[Guest_bottle~rocket_*]

My DS is very similar, he is now 2 years old and eating much larger quantities than before but I'm still waiting for him to outgrow his fussiness.

He was never that interested in solids as a baby and his weight started to drop down the charts after around 6 months. When he was around 18 months we were referred to a dietician. Her suggestions included to keep offering foods that he doesn't like e.g. vegies, meat as well as offering foods that we know he will eat.

Some of his favourites at that age were reduced salt baked beans (mashed and heated up with grated cheese), Farex baby porridge and soft boiled eggs.

It's frustrating, as PP said you just have to keep offering foods and try not to get too stressed about it all.
We found it helps to make mealtimes fairly relaxed and eating with him whenever possible so he has us as our has role models.

[winkywonkeydonke...]

thats not a fussy eater! lol sorry. He actually is eating a good selection of food there. Just keep giving him what he does like and always offer something new . He will eat it eventually.

Try not to stress, this isnt something you can really control, i understand your worry though as i have been there and i tell you its not worth the stress.

he wont starve himself and at this age they tend to not need as much food. they live off air sometimes. you will find he starts eating alot again next growth spurt!

have you tried a tuna mornay? what about lamb cutlets? I find my kids just like simple food the best so its boring meat and veg most nights but they eat it....

This post has been edited by bika: 02/01/2012, 08:42 PM

[Jenflea]

My now 20 month old loves eating red capsicums like they are apples. Raw and whole.
She'll also try most things raw such as spinach leaves and broccoli.
She'll only eat Bega Stringer cheese, not block cheese, but her cousins won't eat Stringer cheese, ONLY block. Sometimes it's trial and error. But if he's breast fed, eating avocado and fruit he's ok.
Try cottage cheese with purred fruit mixed in , or a bit of apple juice. That's protein.
Home made (low oil and salt) oven baked chips.
Banana
Blueberries, strawberries(high in fibre due to the seeds and blueberries are full of antioxidants)

[newkie]

My now 17 month old goes off food every time he is teething, and was atrocious at around 12 months. In desperation one day, I found an in date "squeezie" - those baby food squeeze pouches in the back of the pantry and let him suck it out himself. He thought it was awesome and promptly threw a mini tantrum when it was done.

Since then, I've kept a few of them in the pantry to supplement his eating whilst he's teething. I still offer everything I normally offer, but at least I know he's getting a little bit of veggies when the normal ones go all over the floor

It's probably not everyone's idea of a good habit to start, I was getting desperate, and when he's not teething, he goes back to eating a fairly normal amount, so I'm confident it's not hurting at the moment.

[Mel1609]

He is breastfed (as my OP states) morning and night/overnight with one offered before his morning sleep (for my supply not for him)

So if you wanted you could consider expressing in the morning and using it on his cereal ? The feed before the morning nap could also be expressed and used in a smoothie or another meal - they're just suggestions OP.

[Guest_bottle~rocket_*]

So if you wanted you could consider expressing in the morning and using it on his cereal ? The feed before the morning nap could also be expressed and used in a smoothie or another meal - they're just suggestions OP.

I don't know that I would bother expressing milk for a one year old when you can just breastfeed. If he is only breastfeeding 3 times a day it is unlikely that dropping breastfeeds would result in him eating more.

You can use cows milk on cereal and smoothies.

[Rosiebubs]

I've just been through this with my now 14 month old. At 11 months I was breastfeeding him morning, noon, night, and once overnight if (well, when) he woke. He was eating about 6 teaspoons of cereal for breakfast. A few bites at lunch, and barely anything for dinner. It didn't matter what I tried! Similarly, he would only eat avocado on bread, weetbix, and vegies and rice. No meat at all, which terrified me.

First I started giving him a meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner), and then waiting at least an hour before he got a BF, no matter how much or how little he ate. Breakfast was the first meal where he started to eat more, and within 4 weeks or so, I dropped the post-breakfast feed. Once he started to eat more for dinner (including a little bit of chicken mince in with the rice and vegies), I finally decided to drop the middle of the night feed. Believe it or not, there were no tears. My DH just cuddled him back to sleep for 5 nights, and then he didn't ask for it any more.

Now that he is down to just a feed at lunch (a bottle of formula), and a BF before bed, he is eating pretty much anything, and in quantities I'm comfortable with. Some days he eats heaps, and others it's like he's living on air. But I just accept the ups and downs.

[Kim]

I don't think he sounds fussy either.

In fact by pandering to his "likes" I think you have more chance of creating a fussy eater, because eventually he will work out that by refusing his food you will give him something he prefers.

I would just be offering him a variety of foods at every meal. Include on the plate things you know he likes, plus stuff he won't touch, then leave him to it.

Don't stress that it it isn't a balanced diet, he is 1, food at this age is about exploring tastes and trying new things.

My dd is the fussiest of my 3, she is almost 2. I have always just given her a variety plate to eat, every day lots of good veggies, which she would try then spit out, slowly though she has started eating corn, peas, carrot, broccoli, capsicum... she prefers veggies raw if they can be served that way.

Also don't be fooled that he is hungry just because he eats a little bit of the healthy, refuses more, but then can suddenly find room for something he really likes.

It's no different to adults, eat a plate of veggies, you feel satisfied, don't want anymore, but then someone dumps a slice of cake in front of you (or whatever your fave food is). Good odds you'll eat it, even though you're not hungry.

[Gonewiththewind:...]

Fair enough. I just worry because he doesn't eat any veggies or carbs & less than a tablespoon of protein in a day. I just assumed it wasn't good to be living on fruit & dairy at 1 year old but perhaps it isn't such a big deal.

[~chiquita~]

My now 17 month old goes off food every time he is teething, and was atrocious at around 12 months. In desperation one day, I found an in date "squeezie" - those baby food squeeze pouches in the back of the pantry and let him suck it out himself. He thought it was awesome and promptly threw a mini tantrum when it was done.

Since then, I've kept a few of them in the pantry to supplement his eating whilst he's teething. I still offer everything I normally offer, but at least I know he's getting a little bit of veggies when the normal ones go all over the floor

It's probably not everyone's idea of a good habit to start, I was getting desperate, and when he's not teething, he goes back to eating a fairly normal amount, so I'm confident it's not hurting at the moment.

Same here.