At breaking point with non eating toddler

[mscongeniality]

Hi mums,

My 20 month old DS has always been tiny (9th centile) and getting food into him has never been easy. I've had to feed him everything myself as he has no interest in feeding himself. Up till now I was okay to do this as it meant he was getting nutrients into him.

However he's been sick with flu all week and his appetite has completely dissapeared. He doesn't want to eat ANYTHING and even when I manage to get something into his mouth he just stores it in his mouth for ages and then ends up throwing it up later.

I've just cleaned up another vomit mess and I can't do this anymore.

How can I get him to start eating and feed himself? I feel like I need to start from scratch. Would it be cruel to just not offer him food all day and just leave things lying around in case he gets hungry?

It's causing me so much mental stress and I need to do something to change it.

We say he eats like a snake. One day he eats a goat and then has nothing for a fortnight.

Watermelon was popular with mine when poorly. Try freezing half a banana on a stick. Maybe he'll like a different texture? I used to make my own ice lollies as well - seemed they all liked the cold but at least took in done fluids.

So update; I took him to GP again last night and it turns out he has got Strep throat on top of his flu. My poor baby! Started him on antibiotics last night so hoping he will be on the mend soon. No wonder he was refusing everything.

But I've been stressed about his lack of interest in food for a long time. Like Emelia said, if I don't offer him food he would never actually feed himself.
Hoping he starts to like food soon :(

That's a brilliant idea Dogegg

My DS who failed to thrive is actually more interested in food than his brother. In fact he is a bit of a food ponce. He likes a certain type of balsamic. He enjoys cooking and is fussy but in a good engaged way. He will not eat cheap convenience foods, only freshly cooked food.

Looking back he was just a poncy baby who couldn't send the food back to the kitchen. God help me when he starts drinking wine, he will refuse everything but the 1972 Bollinger!

I know it's hard but it will all make sense in the end. You will be putting caviar on his blinis and wishing you were pureeing carrots.