Author Topic: 11mo still not eating much  (Read 2243 times)

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Offline SusieQue

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11mo still not eating much
« on: October 13, 2016, 18:45:28 pm »
Hi ladies, I have posted about DS2 here before as he has taken to solids very slowly and had some issues with gagging on food. He seemed to get better for a couple of weeks and now it just seems like he barely eats anything! He categorically will not eat a home made purée, but will smash an Ella's pouch if he can suck it directly through the tube. He will sometimes eat a homemade fish cake and eats blueberries like they're going out of style but he's so hit and miss with food that I don't know if I should be worried? I've got a docs appointment on Monday as I'm not sure if there are some reflux issues as he throws up if he swallows a lump of any kind. I'm not surge much food actually makes it down, he doesn't throw up every time but for instance he had a small piece of cheese scone and gagged on a piece after chewing it then brought up a load of sick. DH thinks I should just give the pouches at dinner time so that he has something on his belly at night, but this just doesn't seem healthy to me and I wonder if this would just foster a fussy eater down the line? I can't get him to eat any meat at all (unless in a pouch) and he won't touch omelette or eggs, or cheese. I even made him pancakes today and he took one look and threw on the floor.

So I'm just after advice or any BTDT with fussy eaters at this age. Should I still continue to offer what we are having at mealtimes or go down the pouch route? He has 3 formula bottles a day, around 7oz in each, but I'm worried he won't get enough nutrients as we start to phase these out. DS1 was such a good water that this has left me flummoxed!

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Re: 11mo still not eating much
« Reply #1 on: October 14, 2016, 11:01:08 am »
Hi there
It's great you have a doc appointment booked. Sorry I forgot what country you are in, but if you're in the UK I would ask to be referred on to a paediatrician and/or paediatric dietician.  I'd follow the dietician's advice but I know it could be a while before you get an appointment.

Personally I would not go down the pouched food route. I understand the desire to feed him but if you really look at the nutritional value in the pouch is it really beneficial?  If it's meat in the pouch then perhaps it is worth a portion each day, maybe, but if it is fruit then it's probably not offering all that much in the way of calories.  If you are very concerned about his solids then maybe you feel better to continue the pouches until you see the paedi?  If you are more concerned about him learning to handle foods and become a grown up eater then the pouches might be hindering progress.
Learning to manipulate food in the mouth, to chew and swallow is a process that takes time, if you LO has the option to avoid it and take puree in pouches and large quantities of milk he might never feel motivated to get on with the proper solids eating.  At this stage it is not just about calories/nutrients (which is part of it) but also about speech and language development, fine motor skills etc as the food manipulation helps other areas of development too.  You might want to ask about this when you see the doc.

What does he have for breakfast?  I'm wondering if now would be a good time to drop the morning milk (or offer it an hour after solids breakfast) to encourage a good solids meal early in the day, proper food, not pouches/puree.
I would probably prepare some steamed or baked veggie sticks and serve those up for breakfast with fingers of toast or mini pancakes and see what happens (maybe also try out that fish cake for breakfast and some ofther meats/fish/beans for protein).  Many LOs are more willing to try different foods in the morning - I had great success with my own DS and his protein intake after I got this tip from another BWer.
You never know he might just go for it.
If not, if he kicks off big time for his morning milk how about give a small portion only (say 2oz?) to take the edge off his hunger. Then the solids, then the bottle later.
The bonus of trying things out in the morning is that you still have the rest of the day to make up calories and are not worried about him going to bed hungry.  If he will take a portion of protein then that will add substantially to his daily intake and eating just before BT will not be such an issue. Remember LOs do not need a large meal before BT to see them through the night, it is what they take across the day that counts and often they have a bigger appetite in the earlier hours, so breakfast, snack and lunch time rather than dinner time.

Has he been checked for tongue tie? I hear both tongue tie and reflux can effect solids intake so perhaps raise both with the doc at your appointment.


Offline SusieQue

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Re: 11mo still not eating much
« Reply #2 on: October 15, 2016, 09:09:38 am »
Thanks Creations, that's a great idea about offering a meal in the morning before his milk, I will try that tomorrow. Regarding the pouches, we give him ones with meat in them as he eats fruit no problem in finger food format (he eats banana, blueberries and munched on a pear the other day). He used to like peas but has started refusing them too, I made some little chicken meatballs for his dinner yesterday and he wouldn't even try them. Maybe if I offer at breakfast he might be more receptive. We did think he might have reflux when he was a baby and we took him for cranial osteopathy which calmed him right down. I will ask the doctor on Monday (we are in the UK) to check for tongue tie. My gut feeling is that he's just a fussy little monkey, and I personally would rather he went without than keep offering him pouches as I totally agree with you about nutritional value and enforcing lazy eating. I will try your suggestions tomorrow and let you know how we get on! Thanks so much again for your advice, I feel like I'm on here every week with a different problem or other!

Offline anna*

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Re: 11mo still not eating much
« Reply #3 on: October 15, 2016, 09:38:09 am »
Creations gives far better advice than I do but just to note that a 1 year old throwing food on the floor doesn NOT mean they don't like it! Far from it!!





Offline SusieQue

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Re: 11mo still not eating much
« Reply #4 on: October 15, 2016, 13:59:46 pm »
But what on earth do you do when they just keep throwing the food?! I never had this with my first so it's totally new to me. I keep putting it back on the high chair but then he just throws it again and so we continue. I don't like to force him to try stuff but how the heck do you get them to eat?! This one is definitely a spirited baby, I can already see we're going to have our work cut out with him when he's older!

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Re: 11mo still not eating much
« Reply #5 on: October 15, 2016, 17:54:07 pm »
a 1 year old throwing food on the floor doesn NOT mean they don't like it! Far from it!!
Good point! I didn't even think to comment on the throwing.

I keep putting it back on the high chair but then he just throws it again and so we continue.
I wouldn't put it back.
He understands a lot of what you say so here's what I would do.  First when you offer some food you show him the food and say "this is for eating, do you want it?" If he puts his hand out to take it say "this food is for eating. If it goes on the floor it is gone. OK? Gone.  If you don't want it, tidy up please."
Then let him take the food (if he doesn't take it then meal time is over).  As he takes the food though stay vigilant.  If he goes to throw/drop it over the edge of his chair get his hand or arm quickly (firm but gentle) and say firmly "either eat it or tidy up".  Guide his hand back over a plate and tell him if he doesn't want to eat it then put it down and tidy up.
When mine was little "tidy up" meant putting all his left over bits into a bowl or plate (I mean collecting bits from around the tray) and then holding his hands for me to wipe before taking him out of his chair.  I found it very helpful to put the food into a bowl/plate rather than leave it on the tray simply because you can then move the bowl right out of reach to another surface and he can't get anything to throw.
There is a chance you can even  hold the bowl out as he goes to drop food over the side and say "tidy up please" and let the food drop into the bowl. This turns the negative action into a positive and you can say "lovely, and tidy, thank you!" then put the bowl aside and wipe his hands, offer a drink of water, take him out of his chair.
If food does make it to the floor because he somehow outwitted you leave it there and make no move to pick it up at all. If you pick it up it becomes a game. Leave all thrown bits on the floor, although tbh if he gets two pieces past you meal time is over. Take a deep breath and wipe him down calmly and move on with the day.  I would only pick up food from the floor when my DS had left the chair and I'd put him in another room so he couldn't see.
Often at this age they get into the "fill and dump" game which can be helpful in teaching table manners to tidy up the tray at the end of a meal.  But always get that bowl away after the "filling" unless you want the "dump" part!

You could also set up some activities during A time to fulfil the fill and dump need or to fulfil the mummy-reacts need. Rolling a ball to each other or him throwing a soft ball or pair of rolled up socks and you passing or throwing it back etc. Games which fulfil his desire for you to pick up and him to throw again. The "giving to receive" aspect is a great development for sharing and team work you just don't want it to be with food.

What most people find is that they need to end meal time much sooner than they are happy with. We want to feed our children but we can't force them to eat.  You eating the same food at the same time can really help if you are not already doing this.  Even sharing food from one bowl one piece each so he knows the food is good.
Hope this helps some.


Offline SusieQue

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Re: 11mo still not eating much
« Reply #6 on: October 15, 2016, 18:18:12 pm »
Thanks again Creations and Anna, that's really helpful. He again didn't eat any of the dinner I offered tonight (vegetable patties and sweet potato chunks) so he just had some plain yoghurt as his "afters" (DH can't bear to let him go without anything, though I am less fussed about that!). I know it's something we just need to persevere with, as I desperately do not want a fussy toddler who refuses to eat what I've offered. I do worry about how he will get his nutrients, but this may be something to discuss at his GO appointment on Monday. I'll try the bowl trick and hope it doesn't all get thrown on the floor!

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Re: 11mo still not eating much
« Reply #7 on: October 15, 2016, 18:56:12 pm »
It'll take some time and patience to teach him to tidy up rather than throw but you'll get there :)

One other thing though - you could try half that yoghurt before the main meal. It could just get his appetite going and he might eat a sweet potato wedge after it. During certain phases of mine seeming to have no appetite I would put a few sultanas on his plate as an appetizer as they were never refused and it really did get him going, he'd eat a whole meal after.

I'm glad you're getting some professional help too. let us know how it goes won't you.


Offline michaeljacknnugg

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Re: 11mo still not eating much
« Reply #8 on: October 15, 2016, 19:00:24 pm »
It's taken us a few weeks but my 11mo is starting to get the idea that there's an alternative to throwing.

I say 'if you don't want it, give it to mummy please' and about 70% of the time he complies...and often when giving something back he decides to eat it instead!

How much are you putting on his tray? Try playing around with less (a few bites works well for us), different shapes, presenting sonethingvon a fork etc. Mine much prefers bite-sized pieces now he's mastered his pincer grip. He will very rarely eat something big now.
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