Toddler refusing food

[PinkCheetah]

My 13mo baby has been refusing food for a few weeks. I've read that it's normal at her age. But I genuinely think she isn't getting enough.

She's started waking up at night 2-3 times when she didn't previously, and I think it's because she's hungry.

An example of what she ate today:

Half a strawberry
Half a quorn sausage
One small pot of fromage frais yoghurt
Half a banana & date bar
Half a child biscuit

And that's literally it all day. Plus water through your the day and 7oz milk before nap and bed.

Is this really normal?

I think hunger is keeping her up but she just throws food on the floor.

My 12.5mo is exactly the same and has been for a few weeks too. Following for interest.

Everything she eats, apart from the half strawberry is ultra-processed food. She wakes up hungry because she is hungry . Try to eliminate for a week all the ultra-processed food and let her reset her appetite. Go back to basic, real and fresh food and be mindful of the drinks in between meals.

My baby girl did the same at this age. She only eat what she liked: her diet was toast and bread sticks (helped with teething) and she loved the texture of banana and yoghurt.
I gave her porrage before bed mixed with fresh berries becouse I knew she will eat it and it filled her up for nightime.
I remember how stressed I was about her eating! I was cooking like crazy for her and everything ended up on the floor!
What helped was to pretend that I was eating it so she could "steal it" from my plate.
Is she using spoon or fork?

Hi yes I have always cooked fresh food and served it with her meals. She's rejecting it though. Vegetables, potatoes, fish, chicken etc she threw on the floor today but I still offered. What I have listed is what she actually put in her mouth.

She is using a spoon, not fork though. I've tried giving her the usual favourites but she's gone off them.

I'm going to try giving her weetabix before bed.

My DS had a very fussy few months around then, I think it is a normal phase.
Also she might be getting some really big teeth- they could be sore and that would affect sleep too.

Yes definitely to weetabix/porridge/ rice pudding before bed.

Initially I thought might be teething but I'm not sure, she doesn't seem upset during the day.

Your mistake it serving baby junk together with your fresh food. Of course she will reject real food in favour of ultra processed. That dates and banana bar is 70% sugar, you might as well put straight sugar on a spoon.
You can't compete with food that has been engineered to stimulate pleasure and addiction.
As long as you have those alongside your food, she will reject yours in favour of the nutrient-void baby junk.

How then do you explain instances where only fresh food is served and the exact same issue arises?

What a bloody judgement comment. Ignore OP.

UPF the new buzzword on mumsnet - another thing for mums to feel guilty about.

You're doing great and like everything this will be a phase! This too will pass. Keep offering all the food 🙂

Annoyingly this is really normal, they start to want more control over the world and this is a way they can do it.
Try cutting out the milk before her nap or giving it in a sippy cup, this could be filling her up. Some cereal or a banana before bed could help keep her full over night.
At this stage the best thing to do is give her the foods you know she likes, and introduce something new onto her plate this way she has the choice. Also give her some multivitamins if you feel she isn’t a getting all the good groups 😊

We had this at 13/ 14 months. Would only eat a handful of things and nun very good. Lasted nearly 4 months but he's back now eating like before potatoes and veg and meat. Still not too keen on fruit but we will get there.

Are you giving milk when she wakes on the night OP?

Not judging, just stating a fact. Parents start with great food then start giving snacks and other processed foods and then are puzzled on why their kid stopped eating normal food.
Nothibg to do with buzz word or anything, just that junk food will always win so offering both at the same time will reinforce bad habits.

My child has gone from eating a variety of fruits, root vegetables, meats and egg, and now will turn down anything that isn't pate or blueberries. Everything else goes on the floor instantly, even honey roasted veg. I appreciate some parents might have fallen back on processed food but I'd guess it doesn't explain it in still a reasonable number of cases.

Any chance she might have an ear infection. Mine were buggers for having one with virtually no symptoms except the fact that they wouldnt eat as swallowing was painful. Maybe (if you have a good GP!) float her past the GP for a quick check up.

If all is well health wise, maybe try getting her to ‘feed’ you or a picnic or other crazy games just to shake it up and get her back into eating

You are making huge assumptions about my child's diet. And what im saying is that she won't eat anything, even the snacks you don't agree with, she will chuck. She does not discriminate.

We had this. Toddler is now 2.5 and refuses food loads even when he is hungry. Snacks don't actually seem to make a massive difference. I know the problems with a 13 month old are slightly different though - food throwing rather than outright tantrums? SR Nutrition on Instagram has a good resource on food throwing I think. With my toddler now I just ignore it when he doesn't eat, try to make sure there is something on the plate he will eat and give food which is high calorie which he usually goes for (cheese!) And if dinner is refused generally offer toast and milk later to avoid him waking up hungry. None of this is a reflection of you as a parent, despite comments above! I was a very fussy child and remember real food battles with my mum, which I am desperately trying not to replicate. I eat absolutely everything as an adult.

Yes. I didn't used to but I feel she probably needs it if she hasn't eaten all day.

Thanks I'll check it out. Mine is same refusing toast, bananas, strawberries which she usually loves. It's good throwing no tantrums like you said.

Thank you! I don't know where the judgey comments came from. I'll try your idea of high calorie foods like cheese she usually likes that stuff.

Completely disagree with this. I think issues arise when we separate foods into 'good' and 'bad'. I have always offered my DS an array of foods at the same time on his plate so he doesn't see certain foods as 'treats'. For example will serve, crumpets alongside fruit and maybe some crisps (yes crisps, what a terrible mother). He will eat a bit of everything in no particular order.

Also agree that it's most likely to just be a phase and to carry on offering the foods (as frustrating as it is when it's not eaten). If persists and you're worried then contact HV

Thank you so much! The HV is a good shout.