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Question:

Just a thought – have you tried letting him feed himself? My son (now 4 and a great eater) did this when he was about one, refusing to eat foods we knew he loved. In desperation, after getting the pursed lips and turned head whenever I brought the spoon near the beautiful baby lips, I put the spoon down and told him that I was going to eat my dinner. Within seconds, he had the spoon and started to feed himself. We had a messy six months, but at least he was eating! Gillian Chan http://home.netinc.ca/~elmwood

Response:

Many children this age live on air and dirt. The fact that your son is this age, when his appetite decreases dramatically, coupled with possible teething & an obvious hate of the high chair, along with getting a rise out of Mom, is the perfect setting for refusal of food. If I were you, I would do the following: 1) Get him a booster seat for the table & get him out of the High Chair 2) Offer him whatever you are going to offer him & then let him eat or not eat. No child this age is capable of starving themselves into Anorexia. If he throws the food on the floor, then end the meal or snacktime. Remember it’s just a stage, and that he will eventually eat when he gets hungry. 3) Vicky Lansky has a book with lots of kid friendly food ideas "Feed Me, I’m yours". But don’t make yourself nuts – if he’s hungry, he’ll eat. 4) Repeat the following Mantra: "It’s my responsibility to offer food. It’s up to him to eat. He will not starve himself". Good Luck Heidi

Response:

I seem to remember (it seems so long ago) that when my son was around that age he didn’t eat that much either and my pediatrician said that it was a stage.  I think, don’t quote me.  Maybe try thickening up the formula with some cereal, or try the second step formula.  I think it’s like Ensure for kids.  Good Luck!  Let us know how it turns out.  Leslie – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Okay, I have yet another question about my wonderful son’s behavior… > Just in the last two weeks or so he has stopped eating, almost entirely > it seems. > Occaisionally we can get a slice of honeydew or canteloupe into him and > maybe > a couple of crackers, but for the most part, he won’t touch anything > and if he does > it quickly ends up on the floor.  Also, he hates his high chair all of > a sudden.  His > pediatrician has recommended that I keep him on formula until he is 15 > mos. which > I whole heartedly agree w/; but that is about all he is getting.  He > can’t seem to get > enough sippy cups and bottles of formula…he doesn’t even want juice. > I am > contemplating calling the dr., but I hate to call when there really > isn’t anything "wrong". > We have considered that he might be cutting his molars, but they never > seem to pop > up through.  I always think I see them, but I still can’t feel them. > He used to eat like a > champ…he would spend 45 minutes in the high chair just begging for > more and he was > only taking about 16-20 ozs. of formula a day.  But now, well, he had > five 8 oz. bottles > today which seems like an awful lot.  I have read about the typical > decrease in appetite > at 1 year and that toddlers bodies know what they need, but I am still > concerned that > he isn’t getting enough.  Also, he isn’t overweight (75%) but he is > tall (off the charts). > I don’t make a scene when he refuses to eat, but inside I am becoming > more and more > frustrated.  Additionally, which is worse: allowing him to eat out of > his high chair in order > to get some food into him (if he will cooperate) or keeping him the > high chair to establish > an expectation knowing that he probably won’t eat anything?  As always, > any suggestions > are greatly appreciated and sorry this was so long. > Sarah – mom to Brandon (3/28/98) and Cameron (she’s due 6/30) > — > Posted via Talkway – http://www.talkway.com > Surf Usenet at home, on the road, and by email — always at Talkway.

Response:

Okay, I have yet another question about my wonderful son’s behavior… Just in the last two weeks or so he has stopped eating, almost entirely it seems. Occaisionally we can get a slice of honeydew or canteloupe into him and maybe a couple of crackers, but for the most part, he won’t touch anything and if he does it quickly ends up on the floor.  Also, he hates his high chair all of a sudden.  His pediatrician has recommended that I keep him on formula until he is 15 mos. which I whole heartedly agree w/; but that is about all he is getting.  He can’t seem to get enough sippy cups and bottles of formula…he doesn’t even want juice. I am contemplating calling the dr., but I hate to call when there really isn’t anything "wrong". We have considered that he might be cutting his molars, but they never seem to pop up through.  I always think I see them, but I still can’t feel them. He used to eat like a champ…he would spend 45 minutes in the high chair just begging for more and he was only taking about 16-20 ozs. of formula a day.  But now, well, he had five 8 oz. bottles today which seems like an awful lot.  I have read about the typical decrease in appetite at 1 year and that toddlers bodies know what they need, but I am still concerned that he isn’t getting enough.  Also, he isn’t overweight (75%) but he is tall (off the charts). I don’t make a scene when he refuses to eat, but inside I am becoming more and more frustrated.  Additionally, which is worse: allowing him to eat out of his high chair in order to get some food into him (if he will cooperate) or keeping him the high chair to establish an expectation knowing that he probably won’t eat anything?  As always, any suggestions are greatly appreciated and sorry this was so long.   Sarah – mom to Brandon (3/28/98) and Cameron (she’s due 6/30) — Posted via Talkway – http://www.talkway.com Surf Usenet at home, on the road, and by email — always at Talkway.

Response:

Hi, IMO, I think it’s a stage. Mine goes through food strikes alot but she always goes back. Remember they will eat when they’re hungry. If you’re worried, by all means call the dr. That’s what they’re there for. amanda cheyenne(28months) jordan(11weeks)

Response:

Somewhere around 1 year of age, a baby’s growth rate drops dramatically. (A typical baby more than triples his birth rate by one year of age… imagine if that rate of growth continued!)  Since they are not growing as rapidly, they don’t need as much food and their appetite decreases. Add to that a possibility of teething and you have a kid who eats very little.    IMHO< the best thing you can do is continue to offer your son healthy food choices, but don’t make an issue about his not wanting them.  That is just setting the stage for future food battles.   ~Jan

Response:

Just a stage.  Mine went through it from c. 10 months to 17 months.  Would eat nothing but jars of baby food (had to be absolutely smooth or else); plain unsweetened smooth yogurt; cheese pizza; Eggo whole wheat waffles; bacon; … tries to think … yeah I guess that’s about it.  From about 16 months on they lightened up and started to try a few things.  It remains a struggle for me to find new things for them, but we are slowly getting there. Consider the following: – you say you are not making a fuss.  GOOD.  Because that was my big mistake.  Don’t fuss and you won’t make it fun for him. – maybe he wants more control, e.g. start teaching him to self-feed / use fork or spoon.  Mine responded much better once they had control of the bowl and spoon (although because of their poor finger skills, this took a long time). – keep offering the good stuff.  The nutritionist I consulted said:  a) Make sure at every meal there is something he definitely likes — but in a modest amount so he can’t "fill up" on just that all the time; and b) Provide something from each of the four food groups (grains, protein, fruit/veg and dairy) at every meal and then DON’T SWEAT IT. –  [oh gosh, here I go again, twice in one day] remember my favorite adage: FROM THE AGE OF ONE YEAR, it is your responsibility to provide balanced nutrition to your son but it is HIS responsibility to eat it. So as of Sunday, you are off the hook!!  :-)  [No, really, I mean it -- it is one of those maternal "growing up and letting go" situations that are so hard to bear.  And congrats, BTW.  My own birthday is Saturday .] – you might try cutting back on the formula a bit for a few days and see if it provokes his appetite (e.g. 32 oz tomorrow; 25 oz the next day; 20 oz the day after that).  I kept mine on formula to 17 months and there is NO doubt that it puts a dent in their already-diminished appetite.  My ped. told me that about 16-20 oz a day is fine at this age … so 40 oz *is* a bit over the top. – I hate to disagree with Treelo, but I don’t think juice before meals (or at all, really) is a good idea in this circumstance.  Water, yes.  But no less than one hour before meals. – have you tried giving him three smaller meals plus two snacks?  You might be able to tempt him to a saltine, graham cracker, slice of apple or whatever at mid-morning and after p.m. nap without totally ruining dinner.  Or maybe not.  In my house, I had to cut out solid snacks completely — they get milk at snack time and water with meals.  Otherwise, they fill up on snack and eat zip at meals.  Perhaps try both ways and see if either helps? Good luck.  :-) –Janet Triplets  (10/21/96) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >Okay, I have yet another question about my wonderful son’s behavior… >Just in the last two weeks or so he has stopped eating, almost entirely >it seems. >Occaisionally we can get a slice of honeydew or canteloupe into him and >maybe >a couple of crackers, but for the most part, he won’t touch anything >and if he does >it quickly ends up on the floor.  Also, he hates his high chair all of >a sudden.  His >pediatrician has recommended that I keep him on formula until he is 15 >mos. which >I whole heartedly agree w/; but that is about all he is getting.  He >can’t seem to get >enough sippy cups and bottles of formula…he doesn’t even want juice. >I am >contemplating calling the dr., but I hate to call when there really >isn’t anything "wrong". >We have considered that he might be cutting his molars, but they never >seem to pop >up through.  I always think I see them, but I still can’t feel them. >He used to eat like a >champ…he would spend 45 minutes in the high chair just begging for >more and he was >only taking about 16-20 ozs. of formula a day.  But now, well, he had >five 8 oz. bottles >today which seems like an awful lot.  I have read about the typical >decrease in appetite >at 1 year and that toddlers bodies know what they need, but I am still >concerned that >he isn’t getting enough.  Also, he isn’t overweight (75%) but he is >tall (off the charts). >I don’t make a scene when he refuses to eat, but inside I am becoming >more and more >frustrated.  Additionally, which is worse: allowing him to eat out of >his high chair in order >to get some food into him (if he will cooperate) or keeping him the >high chair to establish >an expectation knowing that he probably won’t eat anything?  As always, >any suggestions >are greatly appreciated and sorry this was so long. >Sarah – mom to Brandon (3/28/98) and Cameron (she’s due 6/30) >– >Posted via Talkway – http://www.talkway.com >Surf Usenet at home, on the road, and by email — always at Talkway.

Response:

I went through this to a lesser extent, and my best friend struggled with it for a long time.  My son’s growth just slowed down, but my friend’s daughter actually lost weight. We go to the same doctor’s office and we both sought opinions on it from our doctors.  We were both told that between 12-18 months, babies go through an "anorexic" stage when they just refuse to eat, sometimes they refuse to drink too.  It’s perfectly normal according to our pediatricians.  We were told to just go with it.  Forcing them to eat will just foster bad eating habits in the future.  We were both told that slowing of eating is normal because if kids continued to eat at the rate they do for the first year, they’d be 6 feet tall by 2nd grade. Their growth slows, so their caloric intake slows too. It sounds like he’s drinking alot of formula, and that’s good.  However it might be filling him up.  Have you tried offering him only juice about an hour before mealtime?  Maybe if he wasn’t so full on formula, he’d have more of an appetite.  Also, I went through a stage when I swore my son wasn’t eating.  So, I started to write down everything he ate from morning to night and…..guess what…..he was eating far more than I had thought. Your son might be doing the same. If you really feel he isn’t eating what he should be…..make sure the food he does get is healthy.  Add wheat germ to yogurt and oatmeal, canteloupe and melons are great for vitamins/minerals, so are yams and sweet potatoes.  Of course green veggies are important too….my son always liked broccoli with cheese melted on top.  I like nutrigrain bars because they have alot of nutrition, including calcium.  Same goes for Eggo Nutrigrain waffles.  Cheerios are great for vitamins/minerals too. I wouldn’t hesitate to call your pediatrician though.  That’s what they are there for. Good luck!! -Treelo – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Okay, I have yet another question about my wonderful son’s behavior… > Just in the last two weeks or so he has stopped eating, almost entirely > it seems. > Occaisionally we can get a slice of honeydew or canteloupe into him and > maybe > a couple of crackers, but for the most part, he won’t touch anything > and if he does > it quickly ends up on the floor.  Also, he hates his high chair all of > a sudden.  His > pediatrician has recommended that I keep him on formula until he is 15 > mos. which > I whole heartedly agree w/; but that is about all he is getting.  He > can’t seem to get > enough sippy cups and bottles of formula…he doesn’t even want juice. > I am > contemplating calling the dr., but I hate to call when there really > isn’t anything "wrong". > We have considered that he might be cutting his molars, but they never > seem to pop > up through.  I always think I see them, but I still can’t feel them. > He used to eat like a > champ…he would spend 45 minutes in the high chair just begging for > more and he was > only taking about 16-20 ozs. of formula a day.  But now, well, he had > five 8 oz. bottles > today which seems like an awful lot.  I have read about the typical > decrease in appetite > at 1 year and that toddlers bodies know what they need, but I am still > concerned that > he isn’t getting enough.  Also, he isn’t overweight (75%) but he is > tall (off the charts). > I don’t make a scene when he refuses to eat, but inside I am becoming > more and more > frustrated.  Additionally, which is worse: allowing him to eat out of > his high chair in order > to get some food into him (if he will cooperate) or keeping him the > high chair to establish > an expectation knowing that he probably won’t eat anything?  As always, > any suggestions > are greatly appreciated and sorry this was so long. > Sarah – mom to Brandon (3/28/98) and Cameron (she’s due 6/30) > — > Posted via Talkway – http://www.talkway.com > Surf Usenet at home, on the road, and by email — always at Talkway.

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