Need Advice for Picky Eater

Cecilie1200

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Nov 15, 2008
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Phoenix, AZ
So . . . I've been concerned for a while about my 14-month-old, Quinn, who has virtually given up eating. He does okay with toddler snacks like arrowroot cookies and puffed-wheat apple wheels, but has been refusing his cereal and baby food. He's still quite chubby and healthy and active, which prompts my husband to say, "He must be doing okay", but his solid waste has become VERY solid and dry, and nearly white. Any mom knows that one of the first places bad health signs turn up is in the diaper.

Today, we took him out to lunch with us, and he once again turned down the food I brought for him. His daddy idly offered him a small piece of bread from his sandwich roll, and Quinn happily grabbed it, stuffed it in his mouth, and it was gone. I offered him a small piece of grilled chicken from my sandwich, and same thing. Turns out that what he doesn't want is food someone else is feeding him. He wants to feed himself.

So now I'm trying to decide what I can get for a 14-month-old with not a lot of teeth to feed himself without too much horrendous mess. We already do peanut butter sandwiches on thin sandwich rounds, and grilled cheese would work, too. Apple and banana slices aren't going over too well, but strawberry slices are good. We'll try some other fruits and veggies as they come in season. Waffles cut into squares - no syrup, please - do okay. Sweet potato fries, baked in the oven. Maybe some pieces of omelet?

This is the first kid I've had who developed this particular eating quirk. Nicky always ate everything in sight, and Sarah went through a phase where she would do nothing but drink milk for two days, then eat everything that didn't run away on the third day. Anyone got any other suggestions for toddler finger foods?
 
I once starved my son for a week.

Now he will eat anything.

Even broccoli.
 
If he remains on the same growth curve with each well child check, then you shouldn't worry about it. Continue to be persistent...eventually he may try new foods, but if he is growing then he must be getting what he needs.
 
If he remains on the same growth curve with each well child check, then you shouldn't worry about it. Continue to be persistent...eventually he may try new foods, but if he is growing then he must be getting what he needs.

I suspect he's in a growth lull right now, but I'm very unhappy with those hard, white stools.

I think we're going to try bagel bites with a smear of cream cheese tomorrow morning and see how that goes.
 
If he remains on the same growth curve with each well child check, then you shouldn't worry about it. Continue to be persistent...eventually he may try new foods, but if he is growing then he must be getting what he needs.

I suspect he's in a growth lull right now, but I'm very unhappy with those hard, white stools.

I think we're going to try bagel bites with a smear of cream cheese tomorrow morning and see how that goes.

I didn't see that about the white stools. How white?

You might try a little prune juice.
 
So . . . I've been concerned for a while about my 14-month-old, Quinn, who has virtually given up eating. He does okay with toddler snacks like arrowroot cookies and puffed-wheat apple wheels, but has been refusing his cereal and baby food. He's still quite chubby and healthy and active, which prompts my husband to say, "He must be doing okay", but his solid waste has become VERY solid and dry, and nearly white. Any mom knows that one of the first places bad health signs turn up is in the diaper.

Today, we took him out to lunch with us, and he once again turned down the food I brought for him. His daddy idly offered him a small piece of bread from his sandwich roll, and Quinn happily grabbed it, stuffed it in his mouth, and it was gone. I offered him a small piece of grilled chicken from my sandwich, and same thing. Turns out that what he doesn't want is food someone else is feeding him. He wants to feed himself.

So now I'm trying to decide what I can get for a 14-month-old with not a lot of teeth to feed himself without too much horrendous mess. We already do peanut butter sandwiches on thin sandwich rounds, and grilled cheese would work, too. Apple and banana slices aren't going over too well, but strawberry slices are good. We'll try some other fruits and veggies as they come in season. Waffles cut into squares - no syrup, please - do okay. Sweet potato fries, baked in the oven. Maybe some pieces of omelet?

This is the first kid I've had who developed this particular eating quirk. Nicky always ate everything in sight, and Sarah went through a phase where she would do nothing but drink milk for two days, then eat everything that didn't run away on the third day. Anyone got any other suggestions for toddler finger foods?

You ether have to make eating a game or just put it in front of him and let him make a mess...hope some of it is absorbed.
 
why are all the men giving advice on babies ....yall dont know mal about mal on a good day..back off boys...


here is what you do....go to the store...get a grinder...

food_mill_baby : Target Search Results

the 13 buck one will do....now when you cook a meal...simply grind small portions of it...and put on a plate for the kid...in reality....at 14 months, he should be eatling well...he can handle soft veggies..
most likely you have him eating a poor diet...if he is cubby at 14 months.....is the child walking....he should be..and that should have ran the fat off him by now...

was this child breast fed...i will bet not. but that is my bias and i digress...feed the child real food....that yall eat...unless yall are eating poorly...
 
At 14 months mine ate pretty much whatever I ate, I just cooked theirs a little softer. Regular cups, bowls, plates and spoons were messy but they were getting the hang of it. There were some unbelievable messes but that's part of the learning curve. :lol:

Maybe he's just tired of watered down strained stuff and wants what he sees (and smells) you eating?

ETA: The food mill is a big :thup:. For the amount of time you'll actually be using it, you don't need fancy or expensive. And you can stop buying baby food!
 
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Anything that smalls that bad and is that watered down...ugh. Once their taste buds are online and operational, why would they want that stuff? I made a lot of my own anyway, with the two at once it saved a ton of money.

But at 14 months I couldn't imagine my kids sitting still and letting me spoon feed them that stuff, they were long since ready to want to be like Mom and do it themselves. I guess all kiddos are different, I only have the twins and they've always been independent little things for their age. But if he's showing his independence and wants to feed himself now you might as well just resign yourself to at least a certain level of mess. The spirit is willing, the flesh needs practice.
 
I have been the worst pickiest eater my entire life. Some of it is mental and some of it is taste.

Nothing my parents tried worked. My father once took me to the doctor, the doctor gave me a pill and said "This will make you want to eat everything you see" (LOL) It was a digel pill (antacid). My mother would give me pudding and loads of milk because that was all I ate. I think this made it worse! IF the Kid is hungry he will eat...filling him up on stuff like bagel bites and junk like that is going to hurt more then help.

When he gets older if he is still picky....seriously get a shrink for him because mental hang ups over food are very hard to overcome.
 
someone stated, make his food, put in front of him, if he doesn't eat it he doesn't. Don't make a big fuss over him not eating too. You're giving him attention for bad behavior.

Make a PBJ (crust-less) for lunch, put on plate, give to child, if he throws it, sit there and screams, or whatever, do not respond! If he eats something healthy then respond showing your approval.

Your kid will not die if he doesn't eat for a few days. WHen he is hungry he will eat!!!!!!!!!!! Remember that, parents all too often think their child is going to die if they go without food for 2 or 3 days. I can go a long time without food. Fluids is another thing!

I'm guessing, your child is filled up with liquids, he is getting full on it, with food it is work for him to eat to get full, the fluids is fast and easy with same result in his little mind. One small glass of milk in the morning, Afternoon and evening...and I mean small glass. I actually wouldn't give them milk at all for the first few days...I would give water with their meals.

Look all I am saying is if my parents did some of these steps I stated, I would have been so hungry I would have ate the food and it would have ended up no big deal later in life.

Now, eating for me is a CHORE! I'm serious, I eat only because I have to eat to stay alive. I have a long list of hang ups, and this is why my Husband cooks and not myself. I don't enter the kitchen at all when he cooks because anything can pop in this little mind to turn me off on what he is cooking.
 
here is what you do....go to the store...get a grinder...

spicyitalian.jpg


MMM GRINDERS!!!

Grinders are UBER-sammiches!!!
 

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