How do I get my son to eat?

Question

I'll try to make this brief.

I have a 19 month old son. Until 14 months or so he was eating all table food I gave him. I was still giving some baby food because I felt like he wasn't getting all the nutrients he needed. All of a sudden he refused to eat table food - would only eat baby food (14 months old). I tried everything. He had a few favorites (3 things) he would still eat. I was making him 2-3 meals for every meal to try to get him to eat, then caving in and giving baby food.

The doc said, just give him what you make him. If he doesn't eat it, let him go play and he will eat later. I tried that but 2 hours later he thinks he is starving to death and just cries and cries until I give what he wants.

THEN we went to Russia to visit family for a month. We just got back. While there he ate next to nothing. One meal a day of soup and chese and fruit. Now he eats only fruit and cheese.

WHAT CAN I DO TO GET HIM TO EAT REAL FOOD??? I've stopped the baby food.

Answer 1

Listen to the doctor. Your son's learned that Mommy's a sucker and he can get you all worked up by working himself up. He's learned to control you. It's time for you to regain your position as mom. Offer him what everyone else's eating or he doesn't eat. If he screams two hours later, let him scream. Offer him a meal with everyone else the next meal, and if he again, chooses not to eat, he's not hungry enough.

Answer 2

Go back to the pediatrician.  The child should also be tested for food allegies.  Some things maybe making your child sick or loose his appetite and that should be a warning sign to the pediatrician since loss of appetite is a symptom of a wide range of illnesses.

Answer 3

He is most likely teething and getting in his primary teeth which can be painful and causes toddlers to revert back to soft foods, and to preferring foods that require less chewing.

My son is 14 months old and he is getting in his molars and has been through a period of going back to soft foods. My daughter is 28 months old and she was that way too with teething and would not eat much table food during that same period as you described. Check to see if its his teeth that can cause a toddler to not have interest.

Another thing is that you said you are fixing three different things in each meal. Sounds to me that you are fostering him to become a picky eater too. This isn't a good habit.

Simply fix the meal, offer it to him, and if he refuses to eat then be sure to give him plenty of juice/water/milk in between meals. Also offering fruit as snacks is perfectly fine and has a lot of natural nutrients in it. Crackers are okay too and other snack foods. Toddlers this age go through a phase of refusing food. They only require about 2 tablespoons of each food group per meal. But other toddlers may eat a lot more as all children are different. However, most toddlers this age prefer mushy macaroni, fruit, and milk to anything else.

Its ok to stop baby food but you should consider his teething in this period with the big molar teeth and be sure to finely chop all of his food. He will get over this phase eventually.

Until then offer what you cooked and if he refuses it, then give him snacks in between frequently since he is a light eater. If he loses weight or starts to seem ill or not himself, then take him to a doctor. Otherwise the pediatric doctor will tell you the same thing I am telling you because I have been through this two times with my kids.

Don't worry if he isn't fussing or crying and eats snacks and fruits and drinks plenty of fluids, then he is perfectly ok. Also traveling to other countries can change anyone's diet. I know because I lived in Asia for a few years and my daughter was born there and her diet changed too. I am just careful not to give her anything too spicy or sugary.

One last thing, when my 14 month old won't eat I also offer him a little piece of bread with butter and it seems to satisfy him along with his milk or fruit or whatever snack he gets.

Answer 4

I agree. Stop the baby food. I agree with the doctor somewhat too. Either give him whatever it is you plan on giving him or give him what you're eating. If he's hungry, he'll eat. I wouldn't give snacks or drinks in between or after. He'll have to wait 'til the next meal...then do the same thing. Serve him what you're eating. Eventually he'll have to eat. Also, give him variety. It's good to give them three different things (I usually do a veggie, a carb, and something else) so he has a choice. AND...eat with him. Eventually, he'll have to eat.