Feeding trouble?

[SGKelloe32]

Is anyone else having real trouble getting their child to eat? My daughter is 15 months and she won't even try to eat anything if it isn't something she recognises if i try to offer her it., yet she will eat whatever the child minder feeds her! What am i doing wrong because at the minute she is surviving on sausage rolls and pizza fingers, I feel bad because i really want her to eat different things but i feel worse when i refuse to give her anything else if she doesn't eat what i give her......so me and her dad usually give in and give her what we know she will eat so she doesn't starve, what do i do???

[andy hughes]

Even at this tender age, babies are learning to assert themselves. and mealtimes is a pefect time for her to pull your strings. The childminder is a nolvelty at feeding time, so she is distracted, and will try new things. She has probably picked up your tension - perfectly natrual - at the thought that she might go hungry, and she's playing you up because of it. You need to be a little bit devious. Make meal times a game - try a talking or singing routine to keep her attention while she feeds, and keep your worries well hidden - let her see you smiling and happy whether she eats or not. Gradually, the novelty of mainpulating you will wear off - they do grow out of it I promise, but it is very common, and you need to work around it. Good luck, and don;t panic - the bottom line is, if your little one is hungry, she will eat.

[SGKelloe32]

Hi there, thanks for your answer. I do try to make mealtimes fun, i place her food on brightly coloured plates, pull funny faces, pretend i am eating it, pretend to be aeroplanes, trains etc....but nothing seems to work. I never tell her off or get cross with her if she doesn't eat it, but i know she must want her dinner, as she asks for it and will stand near the cupboards or fridge until i make her something, then she just looks at it when its done. To be honest, i prefer the days when i am at work and i dont have to worry about feeding her coz i know she will eat when she is with the child minder. God i feel like such a bad mam... I just don't want her to be a fussy with her food when she is older, as my sister survives on spaghetti and eggs, even on christmas day she has boiled eggs instead of a dinner!

[kags]

Don't be so hard on yourself, you are not a bad mum! As andy hughes says, even at 15 months your daughter will know she is getting the better of you, and she is probably enjoying your efforts to get her to eat. She absolutely will not starve, she is eating at the child-minders, and if you are still worried give her a vitamin supplement. Some kids are just not great eaters, and you know what, there are many many worse things in life than being a bit fussy over your food. My advice is to simply serve up the food without any fuss or comment, if she doesn't eat it then let her go hungry for a while without any reaction from you. Keep up a good & consistent meal-time routine wherever you can, and things will improve.

[andy hughes]

Yep - kags is right. Your little one is not so intent on winding you up that she will go hungry for it. It is a litrtle phase, at meal or bath or bed times, it's all part of growing up and developing a personality of her own. Don't ever think you are a bad mum, children are not fun all the time - I'm on my third adolescent daughter, believe me, I know!

[SGKelloe32]

Thank you all - i suppose i have to focus on the fact that she's a happy little soul and grin and bear it. You made me feel better about it. I will kep trying with her and hopefully she will come round eventually!

[Hgrove]

I had exactly the same problem:  from 13 months onwards my daughter would not eat at home but ate everything the childminder gave her.  I felt nervous for a while, but then I decided that as she was spending three days a week with the childminder, I knew she was eating her fill at least three full days a week, and this would keep her from starving... even if she ate hardly anything the other days...  She got over it eventually, although I can't remember how old she was when she re-started eating at  home.

[holden]

I can sympatise . my grandson has this problem since he was 2. he is now 9jears old, and is still the same. looks anorexic. we tryd everything, and do the same as you, just feed him wharever we know he will eat, so he doesnt starve. he seen many doctors, but they dont ythink there is anything wrong because he has lots of energie and is never sick.all his clothes are too big for him and a have to buy  2 sizes smaller. e pants fall off him he has no bum.

[holden]

We tryed playing games and all sorts of things at maealtimes, and works for while but now he is 9, and jou cant do that . He still is not interested in Food.will never try anything new.