How can I get my son to eat?

Question

He's going to be a year old on the 30th. For the last week he has refused all food, save yogurt. Foods he used to love now cause him to purse his lips and turn his head away. It's very frustrating. Especially when he'll try and eat dust bunnies that he finds on the floor.

He will drink. He's sucking down formula like it's going out of style, but I cannot get any actual food to stay in that mouth!

Does anyone have experience with this?

Answer 1

Refusing foods, eating the same food day in and day out and taking what seems like forever to finish a meal? These are all part of normal toddler development. Some time after the first birthday, your toddler’s growth slows down so he/she needs less food. Appetite and amounts of food eaten will vary from meal to meal and from day to day. Toddlers become more interested in the things around them and less interested in eating.
Toddlers have small stomachs and may not be able to eat much at one time. They usually need two to three snacks during the day, along with their meals. Offer a variety of healthy snacks about mid-way between meals. Feed snacks when your child is hungry or thirsty, not for entertainment. Although milk and juice are good snack choices, don’t over do it. These foods are naturally sweet and should not be served too often throughout the day. If your child drinks too much, they may not want to eat solid foods. Other drinks like fruit crystals, pop, coffee or tea have no nutritional value and should not be given to toddlers.
Serve toddler-size portions. Let you child ask for seconds.
• Offer finger foods often.
• Introduce a new food along with familiar foods.
• Go easy on seasonings and keep foods separate. Young children prefer simply prepared foods.
• Present a variety of foods from the four food groups. Let your child pick from what is available.
• Present food in a way your child can handle, in bite-size pieces for example.
• Encourage one bite to taste but don’t overdo the coaxing. You can’t force your child to eat anything.
• Don’t bribe or reward with food. Present food in a neutral fashion. Also, do not punish a child for not eating. This just reinforces a negative setting when it come to eating and food.
• Keep the television off during mealtime.
• Have your child sit with the rest of the family, at least for part of the meal.
• Don’t hurry your child. Remove the plate without comment after a reasonable length of time.
• Set a routine for eating. For example, foods are to be eaten at the table.
• Seat your child at a comfortable height to the table with feet supported.
• Eat with your child. Children learn how to eat by watching others.
What can you do if your toddler refuses to eat certain foods?
Respect your child’s wishes, even if nothing is eaten. Children will eventually eat; they won’t let themselves go hungry. Remove the food after a reasonable length of time. Be careful not to show your disappointment. Attention paid to not eating reinforces the behaviour of not eating. Food likes and dislikes change over time. A food refused today may be eaten next week. It may take up to 10 tries for your child to actually accept a food.
What should you do if your toddler is hooked on one food only?
Food "jags" are a normal part of toddler development and won’t last long - as long as you don't make an issue of them.
How can you get your toddler to try new foods?
Introduce only one new food at a time. Serve it with other foods that your child likes and at a time when your child is hungry and in good spirits. Let your child examine the food by smelling and touching it. Encourage one bite to taste but don’t force the issue if your child won’t try it. Don’t be discouraged if your child refuses it; try again another time.
Just realx....and start weaning him off that formula now. And he WILL NOT starve, so if he does not eat solid foods....then he DOES NOT get milk/formula. Eventually he will eat. Just make it fun for him want to eat and then keep eating.

Answer 2

My boy does the same thing, but only when he's getting teeth or not feeling well.
It's not like it happens ALL of the time, so I don't tend to get too concerened about it. I just let him eat what he will eat, because I know it's only temporary.
If it lasts longer than 10 days then I would be a little concerned and would probably visit the doctor.

Answer 3

Babies tastes change so quickly. Mix yogurt into his cereal. Try giving him fruit. Give him some Jello. I'll give you the same advice the doctor gave my mother 50 years ago. Don't worry, if he's healthy he'll eat when he's hungry. It must have been good advice as here I am half a century later.

Answer 4

I would not make a big issue out of it. It's a power play by him, mst likely. He is testing his boundaries and trying to see how many hoops he can make you jump through. If he doesn't want to eat or won't eat, leave him alone. Eventually, he will figure out that you are not a wimp, and that you are not one to be messed with.

I also agree with Randall-when the kid is hungry, he'll eat. Making an issue of it now is setting him up for an eating disorder later.

Answer 5

many years in the past it replaced into proper to call a man or woman that ate chicken and fish a vegetarian. i imagine that replaced into in simple terms because of the point of understanding of the animals. operating example fish have very few nerves vs cattle so fish ought to experience a lot less discomfort, etc. i imagine that individuals that imagine they are practising a non-meat ingesting foodstuff plan and actual eat certain sorts of meat are questioning about the a lot older perspectives on vegetarianism and that could not truly precise.

Answer 6

Can you try mixing any of the foods with yogurt and you know do the "yum, yum this tastes good" thing then fly it into his mouth?

Answer 7

MY SON WAS THE SAME WAY. TRY FRUIT. GOOD FRUIT PEARS, APPLESAUCE STUFF THAT IS SWEET. TRY MAKING IT FUN. FINGER FOODS LIKE PEAS, COOKED CARROTS, MASHED POTATOES. EAT WITH HIM AND SAY YUM THIS IS GOOD. EVENTUALLY I THINK HE WILL TRY IT. ICE CREAM MAYBE. JUST TRY TO GET SOME FOOD IN HIM. AND HE SHOULD BE GETTING OFF THE FORMULA. I STOPPED MINE AT A YEAR OLD. GOOD LUCK! TRY TELLING HIM THAT IF HE EATS HE WILL GET SOMETHING LIKE A TREAT.

Answer 8

Have you tried giving him things that he can feed himself as opposed to mom or dad feeding him?

Answer 9

try letting him feed himself Cheerios or bananas.