Not Eating Or Drinking!

[pommedeterre]

So... dd (10.5 months) has always been rubbish with milk, breast or bottle. we weaned early at 4 months and she was great with food until January. A lot of teeth came through, she had a tummy bug then a cold etc etc. I didn't worry too much went with it and she did keep drinking 15-18 oz milk a day (approx!).
She lost weight and my HV got me really worried and made me go to weigh ins twice a week for a bit. She got back to her perecentile last week and all good.
Now she has a light chest infection and snotty nose. She won't eat solids and now she won't drink any milk or other fulids (say 5 oz milk and 2/3 oz juice or water a day).
Feeling really worried and falling into the trap of making ever meal, drink and snacktime a battleground!
Any tips on how to be calm and gently encourage her to eat?!
She is really active and starting to work out walking so I really do worry. Is it a developmental thing too?

It's hard isn't it, you want to be calm whilst actually feeling more and more worried inside.
Are you trying to feed with a spoon or finger foods. I do a bit of both with DD2 (9 months). She has off days and on those I put out little plates of bits and bobs that she might want to pick up - toast with cream cheese, pieces of ham, cheese, baby crisps, pear etc. Also just give her whatever she might fancy from a spoon, generally yoghurt or Weetabix.

Also, have you tried just making yourself a nice big snack and see if she wants to steal something from your plate? Other people's food is often more appealing!

My final suggestion will not be liked by all but have you tried putting the tv on to distract her and seeing if you can get something into whilst she is not thinking about it.

You have probably already tried all this but thought I would suggest anyway.

Also, important to rememebr it will be a phase and she will start eating eventually. |You jsut have to ride it out without too mush stress.
Good luck.