Almost 1 Year Old Isn't Eating.

At that age my kids did the same thing.They go through that there is nothing to worry about.My kids are 6,7 and 13 and to this day there are days that they barely eat at thing and then other days they go to town.

I have two boys (3years and 20 months) I went through this same thing with both of them around the same age! I think it is just the age because my friend has a 15 month old that is doing it now too! Good Luck.

Hi there, this is exactly what I went through in the last couple of weeks. My son just had his first birthday and we had problems with his eating as well. He would either eat a little bit or just not eat at all. he loves the goldfish and the cheerios like your son. Everytime I fed him he would start turning and twisting and the only way to make him eat was to keep switching different toys. It was super frustrating. Well the good news is that it goes away. It lasted for about two weeks. Now he is back to normal and eats just fine. So I think that it is something that they outgrow and we just have to keep our cool :).

C., I will tell you what the Doc told me when mine were little. " They will eat when they are hungry" Nature kicks in and they won't starve. Cutting the snacks back is a good idea, also maybe try letting him eat what you are eating. My kids are now 18, 9 and 7 and they kind of still eat hit and miss. I just don't let them snack as much.

Dear C.,

First of all, if you're worried about him not eating enough, why are you still planning to swith him to milk in a couple of days? Leave him on the formula until his appetite picks up and he's eating enough solid food to get all the nutrients he needs. You can mix cereal with the formula to give him a boost. But if he's not underweight or unhealthy in any way, don't worry. Offer him foods that are easy for little fingers to pick up and eat and have them ready at all times to offer if and when he gets hungry. Eggs are a great food for little ones, they are easy to digest and pack a lot of protein. Here's a recipe we call, in my family, baby boo eggs. It was the only way my mother could get me to eat eggs when I was little.

3 eggs
1 cup of milk
1 T of sugar
dash of sald (optional)

Beat the eggs with a fork. Heat the milk on medium to just under boil. Add the eggs and sugar and cook on low, stirring often. Cook until the egss ard firm. The mixture will be watery as the egss absorb the milk solids and leave the water. Press the eggs into a tea strainer to strain out the rest of the liquid. The eggs will stay in the shape of the strainer. Unmold them onto a plate and sprinkle with cake decorating candies or colored sugar. That makes them very appealing to kids. He can eat them warm or cold, doesn't matter. You can even cut them into wedges that he can pick up and eat. If he eats just one recipe in a day, that's 3 eggs and he'll be getting plenty of protein. Good luck. Abuela

Hi C.! I think that most of the ladies covered what I wanted to say..but I have 2 tips that worked for me. My daughter never liked the "traditional" things they are supposed to like.....like Gerber Graduates....and I cannot blame her....have you ever tasted that stuff. So we started to try things that were different, especially if we were out to eat. Just be careful not to give the foods that could cause allergic reactions. I now have a 4 year old who loves Lobster Bisque, broccoli, etc.

Another thing that we did was made the food fun. i checked out a few books from the library and made the plate look like a face and other cute stuff like that.

Good luck.

Talk to the Dr & let him decide what is enough or not enough,,,,,I found with my children & grandchildren when they got ready to eat they would,,,I am sure the Dr will say keep milk to needed minimum only,,,there are alot of variables,,,,build of child & parents,,,eating habits parents ,,,,Dr will take all of these in consideration,,,,just remember not to make a nonissue an issue LOL

Hi C.,
Your situation with your 1 yr old does not seem to be uncommon. A lot of mothers have been writing about their children not wanting to eat. Especially at this age. Yes, his appetite should pick up once he is off the formula. I would suggest trying some regular foods instead of the Gerber Graduates. A lot of the baby foods do not have good taste. I know a lot of mothers will not agree, however a little flavor makes a big difference. Of course be mindful of sugars, sodium, and other things that may not be good for children to eat. For breakfast try some of the fruit flavored oatmeals. Check the box to see which one would be better for your son to eat. Some food choices that helped me when my daughter was about a year old was a scrambled egg w/low fat cheese, and some applesauce (no sugar). Yogurt was also a good choice. Mashed potatoes (homemade or instant) was one of her favorites. When cooking your regular meals, fix some for your son that does not have all the seasonings that we enjoy in our foods. Trying different varieties of foods will help you to know what he likes and does not like. It is common for us to feel that just because foods are designed especially for children those are the foods that they should only eat. However, that is not always so. Designated times for breakfast, lunch and dinner helps promote healthy eating habits. If you are fixing him breakfast too early in the morning, that could be an issue. As well as when he is eating his lunch and dinner. One more tip for you, is when your child is ready to eat, do not give him anything to drink at the beginning of the meal. Don't even put his cup on the table until after he has started to eat his meal. Most children would rather drink than eat anyway. So if you start off with a drink, it will be harder to get him to eat his food. Let him drink during the middle of his meal. I wish you the best in your wonderful experiences with your son. Be blessed!

C.,

I guess I can repeat the same things some of the other ladies have said. They will eat when they are hungry. I will add that my 11 month old is cutting teath and has become a very picky eater. Doesn't want to chew anything and will barely eat any of the pureed fruit. Let the doctor know and maybe he/she will keep your little one on formula a bit longer. Let us know how it turns out.

Elisabeth

Hi C., I can imagine just how tired you must be sometimes. I have 3 children, 26, 20, and 13. All of them seemed to be picky eaters at one time or another. If your son is not losing weight, I wouldn't worry alot about consistent eating. I always let mine "graze" through out the day. I kept grapes, cubed or shredded cheese and other finger foods (soft) in several bowls that were easily reached. Sometimes they only need a little at a time, and as long as you are giving him nutritious foods, and as you suggested, milk, then he should be fine.Sometimes I would steam carrots or peas, and I always had cubed chicken that I steamed, too. Another thing my kids loved was yogurt, and hot cereal, like oatmeal. Sounds like you are on top of things. I have a Jack Russell, although she's not a puppy, she is SOO busy.My life has finally slowed down a little, so I can enjoy my personal time, although my 13 year old is discovering boys. Someone once told me that teenagers go through the terrible twos a second time, only it's more vocal! LOL Anyway, hope this info helps you, and know that you're not alone sweetie. I'm in the Ruther Glen area, if you ever want some company. We have a small farm, 4 dogs, and I homeschool. I also have a pet care business, and an online travel business. We're pretty diversified! Take care, P., Arabella, and Precious the dog.

Hi C.,
I have a very picky eater also. My son turned 2 last month. He goes through spurts when he wants to eat, and some days he doesn't want to eat but just wants his bottle/sippy cup. According to my doctor, and my mother, that is normal. Evidently, I did the same thing as a kid. I wouldn't worry when he is hungry he will eat.

yeah that sounds about right about the formula intake and refusing food. i agree with cutting out the snacks (not completely, just the amount he gets). but formula provides a lot of nutritions, that's why he isn't eating. it's good to ask the doctor but you will see a change once you introduce milk. milk is thinner than the formula, plus he shouldn't be drinking as much milk anyhow, about 8-12 oz a day (that much even for formula only). if his weight and height are withing the charts :) he's doing good
good luck

C., Since he isn't eating much food, I would check into one of those formulas that are made for toddlers. I think Enfamil makes one called "Second Step", or something like that. Also, Pediasure, I think is a brand of a nutrient drink for young children. This way you can be sure he's getting his nutrients and calories and keeps up his growth! Good luck! Nothing's more frustrating than when your child doesn't want to eat.........I.

It is shocking, isn't it? Infants grow at an incredible rate, and need to eat often to support that. However, growth slows dramatically when they hit 12 months, and they just don't need to calories that they needed before, which leads to pickiness and worried moms. I remember my wee boy eating nothing but crunchy carbs for weeks on end.

For us, the solution was to continue breastfeeding and not worry about it.

Another solution, offered by Dr. Sears, is to have a grazing tray available--a muffin tin with a selection of small, nutritious nibbles that they can nibble from while they are busy moving about. It could be messy, depending on your child, but it might be an option.

Hello C.
I have a 13 month old baby boy with the same eating issues as your l year old. I spoke with the doctor and have consitently been placing purees and infant cereal in his bottle and giving him Enfamil prosobee Next Step rather than transitioning to regular soy/milk. He eats finger foods and a couple spoons here and there but all I have been advised is to keep trying. So it is baby smoothies after attempting each meal.

I am a 32 year old school administrator and proud mom of 1

The best advice my Dr. ever gave me was that toddlers eat through a week. Meaning that if he doesn't eat one day he will make up for it on another day. That is why one day they can't eat enough and another day they don't want anything. This piece of advice has saved alot of worry for us. Also, if your child is a snacker, play to that....lots of cut up fruit, soft veggies, cherieos, anything healthy.

Kids are so finicky at this stage, and its all part of their learning process. I wouldn't worry at all about it. My pediatrician told me as long as you can look back over a week and see that he got at least one good, balanced, nutritious meal, then you're doing fine. Their bodies need a lot less than we think they do, and strangely enough, they'll eat what they need when they need it. The key is to consistently offer good, healthy choices, and keep a good variety of textures, flavors, etc. Eventually, they will settle into it, and then katie bar the door and lock the pantry! :)

L.

Hey C.,I went through the same thing with my daughter when she was one. I did take her to the doctor and she informed me that it was nothing to worry about and her eating habit would change. I was afraid that she was sick or somthing . She informed me that I would have to introduce solids to her slowly because the have been so use to milk and smushed baby foods and now this new food come into play it's really strange to them remember that they are new to this world. C. remember when your parents would fix things that you did'nt like so you did'nt eat it I know because I threw mine in the trash. I would like to share a few ideas with you. Have you tried whipped mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, applesauce, toast with cinnamon and a tad of sugar and salads are fun and don't forget about yogurts kids love it they think it's ice cream! My daughter turned out to be a vegeteraian so that was part of the problem!

Wouldn't worry. My daughter did the same thing. For weeks she ate nothing but bread and water (some milk). Sounds like punishment doesn't it? That is all she would eat and all she wanted and eventually that phase passed. Her diet slowly started including new foods. I just kept introducing new things and didn't force the issue. She ate what she wanted and left what she didn't. We kept regular meal and snack times and would just keep at it. It was frustrating and at the time I did worry about her health and weight but I am happy to report she is just fine! Hang in there...

My child REFUSED baby food in any shape, and it turned out to be the best thing in a world - after I figured it out! She only ate REAL food! Her favorites were french toast, or wagon wheel pasta with shredded cheddar cheese melted on top.
She was a grazer - putting it on the excersaucer or on the table where she was pulling up got the best results - she would rarely eat in her chair. She was more of a drive by eater.

Pick your battles, and if him not eating in his chair is worth eating the snacks - well so be it! Small things of real food that he can pick up on his own may be a bigger hit than being forced to sit still and eat baby food - I agree with others on the flavor.

THat is why I liked the french toast - egg and whole wheat bread - a healthy meal. Some cinnamon in the egg for flavor!