1yr old suddenly refuses to go into high chair

[katerose2022]

Our son has just turned one and is about to start standing up independently and walking. He also had his MMR vaccine last Tuesday, which caused two short episodes of fever (38 degrees) in the last few days and some rash yesterday which has disappeared today. He's become very picky about his foods recently, rejecting some of his previous favorite food (e.g. bananas) and familiar texture (mashed foods). And today it further escalated to the point that he refused to go into his high chair for dinner. We tried another portable high chair, our chair, sofa, no luck at all. Eventually managed to feed him while he crawled around. Has anyone had similar experience and any tips please? Thanks!

Yes it’s very normal. He has realized he can refused to go in his high chair! He’s super pleased about that and wants to try refusing out.

So you stand firm. Back in the high chair he goes. If he doesn’t eat it’s ok. He can play - give him a some toys. Or sing to him as a distraction just before you pop him in.
or have a picnic outside

Your baby is turning into a toddler.

He goes in the high chair, don't try to feed him while he crawls. Toddler tactics might help - making him feel he has a choice (shall we get in high now or when you've done that, which bib do you want etc)

He's basically realised he's got muscles and a will of his of own and doesn't have to do what you say. Welcome to the next phase of parenting...

Thank you both for the replies! I'll keep that in mind and see how it goes tomorrow lol

Absolutely agree with pp @katerose2022.. wait till the rigid refusal for car seat, but you'll get through!

Also works for high chairs....

Yep... we also tried to put him in the buggy earlier today and it was the same refusal....

Agree with pp that this is really normal at his age. Don't chase after him trying to persuade him to eat. Act like you don't care if he eats or not!

But then he'll wake up in the middle of the night screaming out of hunger...?

If he doesn’t want to eat for a meal or a day just leave it. Offer milk and water and leave it at that.

Second the suggestion to use the highchair for playing occasionally as well as for food. Again, if he doesn’t fancy it just leave it for a while and try again later. Don’t turn it into a big battle.

Possibly. Or wake earlier hungry for breakfast. But that’s better than turning mealtimes into negative situations which can have a long lasting affects on relationships with food.

Have you heard of the division or responsibility? Give it a google.

Tour baby is gone OP. Toddlers in my experience are all ot nothing when it comes to eating. Some days licking a cracker seems to be enough to eat and another day they eat their body weight in pasta.

You beed to make toddlers think things were their idea. They absolutely under no circumstances can go along with anything that you want them to do.

@YellowHatt thanks a lot! Looking it up now

@Crunchingleaf oh dear. Just when I think being a mum is getting easier after a year...

6 months into this phase. The turning into a starfish or a slider wriggley worm (depending which is most effective for escape) when plonked in the car seat, high chair or pushchair.

Things that have been effective:

-excessive, gratuitous praise anytime she goes in nicely, or gives up fighting graciously

• checking nappies before plonking, she hates her bottom being squished into a wet nappy
• placing a Teddy in the highchair and pretending to feed then until she got the idea

-warning its coming up "Mummy's putting dinner on the table, is it time to find you bib? Then we'll be getting in the highchair!"

@Mistralli thank you so much! Will try those tomorrow

Sorry OP, didn’t notice my typo: ‘division OF responsibility’.

20 month old here, and still facing days of no high chair, or if he gets in the high chair, he wants out out out after a second. On those days, I sometimes sit him on my knee and feed him like that (if he's having a sad cuddly day because of teething or another toddler cold) or have a picnic on the floor with some chopped up finger foods.

It's just survival mode. Get something in their belly and hope the next meal is easier 😂😂

This doesn't happen as often as you think! Offer a healthy snack before bedtime if he hasn't eaten much.