Hey all. My 2 year old daughter absolutely WILL NOT EAT! She'll have like maybe a couple cheerios for breakfast and maybe a couple bites of toast (on a really really good day). She won't eat anything for lunch really, at the most 1 or 2 bites. For supper, she rarely touches her food. We have tried everything we can think of - holding her and trying to feed her when she refuses to eat, forcing her to sit at the table, giving time outs, taking away privileges - absolutely everything! I am so tired of the battle every day just to get a few bites of food in her! I am so frustrated! Please help! Thanks in advance and God bless!
2007-11-30 12:08:41 · 11 answers · asked by ~*Mrs. GM2*~ 5 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Toddler & Preschooler
Just wanted to add that this has been going on for MONTHS - the kid just will not eat!
2007-11-30 12:17:37 · update #1
The more drama you make of it, the worse it is going to get.
Kids are different. My first was like yours and just didn't eat much sometimes. If she was hungry she would eat.
My second devours everything in sight.
Just wondering - you aren't filling her up on juice and milk? If they get too much they don't want to eat because they are already full. Try switching some of the drinks to water and see how this changes her appetite.
2007-11-30 12:18:50 · answer #1 · answered by Belinda W 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm assuming you've already taken her to the pediatrician...
What's her favorite food? My son's was hot chocolate with marshmallows. I'm sure the teachers thought I was nuts because that is what my son had for lunch every day. It was the only thing he would eat. I substituted hot chocolate for Carnation Instant Breakfast (for vits) and knew he was getting at least 110 good calories.
I think, if you've seen the pediatrician, that you should just relax and offer her food and snacks at regular time. If ice cream is her favorite food, ice cream it is. My son was very underweight, so I fed him anything and everything he would eat. Now all of the sudden (17) he's starving and eating everything in sight.
If you don't feel the pediatrician gave you enough help, consult another, or consult a specialist. But I was always taught that the dinner table should be a very relaxed place. No fussing, fighting or correcting.
TX Mom
2007-11-30 13:37:20 · answer #2 · answered by TX Mom 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Make sure she isn't getting a lot of liquids and treats. If she doesn't eat don't force her, but offer it to her. Offer her a healthy snack later, be sure it isn't too close to the next meal. Sometimes you can feed them when they are busy, maybe when she is watching t.v. you can sneak a couple of bites in. Sometimes they will eat more if you let them pick what they want, try giving her two or three acceptable choices.
My sister in law couldn't understand why her son wasn't eating until she realized how many cookies and drinks he was getting. He was FULL!
As a mom of 7, all I can tell you is she WILL eat when she gets hungry and don't make food a battle, it's not worth the fight. Pretty soon she'll have a growth spurt and you'll wonder why she won't stop eating!
It's normal, just let it run it's course.
2007-11-30 13:22:37 · answer #3 · answered by forever5 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
its scary but... take her to the dr. It is very normal. I went through this with my now 4 year old and he does it sometimes still. I can really tell when hes going through a growth spurt because he will eat tons. but there are periods of like 6 months where it seems he is not eating at all. My youngest.. 16 months is doing this right now. I am not kidding he probably eats 2 bites for breakfast and sometimes no lunch. then for dinner I push him and am lucky to get maybe 7 or eight bites in him. I feel bad cause he was a big baby and he has actually lost 2 pounds in the last 3 months! but I know that its a phase and we have seen the dr. he has also had a cold twice so that could be a part of this too. good luck and check it out with your dr so they can monitor weight and as long as hey arent losing and gain at their own normal pace they are prob fine :)
2007-11-30 12:18:24 · answer #4 · answered by proud family 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It really only takes some reasoning. First, lay off it a while. If she's really starving, than she'll eat. Let her relax some, and stop thinking of it as a battle. You don't want to incorace her. Next, find something that she absolutely loves (horses, pooh, princesses, fairies...) and find plates, utensils, or cups that look like that thing. Call it a "special treat" smile real wide, and pull it out of some hidden place. She'll be excited about eating in no time!
2007-11-30 12:17:29 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
thats a tough one. As a mother of a 2 yr old girl myself, I've got that problem sometimes too, but urs seems more extreme if she eats that little amount all the time.
as far as forcing her and time outs and taking away privileges, I see that working for an 8 yr old (cause I got one of those too) but I don't see it working for ur 2 yr old.
how about trying to feed her when she is not at the table. maybe she sees the table as a negative thing if ur trying to force her to eat.
another thing-at this age, children still do alot of grazing, meaning they eat a little bit all day long. try leaving fresh fruit like bananas, grapes, strawberries, crackers, cheese...my daughter LOVES cheese and see if there are things she really hates or really likes.
also, try giving her princess vitamins or something to help her get the vitamins she is not getting from food. try strawberry flavored, or chocolate milk, all types of juices.
hope it works out for you. good luck.
2007-11-30 12:18:00 · answer #6 · answered by amelia1979 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
kids are funny don't stress she won't starve one of my boys did the same thing and as i was told he would eat when he was hungry have health snacks around so she can help her self when she wants make meal times fun don't force her to eat don't let her have junk food when she wants fruit and raw veges raisins etc she will grow out of it if she don't you will know that she will get all the vitamins she needs with the healthy snacks she may just be a grazer. ( little bits all day ) God bless
2007-11-30 12:39:27 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
When my kids were little tthey were the same way - the pickiest eaters ever! I used to worry myself sick over them not getting enough food.
Then a wise woman told me this, "Little children won't starve themselves, when they are truly hungry they will eat. Leave them be and they will come to you when they are hungry." I followed this advise and it WORKED! I cooked per usual, and my husband and I ate. When my kids were hungry they askd for food, if they weren't hungry I didn't lose sleep over it any more. They are still this way today for the most part and they are now healthy, well adjusted teens! They eat when they're hungry and they do not have weight issues such as obessity or eating disorders. They are fine!
So I will give you the same wise advise once given to me, "Little children won't starve themselves. When your daughter is truly hungry she will eat. Leave her be and she will come to you when she is hungry and ask you for food."
Until then, relax about it.
2007-11-30 13:29:59 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Make meal times fun like letting her buy a special plate or glass that she can use. Let her play with her food like making pictures out of vegetables and stuff. don't be too dramatic about it and just pack snacks so that when she is hungry, she can eat.
2007-11-30 12:31:43 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Leave her alone, She'll eat when she's hungry. My 1year old did the same thing and that's wha we did. In a day and a half he was eating whatever I put in front of him.
2007-11-30 12:14:01 · answer #10 · answered by Kellie R 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋