20 month old stopped eating vegtables, help

[Odd Mama]

Ok, at first I wasn't worried but now it is going on 3 weeks and my CLW daughter has really stopped eating veg.  She was never one for raw veg but would be happy eating some steamed or in curries, chilli, or with cheese on it. In the past three weeks she has hardly done that!  I am a bit nervous.  She eats everything else and gets a nice amount of balance except for the vegtables.  Has anyone else had this problem at this stage?  Reccomendations? She only BFs now 2 times a day.  Once after lunch and once before bed.  Its been a long time since she asked for milk so I am not sure if I am prolonging the BF for my own desire.  I am afraid to "let her stop" because she isn't eating a balanced meal. 

[PatioGardener]

No advice on the vegetables, but I do have a comment on breastfeeding a 20 month old.

First of all, she won't nurse if she doesn't want to, so by asking her you are not forcing her. Actually before 2 years, not offering is considered a weaning technique. Congratulations on breastfeeding your toddler.

Second, breastfeeding is normal and as human babies, our bodies expect it. The WHO recommends breastfeeding until at least 24 months of age. So you are keeping your baby healthy by breastfeeding her. Way to go, Mama!

Third, IMO, food and toddlers is a hard one. You just keep offering, whether it is veggies or Mama's milk. They need both in their diet, and all we can do is offer.

[Odd Mama]

Thank you for your support.  Affirmation is such a powerful tool and I appreciate you giving it to me :)

[prancie]

In my opinion vegetables are no that nutritionally valuable and I would not worry for one moment.  Your breastmilk and good meats, organs and animal fats will provide superior nutrition to carrots, broccoli or whatever.  I like vegetables and eat them and feed them to my kids, but it's not a first nutritional priority.  

Look at a chart comparing the nutritional quality of liver and other foods and you will see:  http://www.mothering.com/community/forum/thread/628921/nutrients-in-fruits-veggies-vs-meat-liver

[ThreeTwoFive]

My 20-mo old just finished eating dinner.  He licked the peanut butter off his whole wheat tortilla, insisted on peeling his banana by himself, happily scarfed his cubes of cheese, turned the veggie quesadilla inside out and threw it on the floor. And then he threw the snap peas (the delicious fresh from the farmer's market snap peas) onto the floor along with the rest of it.  And now he's BF to sleep after a long day with no nap.   I will just keep offering.  (At least I've taught him to yell "no thank you!" as he rejects it.)

[belltree]

I have been dealing with a no veggie eating child for months now. I keep offering, we eat tons of veggies at home, so he has good examples. I sometimes succesfully sneak teeny bits of carrots into his meals. Some kids like to dip and dunk their veggies (mine does not like that). I am not too worried - he nurses, eats fresh fruits (yeah for summer!), pasta, bagels and tofu (he won't eat meat either). I hope at some point he will open himself up and try other things again.

I also found eating for him is a big texture thing - anything too starchy and he won't eat it (potatoes or beans). Anything that he cannot chew into a puree (carrots for instance), he won't eat either.

Smoothies could work too!

Just keep offering, eat them yourself, have them on your plate. There are many ways to a nutritional meal.