TTMA Picky Eaters

[malvo]

As most of you know, M is a terrible eater. Her first birthday came around and something clicked in her little brain and her eating habits drastically changed.

She will eat: Pancakes, French toast, buttered toast, raviolis (her go-to meal), macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets (must be a specific kind), penne with sauce (sometimes), sweet potatoes, carrots (sometimes), puréed baby food (the meat mixes), any kind of fruit, and snack foods like goldfish and rice rusks. THAT'S IT.

The doctor says she's playing us. She refuses because she knows she'll eventually get what she wants. He says to offer only one thing and hold our ground. But, girlfriend will scream and scream and scream and scream and scream some more. I'm not going to let her starve. I'm just not going to do it. She laughs in the face of the phrase, "She'll eat when she's hungry." LOL NO.

I'm starting to wonder if she has texture issues? My cousin has major problems with eating and had everything puréed for him for a very long time (into his teens). While I don't think she's at that level, her issues remind me of him.

I'm at my wits end. I've talked to SO about finding someone who can help us make homemade raviolis with various fillings (meats and veggies) in bulk. That is how desperate we are.

Any thoughts? Anecdotes? Hugs? I'll take it all.

[portuguesemama]

Hugs and comisseration over here!

N loves snacks - cheezeits, Pirates booty, teddy grahams, pretzels, etc. He loves fruit - he could eat a whole watermelon if you let him. He loves yogurt.

Yep. That's it. Haha.

He will occasionally eat chicken nuggets and has eaten fries on the rare occasion we offer them, but he could care less about noodles, meats, veggies, etc. He will do dry cereal but not really toast, pancakes, waffles, etc.

We too were told that he's playing us to get milk, so once he gets over this virus, we're cutting back his milk again. We cut back from 30oz to 22oz but now we're going down to 16-20oz now. I'm hoping it will help, but I have my doubts. I just keep offering whatever we're having and move on. I'm tired of stressing about it.

[malvo]

portuguesemama Thank you. I really needed a reminder that I'm not alone in this battle. I feel like I'm failing. She drinks about 15oz. of milk in a day, and always has access to water. Pediatrician agreed that her fluid intake is perfect and not affecting her consumption of solids.

Question: What do you feed N when you're not at home? We bring the puréed meat mixes, but I always feel like there are judging eyeballs glaring at me. I realize she shouldn't be eating meat mixes at 16 months, but it's either that or the ultimate meltdown due to being hangry.

[portuguesemama]

malvo - He lives on snacks when we're out. I'm guessing you're meaning places that don't have food? If they have food, we'll order him chicken and fries and fruit. We typically can get fries and fruit in him and I'll bring a yogurt.

[Deleted]

Hugs e goes back and forth. She does love cheese so I give a cheese stick as a snack from time to time or with a meal. The last few weeks she has discovered ketchup and sour cream. Mainly will dip something and lick that off whatever she dipped.

Some days she will eat everything some days she picks and doesn't want much. Still won't really eat pancakes or waffles. Loves fruit and French fries but will pick fruit over anything.

Can't really say about milk consumption not sure how much mil gives and some days she drinks a lot some days hardly any but gets yogurt and cheese to make up the dairy.

[jnow]

I haven't read the responses but.

We eat: fruit, yogurt, yogurt melts, puffs, granola bars, muffins (sometimes)

No pasta, no meat no eggs. No lots of other things.

We have been sending all the food to dc that I know she will eat and offering new stuff at dinner time. I will sometimes put 2 things on the plate (one being something I know she will eat)

Honestly, I've stopped stressing. Some kids are just picky. You can't really make them eat. Just keep offering. She will be fine.

[jnow]

Oh. And I was a really picky eater as a kid.

I will eat anything now.

[malvo]

Aug 8, 2016 12:28:31 GMT -5 jnow said:

Oh. And I was a really picky eater as a kid.

I will eat anything now.

Ditto! I was the kid who always ate chicken nuggets/fingers and French fries. I distinctly remember my grandparents complaining every time we went out to eat. I now fully understand their frustration.

I guess I've just let the pediatrician stress me out. He made me feel like a giant pushover over who can't stand up to a toddler.

[jnow]

Aug 8, 2016 12:45:59 GMT -5 malvo said:

Aug 8, 2016 12:28:31 GMT -5 jnow said:

Oh. And I was a really picky eater as a kid.

I will eat anything now.

Ditto! I was the kid who always ate chicken nuggets/fingers and French fries. I distinctly remember my grandparents complaining every time we went out to eat. I now fully understand their frustration.

I guess I've just let the pediatrician stress me out. He made me feel like a giant pushover over who can't stand up to a toddler.

Just remember you don't *always* have to listen to the pedi. It's she happy and healthy? If you want to offer one thing and hold your ground then do it. If you need to resort to something else that's fine too.

She is eating and healthy. That's what matters.

I have been in the mindset that a stressful dinnertime won't help eating habits. So we are doing what we can.

You are doing great!

[portuguesemama]

Aug 8, 2016 12:26:40 GMT -5 jnow said:

I haven't read the responses but.

We eat: fruit, yogurt, yogurt melts, puffs, granola bars, muffins (sometimes)

No pasta, no meat no eggs. No lots of other things.

We have been sending all the food to dc that I know she will eat and offering new stuff at dinner time. I will sometimes put 2 things on the plate (one being something I know she will eat)

Honestly, I've stopped stressing. Some kids are just picky. You can't really make them eat. Just keep offering. She will be fine.

We have the same kid.

[sjep922]

malvo lots of hugs! I'm in the same boat. A has a hand fool of foods she likes and refuses to eat or try anything new!

I send what I know she'll eat to DC. I've been trying to share our dinner with her, but she screams about it. And I'm like you, just won't let her starve. I try to get her to eat new things and she screams and cries and then I feed her what she likes. She eats, she's happy.

I kind of gave up on forcing it right now and I am still just making things she likes at dinner. I feel like she's too young to understand "this is dinner and if you don't eat it, nothing else tonight". I keep telling myself when she understands that I'll stand my ground.... Here's hoping

[ajacot924]

I know it's hard but try not to stress. We went through this with O and she still has go to foods, although she'll try most foods.
Here are my tips:
1. Don't make meal times a battle. It's unpleasant for all and doesn't help.
2. Offer 1 thing she likes and 1 new thing in every meal. Keep offering.

Just because she doesn't like something one day doesn't mean she never will. She's eating and healthy, she'll come around eventually.

You're doing great mama! You're not alone. O is in a cheese phase where all meals must be served with cheese. I'm just going with it.

[graciest719]

Jo is not a bad eater, but if she sees something she likes she will eat that and leave everything else. Like, she will eat green beans but if the chicken in on the plate she will throw them on the floor. So we have to feed her courses like she's at a fancy restaurant. I can't give her a plate of food like you or I would eat.

Not super helpful, but it's a tactic that helps us.

[malvo]

graciest719 I let M have blueberries last night because she's inpatient and was freaking out about having to wait for her food to warm up. BAD IDEA. I don't know what I was thinking. We normally hide all signs of fruit until she's done with a real dinner. What a battle to get her to release the death grip on the blueberries.

We also work with different tactics. Some days she will only eat with a fork. Some days she gets mad if you cut up her food. Some days I have to do backflips down the hallway (not really, but I feel like we're heading in this direction). Baby logic is weird.

ajacot924 I wish M would attempt new foods. If anything looks slightly different from the norm, this happens...



She'll eat the dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets all day long. Give her a chicken nugget for Macdonald's or breaded chicken that was served at a recent wedding? Newp. Will not even touch it. Not even a poke.