14 month old being picky/not wanting to eat

[Kiyentai]

I hope this is the right spot! I have posted before about my boy, he is currently 14 months and still being spoon fed. He will be getting evaluated soon for eating, because he won't pick up his food/feed himself with his hands and I have tried everything! Although occasionally he'll use a spoon to feed himself.

But the past few days he hasn't been eating a lot, maybe 5-6 spoonfuls and 4 oz of milk. He LOVES milk. If he could he would just drink milk all day long lol but as mentioned the past few says hes been really picky. He loves hummus..if He's not eating anything else he will open his mouth to hummus and will eat it till he's full if we let him.

My question is, is this normal? I do wonder if it's a power struggle? Like him wanting only milk and hummus,or is he really not that hungry. He is a very good baby and is pretty easy compared to others. When he fusses about not wanting to eat I do just say we are done and put him back on the floor, he seems overall alright. I guess I'm kind of venting too because I don't like to see him not eating and having a little mom guilt because he's not wanting to eat. Is this normal? Am I doing the right thing by putting him back down? Should I stick it out until he stops fussing before offering him more food?

I think all babies go through this at 1.

Tbh, he won't starve himself. It's also possible he's filling up on milk so not eating.

Lay out his food at meal times. Eat with him, include some stuff he eats plus some new stuff.

If he doesn't eat within 20 mins, fine, take it away and offer again at the next meal.

Have some healthy snacks out so he can graze a bit if he likes.

Reduce milk to just morning and bedtime.

At 14 months he does not have a capacity to think "if I hold out, if I refuse all food, I will get hummus"

Most children between 12-18 months do go through a fussy period with food.

The fact he doesn't want to pick up the food makes me wonder if it's a sensory thing? Have you looked in to that?

RedRobyn,

Yes, I have. I talked to his pediatrician and I am going to get him set up with a feeding therapist, just waiting for insurance to approve it. Trust me, it's not for the lack of trying. I have read, watched videos, asked for advice, tried everything to get him to eat with his hands. So I'm hoping the feeding therapist can help me because I don't know what else to do.

Twizbe,

Okay, thank you. I'll keep that in mind and reduce his milk. I have only been giving it to him at every meal because the pediatrician said he should gave 16-24 oz of milk a day.

At 14 months he no longer needs milk as such.

You can replace his milk with some cheese or yoghurt. Or give cereal in the morning made with cows milk.

Have you looked into solid starts - they are world leading specialists in picky eating and weaning. We had dietician referrals from the GP but what really helped was solid starts and really sticking to it. Still not a perfect eater but so much improved at 20 months.