB absolutely, we hadn’t stopped all milk, she used to occasionally wake for one bottle anyway but now it’s always 2. I’d rather she didn’t but would happily carry on if I thought she was getting the right nutrients. I just worry more about that than anything.

If she has teeth coming in though she may well not want food if she's scared it will hurt her gums. I'd not be too hasty in thinking she is fussy when maybe she is just sore.
Offer very soft food only for a while? Mashed potato maybe with some cheese mixed in.

Have you tried soup?

It's really really common for toddlers to eat more both in terms of amount and variety at 12 months than they do at 16/18 months.

I would double check with your health visitor or GP about giving follow on milk - do you mean the milk for 6-12 months, or the formula for age 1+? The formula for age 1+ is quite nutritionally useless and contains a lot of sugar. The one for age 6-12 months might be appropriate as a supplement but see what HV says. Some children fill up on formula and then don't want to eat solids. It might be considered better to give her only (full fat) cow's milk.

I'm afraid I'm not up to date on what the advice is for night feeds, I did continue giving night feeds at this age but was breastfeeding. I know they ideally like you to cut out bottles for dental reasons at 12mo.

@Hungrycaterpillarsmummy Hi, I know she’s definitely getting a mouthful of teeth very quickly and I can tell sometimes she’s sore too. I have tried her with mash and cheese ages ago and she didn’t seem to like the texture, but it’s a good one to try again. She loved tomato soup and toast for a while but again went off it. It is possible it’s her teeth. Ironically she ate 2 whole weetabix this morning and then banana and a dinner too as well as a yogurt. Hopefully this phase is on its way out.

@BertieBotts Yes, I believe so, I think she is just so different to my first baby boy who ate everything including the kitchen sink and still does. Yes it’s the 6 month plus I put her on for the iron and vitamins, but I do try not to give her too much of that. Yes going to get the HV involved if I do have any luck soon but she’s eating a bit more today so fingers crossed.

Recently my boy was teething and went off food but loved those Ella's kitchen pouches (savoury ones and fruity ones). He just held them himself and sooked.

So maybe try those too

@AshtonsMummy2017 can I ask how your DD is getting on now? Currently in a fussy phase and just hoping that the end is in sight! X

My daughter has always been a poor eater and at 16 months was still mostly on formula. She didn't eat her first meal until 13 months. If she has a cold or was teething or her reflux is bothering her she can go to eating nothing or very little. She's 3 now and it's not uncommon for her to only eat 1 lunch/dinner meal over the weekend!

Offer foods that they are likely to eat. We offer simple substitutes like toast or plain pasta if she doesn't like the first meal.

Hiya, she’s still fussy, a little better now at 2. I think it may be more of a texture thing. She still doesn’t eat potatoes or beans ect. She will eat toast and cereals, sausage sometimes, broccoli, strawberries , raspberries, bananas, pasta, mozzarella, rice, pizza, yogurt, Biscuits and anything naughty like chocolate or crisps and ice lollies. I make hidden veg pasta sauce and purée a little meat into it sometimes but if it’s not smooth on the pasta she will spit it out. She doesn’t like to mix wet and lumpy textures. We just keep offering her new foods over and over and sometimes, especially when she is really hungry she will try them and find she likes them.