am having a food fight with my 17 month old at all meal times?

Question

she has always been a picky eater
just about started to chew until then was on pureed stuff
now she doesn't want fruit or yogurt or milk or anything i am getting very upset and angry with her
am literally forcing her to eat and have no ideas as to what to feed her
she doesn't even drink milk
what can i do
what can i feed her she gags easily too
i want to just run away at her meal times
just exhausted and frustrated

Answer 1

Kids do this...they go through these stages when they just wont eat anything and then there will be times when they just wont stop eating! They also go through stages where they are perfectly fine eating the same exact thing everyday for a week straight! Yes, we need to teach our children routines and that dinner time is time to eat, but at 17 months thats really not important. Whats importnant is that you are a happy mom enjoying every minnute you have with your little one!! If she doesnt want to eat, dont force it. When she gets hungry enough she'll let ya know, trust me! At 17 months my daughter practically lived off of those gerber fruit puffs. They are small and dissolve quickly in their mouths so they dont choke and they are actually quite tasty! Maybe give that a try and just hang in there girl! You gave birth to her, you can surely make it through dinner time!

Answer 2

Don't fight this battle, and definitely don't force feed her - it can lead to worse problems. I feel your pain - my son is a horribly picky eater and has sensory issues with food to boot (sounds like your daughter may as well) - all I can say is nip it in the bud NOW. the older they get, the worse it will be.

Start out with mushier foods - soft soups, pastina pasta, mushy fruit, etc. Don't offer anything else. SHe will eat when she is hungry, trust me. Don't get too hung up on the quantity she eats and the number of meals. Kids go through phases of not eating much, etc. Just keep reminding yourself she will not starve. I did this wtih my son , he's now four - he's still on the pickier side, but eats enough of a variety and healthy foods so I'm happy with that. I have another friend that had similar issues with her daughter, but would either force feed her or let her stay on pureed baby food.... anyways, she's now 4 as well, and is in therapy 4 times a week for her food issues, and only drinks pediasure and eats only pureed baby food - at 4!!!!! Play hardball now, its a lot easier with a 17 month old than it will be at 4. Good luck!!

Answer 3

Here's a suggestion: Lay out a small amount of various, colorful snacks. Something that will catch her eye, but won't choke her. (ie: tiny cut up pieces of skinless hot dog, banana slices, those Gerber graduates snack crackers....) Let her choose what she wants. When she gets a little bigger and starts eating more solid foods, you can impose the healthier things on her. That way she'll get used to eating healthy early in life. You can't continue to let her pick whatever she wants as she grows up, because you'll be putting her health at risk. For now, stick with small cut snacks that are bright in color. That way they keep her interest. Don't force feed though. She'll feel bad about eating. If you get frustrated, walk away for a second and try to calm down. If she sees you stressed, she can feel your tension which will only stress her out too.

Answer 4

have child around same age give her food on a fork or spoon they want to b able to do it themselves at this age get yoplait kids yougurt its spoon hugging so it doesnt fly everywhere its a lifesaver it had like blues clues on the front ur child should b eating ever 4 to 5 hours and drinking bout 4 to5 ounces at each sitting by now i would try drinking with a straw to

Answer 5

First, do not placed something interior the bottle different than a sprinkle (a million/4-a million-2 tsp) of toddler single grain rice cereal. in case you place different meals interior the bottle through fact it slows them down on spoon and self feeding. 2d, what variety of toddler nutrition are you attempting to feed him? a number of it basically tastes terrible. once you're nevertheless engaged on greens, in line with probability you may attempt some diverse end result. If that doesn't paintings, get clean fruit and mash it for him. Does he get a good sort of floor time? i be responsive to that each and each toddler progresses at a diverse value. Is he attempting to flow slowly? Does he get on his hands and knees and rock forward and backwards? Or does he pull himself as much as face? My 2 teenagers began crawling early...my oldest at 4 months and my youngest and four.5 months. I also have a pal with somewhat one that is one and he or she nevertheless hasn't began crawling. all of them basically flow at their own p.c... The melting nutrition you have is possibly the veggie and fruit puffs by using gerber. if so, they rock. they actually do soften of their mouth. My youngest began eating those at 4 months and did not choke, yet once you're traumatic you may continuously injury them into products and supply him somewhat at a time. the main nicely known subject approximately his eating is that docs say that at 6 months previous somewhat one needs greater suitable than formula or breast milk to consume. If he does not choose any solids in any respect, i could touch the physician and notice what he says approximately it. that's substantial for them to have the solids after that age. Is he commonly used along with his weight and top? If he's under commonly used, you're able to desire to touch his physician. I choose you success on the feeding and you will IM me or e mail me in case you opt for any help.

Answer 6

At 17 months, she should have a good developed "pincer grasp" and be able to pick up pieces of food by herself. You must take the fight out of meal time now before both you and she have a life-time of food issues. I suggest that you stop trying to feed her anymore and let her feed herself. Somewhere between 12-18 months most babies like to "do it myself". I would suggest placing her in her high chair for breakfast and offer her some healthy choices such as Cheerios and banana pieces or toast cut into triangles with some diced canned peaches. Put her milk in her sippy cup and serve it to her on her high chair tray. Let her pick and choose what she wants to eat and how much she wants to eat. Children will not starve themselves. Additionally, children of her age eating very little is quite normal. If your daughter will not eat any of what you place in front of her, simply tell her that breakfast is over and you will have something to eat later for snack. Then remove her from her high chair (without any anger or frustration) and take the food to the kitchen. 1-2 hours later, place her back in her high chair and offer her some good healthy choices, some string cheese cut into slices and then cut into 1/2 (or 1/4's), some steamed carrot pieces, canned mandarin orange segments, whole wheat crackers and milk in her sippy cup. Again, don't beg, plead, threaten, or force feed, simply let her pick and choose and eat what she wants and how much she wants. If she doesn't eat or when she's done, put her down from her high chair and put the leftovers away. Do not feed her in between meals except for scheduled snacks, avoid letting her walk around all day with a sippy cup of juice (a very common thing that parents think is healthy, but fills up tiny tummies and makes poor eaters). After nap time, have another snack to tide her over until dinner. Try cooked green beans cut into small pieces (canned ones are softer and can be used, too), some whole wheat pasta cooked and cut into pieces, seeded watermelon chunks, pieces of ham or turkey lunch meat and milk in a sippy cup. Try for 3 meals and at least 2 snacks every day offering her a variety of choices from each food group along with milk or water (I do milk at meals and water at snack). If she won't drink from a sippy cup, try a cup with a built-in straw. There is very little that children really have control over in their lives and what goes in their mouth can become a power struggle if we aren't careful. Take the fight out of food, offer her healthy choices then let her choose what she wants. She will eat when she is hungry and drink when she is thirsty. Except for very hard foods such as nuts, popcorn, hard candy and raw vegetables such as carrots, she can eat anything you eat provided it is cut into small pieces. Even hot dogs and grapes are safe if you cut the hot dog into slices and then cut each slice into 1/4's and the grapes cut into 1/4's or 1/8's depending on the size of the grape. If she doesn't already have a child's size plate, bowl, and silverware, let her pick something out at the store so she can have her meals and snacks on her own dishes. Sit down at the table when she is eating and keep the atmosphere upbeat and happy. Point out things about the food that will help her learn, such as "look at the peas, they are round and green" or "here is some macaroni, will it fit on your spoon?". If you get frustrated or angry, walk away and count to 10 then come back. It is hard to get started at first, but meal time can become a peaceful time.

Answer 7

i guess many of the answers given may become extremely difficult to practice when there are relatives around who constantly say that the kid is getting thinner and those who think that the kid is making a huge mess when it is trying to feed itself

Answer 8

offer her something if she don't want it, wait til she is hungry they change their taste on food so much she'll be driving u nuts every other month, my kid won't drink milk, but in cereal she will, yogurt, cheese sticks, etc

Answer 9

she will eat when she is hungry. definetly stop forcing her that will give a negative connatation to eating. if her weight is healthy just wait. maybe try pedia sure supplement drink.

make eating fun when you feed her. make it a game, be creative.

also consider does she have dysphagia- swallowing disorder. then you need to see a Dr.