Tips for helping 13 month old eat and drink at childcare

[TheChaoticUnicorn]

Wondering if anyone has any tips / tricks to get little one to eat at childcare?

She’s 13 months, has been settling in gradually and so far doing well but she absolutely refuses to eat or drink anything while she is there. Eats / drinks fine at home but I guess she’s never really fed or eats with people other than me and husband (her dad).

Tried all of her favourites so far and she refuses but eats it all as soon as she’s home! Tried sending her with familiar cutlery / plate / bottle etc but still no.

Any help / advice appreciated as I’m starting to get quite stressed as I go back to work in a few weeks :(

Are you with her and sit with her while someone feeds. Her. Or you start off and hand to the staff?

Does she feed herself at home?

Sorry should have said - she feeds / drinks herself very happily at home, uses her fork / spoon, picks up finger foods, drinks from bottle or open cup, refuses to do any of this at the childminder’s.

I’m not with her as trying to get her settled for when I go back to work, I did wonder about suggesting it but didn’t want to make it harder for her me leaving her then coming back then leaving again?

It's for nursery to figure out. We had the same concerns with DS but once he was in 5 days a week, he was fine.

It was worse when he was there for less than 5 days and only mornings as he knew food was coming at home so he just didn't eat at nursery. He then had to go hungry a few days when he started doing longer days and, well, he figured it out 😅

What time do you drop he off? Could you try going a little earlier and you give her breakfast at the childminders with you there then gradually reduce the amount of time you stay with her so she's comfortable?

I think potentially it’ll just be the passage of time that does it. My DD started nursery at 14 months and was still very reliant on breastfeeding. She wouldn’t touch a thing at nursery. I’d pack some fruit pouches for her and it was the only thing sustaining her through the day. Then it probably clicked about 4 months in and she’d eat certain meals there. She was a rubbish eater at home too. I found it very stressful but she seemed fine. She’s nearly 3 now and will eat whatever they serve her so she got there eventually