How to train my 16 month old to eat regular food?

Question

I have a 16 month old boy and he still eats pureed food. The only time he would eat regular food is, if we are eating. But, again it's only for 2 min.s and then he get tired of it. I tried giving him small cubes of cooked veggies too. He would only take 1 or 2 bytes and that's about it. He's still finding difficulty to swallow even small cubes of cooked veggies. Since he has this habit of throwing up, even for a slightest thing that stuck in his throat or if he feels uncomfortable he brings out all what he had prior to that.

He generally has been a very poor eater and he even had weight gaining issues at one point. Therefore I'm afraid that he might not eat even what he's eating right now, if I completely stop giving him pureed food. At the same time I feel like now he's getting board of it too. I like to try some new recipes/ideas to see if he would like it and to see if he would have more appetite for food. So if someone can give me some advice it is greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

My son did this. Just keep up the offering of regular food. Have one meal that you still offer the pureed. I would make it the meal he usually eats the most, like breakfast. Do not offer the pureed food at other meals. He will not suffer from eating a small amount at the other meals. Just be consistent and keep offering regular foods. You will find the ones he likes and soon he will eat the ones he didn't like before. Also, try taking the regular food and mashing it or pureeing it. Over time, make it chunkier. I found that my son likes cinammon. I can get him to eat any regular food with cinammon in it. On the other hand, he hates potatoes and will gag if we get him to eat a bite of them.

Answer 2

Try foods more in the middle, like oatmeal, mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, cottage cheese, yogurt with fruit chuncks mixed in, etc. Our son was the opposite and wouldnt eat anything off a spoon when real young, so had to use these kinds of things to eat safely. Gerber fruit puffs worked well too, since they disolve so fast - but yet can pick them up. (although I dont think they're that healthy) Also dont purree things so finely.

Answer 3

I have some tips for you:
1. go to the pediatrician to rule out any allergies or possible physiological issues that might be preventing your son from chewing, swallowing or digesting properly.
2. see a speech-language pathologist. They can do a clinical feeding and swallowing evaluation. It is within their scope of practice to help kids (and parents) with feeding issues.
Since I don't know where you live, I don't have any to recommend, but ask your pediatrician to recommend an SLP.
Good luck!

Answer 4

Sounds like his gag reflex is very sensitive. Might have his pediatrition look into that.
Also, try some of those toddler wafers that he holds in his hand and gnaws on......really good for teething.......but they dissolve in the mouth.
This helps reinforce the idea that a solid food in the hand can become a very good thing in the mouth.
Small pieces of banana and other soft-chew foods that he picks up himself might be a good idea too. Anything that almost dissolves by itself in the mouth should encourage him.