my son won't eat?

Question

My son is 16months old and for the past 2 weeks he has hardly eaten a thing, stuff he used to like now he spits out and the things that he will still eat he hardly touches and then he's off. I know they say that they will eat when they are hungry but it has been so long. He loves milk and I catch him in the fridge with the gallon of milk in his hand and pointing to his bottle. Yes I know I need to wean him off his bottle, I did a horrible thing and gave him a bottle when I stopped breast feeding at about 9 months. He drinks at least 3 bottles (about 8 ounces) a day and he still has numerous wet diapers and poops at least 2-3 times a day and it's not really watery or dry, any advice on this situation would help, thanks

Answer 1

Take out a muffin tray and put out foods in some of the cups. It will be visually stimulating to him and he might be willing to try new things. Some things to try: apple sticks or cut into shapes (dip in lemon juice so they don't turn brown), carrot matchsticks, cheese cubes, wedges of pancakes, hard boiled egg pieces, one with peanut butter in it, crackers, grape quarters, small melon cubes, little broccoli trees, pieces of pasta. Make it colorful. Store it in the fridge and take it out every few hours. Let him experiment. Don't tell him that he can't dip his egg into the PB. Make sure it isn't a bunch of junk food, but stuff he can eat at any time. If your local grocery store has a salad bar, this is a perfect place to get small amounts of things.

Answer 2

Well, first I need to know if he has any other symptoms, like a sore throat, fever, things like that. If not, and it doesn't sound like he does, he's probably just going through a phase where he's just too busy to eat. I would, however, limit his milk intake a little bit. It sounds as if he may be filling up on liquids, which is important, but not as important as food. Try giving him foods that he can pick up and feed himself, and make a game of it, just anything you can do to get him interested in eating. And don't offer him a bottle until he has eaten a little something. Tell him that he can have it after he eats a bite. He's old enough to understand. But remember, at his age, his stomach is only about the size of his fist, so he won't eat a lot anyways. You just need to make sure that he's not completely replacing his food with milk. I would totally eliminate juice if he's drinking it. It's just calories he doesn't need that he should be getting from food. Also, what are you trying to feed him? Baby food, table food, what? He's getting to the age where his tastes are going to be more refined, and the blan food that he loved before may just not taste good to him now. Try new foods, and give him lots of choices. Put him in his highchair with a lot of foods he can pick up on his tray. Let him sit there and play as long as he will sit there. Chances are something will find it's way into his mouth.

Answer 3

The amount of milk he's drinking per day should be ok. However, when you specifically want him to eat (such as at a meal), give him water in his bottle instead of milk--and no milk for at least an hour before the meal, either. Water will quench his thirst, but not fill him up like milk does.

My sister's daughter responded very well when my sister put her hand on her daughter's forehead, tipping the girl's head up slightly. Her mouth opened right up, and she ate the food (fed to her by the parent). That technique didn't work on my first daughter, but lately my 2nd daughter (21 months) has been refusing to eat, and when I try it, her mouth opens and I can feed her! She can feed herself, but sometimes will not touch anything.

Some foods she refuses, even though I know she'll like them, if she can only get a taste of it. In those cases I just need to somehow get a bit in her mouth. Forcing her mouth open doesn't work well, and she'll push out any food that goes in. But for some reason, the hand-on-the-forehead trick works with her, and she doesn't feel like she's been forced to open her mouth.

Answer 4

Try giving him food first so he doesn't fill up on milk and tell him if you eat this I'll give you some milk. Hopefully he will out grow it soon there is not a wide variety of essentially vitamins and minerals in milk. If he doesn't change his habits soon ask you doctor if he is old enough for a multi-vitamin yet. I know you can give then to 2 year old but I am not sure about a 16 month old.

Answer 5

If the only thing he will consume is Milk

i would suggest changing the milk to Vitamin D milk if it isn't already, so he can keep on gaining the weight he needs to.. and continue trying to give him food.

To get him off the bottle, you should just slowly try and give him a sippy cup shaped bottle with a nipple on top, and then give him the regular sippy cup.


it worked for me.

You could also introduce him to other liquids/juices

and put the one he likes best in the sippy cup and the other in a bottle and let him choose.
either one is good.

Answer 6

My son (now 4) has gone through stages exactly the same as this. Try to isolate his eating to meal times to reduce snacking and encourage fuller meals. Keep the eating environment as least distracting as possible--tv off, toys put away, sitting at the table. Offer healthy choices and resist junk "just because you know he'll actually eat it" or else you'll end up with a 3 year old who will ONLY eat hot dogs, mac and cheese, and pizza (nothing wrong with those choices in moderation of course). As he gets older and more able, get him involved in food preparation, my son will at least try anything he's helped me cook. Other than that it sounds to me like he's getting enough milk, you may want to try transitioning to sippy cups or cups with straws or just a cup, that will also help him transition into being a "big boy." (i.e. "Big boys try new foods, just like you got a new cup"). Hang in there, it will pass and before long you'll be worrying that he won't quit eating, just cycles kids go through.

Answer 7

my 2 year and 4 year old will go thru the same stages every so often. what i noticed is that when i gave them a drink with their meal, they would drink first and then be too full for food. now i give them their plates and they eat everything, then they get a full cup of milk, juice or water. my 2 year old was also a very diverse eater, not any more!

Answer 8

maybe you should get some liquid vitamins and put the recommended dosage in his milk in the morning my son did the same thing he's probably going through a phase they do that. try the old stand by mac&cheese mix some peas in it
i'll bet he'll love that. if he continues for much longer you should call his pediatricion and ask if they would be conserned and if they have any advice hope i helped

Answer 9

Kids are funny creatures. My 3.5 yr old daughter does almost the same thing. There will be days that she hardly eats anything, and than there are days that she eats me out of house and home I swear.
He's old enough to know when he is hungry, so if he's not eating, he's not hungry.

Answer 10

I know that can drive you crazy and worry you lots. However, I have been through the same thing with my kids. My daughter wouldn't eat anything (or just a tiny bite) for the longest time. My pediatritian told me she would eat when she got hungry and she did. Don't worry.