How Does My Daughter Survive on the Little She Eats

My neice is 4 yrs old and weighs about 25 pounds, she is about 38 inches tall. And all she does is basically nibbles on food, she really does not care to eat until she is hungry, and even then she doesnt eat much. But she is fine and healthy and everything seems to be going as it should. She just doesnt eat like we think she should but doesnt effect her at all. Just wanted to let you know you arent the only one out there and it will be fine! :)

Hi B.. I have no advice I just feel your pain! My son is also two and Im lucky if he eats ANYTHING! I also get worried, His Stomach growls all the time but I just can't get him to eat!! But everyone says its normal and that its just a phase. I didn't think about a pediasure...maybe I will start giving him that before bed to. Let me know if you figure out how to make it better :)

Sarah

A worried mommy is a good mommy! She is normal, though., Some toddlers eat like crazy, but most just nibble and graze all day. Just be careful that she is not filling up on too much fluids (milk, juice, water) because that will give her a false feeling of being full. Otherwise, don't worry. They say with toddlers it's best to look at a week's worth of what they have eaten rather than a day's worth. As long as what she is eating is basically healthy, she's fine

B. i have a niece 37 wears size 2 pants very small.and eats like a bird.she says she cant eat a regular hamburger from mcdonalds that it is too much and her son has eaten also like that.if you think of it we all must eat too much they say a stomach is the size of a fist and we should not eat more than what we could hold in our hand or otherwise we would be stretching our stomachs so according to that it isnt that much food that we need so most must overeat.dont worry C.

I actually read the responses 1st because I could have written your post :)

My son is just like your daughter (he is small & it's tough as a 'petite' boy) He is almost 27months & weighs 22 lbs.(he was 5 lbs. at birth). He gained 3 lbs in the last 15 months. Some days he will eat - but can go days on almost nothing. He refuses pediasure (but will finally drink milk with carnation instant breakfast & strawberry Quik). He never drank formula & after 18 mo of bf it took a while for him to drink milk at all. He doesn't like sweets (MAY eat 1/2 cookie), does like grapes, asparagus, broccoli, spinich w/ balsamic vinigar, chicken fingers (w/ honey mustard).

The Dr's are considering a workup at 2 1/2 to be sure he doesn't need hormones (possibly undiagnosed SGA) BUT He is not behind in anything else (speaks in full sentences, knows most of alphabet, is day-time potty trained...) just tiny.

B.,
Sounds normal to me! I have an almost 4 year old daughter and she goes through phases of not eating much and then eating much more than I would think she could find room for! As long as your daughter is keeping within "normal" limits and your pediatrician is okay with her physicals... she's fine. Just keep offering... and one day she'll surprise you. Offer lots of food that she can self feed... my almost 2 year old son (boys sure do eat differently than girls... he eats as much as his 4 year old sis and weighs almost the same as she does)... he loves yogurt. It can be messy to let him feed himself, but the fact that it's nutritious and he'll eat it makes the cleanup worthwhile. (Oh, and I stir in a tablespoon or two of baby oatmeal cereal into it to add bulk and more nutrition.) Through my son, I've found that some kids are adverse to certain textures of food. Keep that in mind when offering things to your daughter.

By the way... you're a mommy... we're allowed to worry! Just keep in mind that for your daughter to have a healthy outlook on food, it should never turn into an argument or power struggle. When they're done, they're done.
Good luck!

T.

The doctor told me that a child will not go hungry. Your daughter will eat what she needs. But you could also try some new foods to make it interesting. My girls both loved peas that came from a can. You just open it and put them in a bowl and let her eat them with her fingers. They loved fresh peas also but be sure to cook them and cool them first. Raisens, grapes-I always cut them in half to remove risk of choking, any finger foods. Children that age love to explore and love finger foods. Let her help you in the kitchen when ever possible. That will improve her eating habbits and will be fun for both of you. You can let her help with dishes too. Any of the plastic dishes or anything that won't break. My girls loved helping Mommy. They even had special plastic mats I got from Tupperware for cutting cookies on. We had a good time and they both love to cook now and are in their 20's. Enjoy every minute with your daughter because before you know it they are gone off to college and you are alone.

Your child eats more than mine. I used to worry, but not anymore. She'll eat when she's hungry. They won't starve themselves. I've given up on the Pediasure in hopes she will eat real food. Do you think you might be able to do that?

this sounds exactly like my son, he is 6 months older then your daughter,almost to the day!(2-9-07) he was a 32 weeker and only weighed 3.5lbs at birth so i knew he had a chance of being on the small side but he never wanted to eat so it started becoming stressful. there were days,weeks,probably even months where he would only eat a small bowl of cereal in the morning and that was it.we made sure to give him carnation instant breakfast twice a day and just kept trying with the variety of foods like his pediatrician suggested. they make it sound so easy! i spent the past year and a half struggling every day to get him to eat.meal times became battle times and by the end of the day we were both crying! then about 3 months ago i started giving him 'my first flinstones' vitamins(they are made for 2-3yr olds)every morning with his breakfast. now in the last 3 months he has gained over 3 lbs which is alot seeing as how he barely gained 3 lbs over a year! now i can barely keep up with his demand for food! i would suggest trying to give her a multivitamin and carnation(it tastes way better then pediasure!) and just hang in there! if she starts falling off of her growth curve then i would maybe start worrying but at this age kids are picky eaters(sometimes to the extreme). just keep doing what your doing and offering her food whenever you can.(my son seemed to only eat after sleeping,so first thing in the morning or after naps.)good luck and just know your not alone in this situation!

-mommy of a 2.5yr old little boy who once never ate and now eats us out of house and home!

Hi B.,

I am an old mother of a 5 year old daughter who has been the most picky eater you could ever imagine. She is getting better now. But I fussed and fussed and my advice is let her be, her stomach is the size of her fist...she is smart she will not starve herself. Things will get better for sure.

yes, i totally understand where your comming from. my son, (two and a half,) as issues with food as wel. we have a "food therapist" this is done through a speech/food therapist. you might want to get your pediatrician to refer you to a good one, and they can do an evaluation, to see whats going on.i hope i have helped! good luck, & God bless!

Her weight is fine- that means you can quit worrying- she is really good about what she needs, and believe me- we had that exact worry with my 1st grandchild- amazingly as we had the opposite going on with her mom when she was that age, and now Alexandria is almost 13, straight a studen and still eats that way!
Some just know what is right for them- and like you said her weight is fine.
You could check our WestonPrice Foundation,for more about what is necessary
good luck- I know cause we've been there,k

You're doing good by offering her a variety of foods. It looks like all she eats is good too. Maybe a little more protein and dairy. Check with your ped. for growth and weight averages.

Yes, you are a worried mommie. Welcome to the world of motherhood!
Actually, "grazing" is what we all should be doing...a little bite here and there throughout the day...
She's getting a multi-vitamin/mineral drink each day?
That should do it.
I'd suggest that she is still pretty young to be eating a big variety of foods. For instance, my kids would not eat whole fruits, so I made smoothies and then poured into popsicle forms. They couldn't get enough!
You are doing the best you can, dear, so keep it up!