Why won't he eat?!

[larzanna]

Hi all:

Not even sure if my DS is a toddler or a baby at this point.
He just turned one. But has been totally walking since 10 months. I am not really sure if its the walking or the age that makes them toddlers.

Anyway. So i did BLW, and he did not really even show interest in ANY food until about 7-8 months old. Now he just won't eat. It seems like other peoples kids (who did not BLW) just LOVE LOVE food.
Would he have liked food better if i had gone another route? And what do i do about this now? I do not want to make food a struggle, so have not been forcing the issue, but really, i would like it if he would eat something other than BM or crackers.
I mean, he will take a bite or maybe two of most things, many times he spits it right out. The only food that he seems like he enjoys eating is meatballs (homemade), turkey kilbasa, and baked beans. Thats it. No fruits (yummy), no veggies, not bread, pasta, eggs you name it, nothing.

Will he come around? Is there a point at which i kind of force the issue?
Again, he is still nursing, i guess i just wish he would cut it down a little bit (i plan to nurse till 2)


Thanks
-Larissa

[AFWife]

My son is 13mo and we did BLW too...and you just described him!

I think that *I* did this as a toddler too. My mom asked the ped and he said, "When kids grow taller they don't eat as often. When they fill out they eat all the time." I think as long as he's nursing I wouldn't worry!

[LadyCatherine185]

What your DS is doing is totally normal for his age. My DS did the same thing, and didn't really start eating much food until 15 months old or so. Now he will eat ANYTHING. He is not picky at all. Sometimes he eats more than me! We also did BLW, and never forced the issue. I also didn't offer crackers/processed foods until he was eating other stuff (like fruits, veggies, meats) on a regular basis, because I didn't want him filling up on crackers/junk. Toddlers are notoriously picky eaters. It is your job to offer healthy foods and his job to eat them when/if he wants. As long as he is growing fine and has no health issues, I wouldn't push it at all, just follow his lead.

[lyra1977]

We did not do BLW, partly because my DD is adopted and not breastfed. She started solids at 6 months and we weaned from formula right at a year. But she went through the exact same phase at about 14 months of wanting nothing but milk and snacks. What we did was start limiting milk to only before sleep and at mealtimes, and putting all snacks away (crackers and cheddar bunnies, etc.) so she had to eat healthy food to satisfy her hunger. It worked, but she's still a picky toddler...a picky toddler with a balanced diet thank goodness.

[teenyxdoodlez]

Originally Posted by AFWife

My son is 13mo and we did BLW too...and you just described him!

I think that *I* did this as a toddler too. My mom asked the ped and he said, "When kids grow taller they don't eat as often. When they fill out they eat all the time." I think as long as he's nursing I wouldn't worry!

I think all babies go through some sort of stage like this. Both of mine did and now they eat everything. As long as your still nursing him he'll be just fine. Just offer him regular foods whenever they're around and he'll eventually come around.

Edited by teenyxdoodlez - 12/7/11 at 12:13am

[sweet~potato]

I didn't do BLW, but my ds (17 months) has never been a big eater and is going through a particularly picky phase right now. I think it's just normal toddler behavior.

[crunchy_mommy]

From my (admittedly limited, DS is only 15mos) experience, BLW babies will tend to eat less & gradually increase. Non-BLW babies will eat much more solids and increase less gradually. But they all (most) seem to go through a not-eating phase; one advantage of BLW is your milk supply is at the ready & you know your child is still getting adequate calories & good nutrition despite eating few solids. What's hard is when you see a baby 6mos younger than yours packing down a container of yogurt, 2 bags of chopped fruit, a sandwich, and some cheddar bunnies, & your kid still hasn't finished one cracker. But, I usually just smile to myself & appreciate that my DS is still nursing, that he's getting optimal nutrition from my milk, that he's learning about foods through playing with (if not eating) them, and that one day I'll be trying to figure out how to keep the fridge stocked well enough for a teenage boy. I just keep offering DS a variety of foods. Some days he eats a substantial amount, other days he only has a couple bites. He nurses frequently and is growing well & he's a strong little boy.

ETA: Here's a thread I started a while back that has some experiences from "BLW graduates" http://www.mothering.com/discussions....php?t=1215643