2yo eats so much he chokes (and more)

[JordanKX]

DS has always been an amazing eater. We've struggled with portion control from the minute we introduced solids. He'll eat everything off the plate and ask for more (and these are substantial foods). He eats more than my 5yo godson.

In the beginning, we listened to everyone who said "just let him eat, he'll regulate himself"... but seriously, we're talking epic portions of food.

Recently (abt 2months ago) he's become such an eater that he'll shove Everything in his mouth, he'll choke... yet is still asking for more. The only change in this time is that he's gone full-time daycare (I'm working crazy jobs and had to put him full-time...sigh).

At home and also at daycare, we've all started smaller servings - make the plate up, then give him a 3rd at a time so he can only eat two green-beans at a time and then ask for more. It makes him frustrated that he has to keep asking for more, but it's also slowing him down, and giving his body's FULL reaction a chance to catch up. It's been helping. He is begging for more, yet when he's done, he'll push his plate away and "all done" - often, recently, with food still on it. So, yeah, that's a drastic change.

At daycare they've also found that he hoards his food. He get anxious sitting at a table with others, like he's scared others are going to take his food. So they've separated him to a table by himself for meals (sad), but it's helping with the anxiety and the apparent need to shove Everything in his mouth immediately.

He's an only child. I don't steal his food :-) I have no idea where this is coming from, this fear that someone will take his food. And he's Hefty! 18% BMI. No one is really concerned about his weight, pedi included, but there is nothing about him that is small.

Small bites (literally repeatedly saying, "small bites") and giving him small bites instead of a whole plate of food...

what else? other ideas for encouraging smaller eating habits instead of just shove it all in and choke (while asking for more)?

TIA

[crunchy_mommy]

I don't really have any advice but I did want to say that DS seems to have similar fears about someone stealing his food. Usually it's when other kids are around... he starts taking huge, fast bites and will even sometimes run away with the container of food. He doesn't choke though, he just stuffs his mouth and then spits it all out if it's too much.

How much are we talking about when you say he eats huge portions?

[Momo123]

My DS (27 months) used to have issues with cramming his mouth full of food. He also did not chew his food and would literally inhale it sometimes. He also eats a lot of food (but he only eats what he likes), as in he can polish off half a pound of salmon plus some rice because he eats FAST.

Anyway, we just kept cutting food into small bites and saying "little bites" repeatedly (now DS will actually say "too big" if he takes a huge spoonful and adjust). Does your DS use utensils to eat or his hands? Another thing that helped my DS slow down and take smaller bites was to start using spoons and forks more, since he had to concentrate on scoopng and spearing his food which took more time and effort (I would cut meats/veggie into smaller bites). He still resorts to using his hands when it starts taking too long but I gently encourage him to use utensils and his daycare does the same.

I don't have any advice about hoarding food but I'm sure it's not anything you did.

[JordanKX]

Originally Posted by Momo123 
Does your DS use utensils to eat or his hands?

He used to be great about using utensils. It was such a "big boy" thing at 12-14 months. He was good with the spoon and with stabbing with the fork. But recently he's stopped using utensils so much, unless it's something like cereal. I always give him a fork, and he starts with it, but then reverts to using his hands.

Epic portions? Um, we've changed a lot.

Tonight was a a piece of bread with some yogurt-veggie salad on (cut into small pieces), abt 8 small pieces of kielbasa, and a fresh pineapple slice, cut into small pieces. He didn't ask for more at the end, but asked for more during because I only give him a few pieces of each at a time.

Lots of small finger foods that I could give him two of each at a time, have him Bite the bread instead of shoving the whole thing in his mouth. He's getting better, especially if I make a big deal out of it - I make small, scary teeth showing example, bites in the bread/salad myself. So he learns how to do it.

For snack (before dinner), he had 4 graham crackers, again, focusing on the small bites.

Two months ago, when he was truly shoving and choking, and before he'd slimmed down a bit, I was making bigger "meals" (I do a lot of carb/mixed foods for myself.... curries, stir-fries, pastas, pot-roast type meals). We've really tried to make meals not just healthier, but Different.. easier to feed him less of a Bowl of food, and specific foods of each type. That seems to have helped a lot. He would eat the same bowl as my 5yo god-son, and then eat a whole 2nd bowl. It was A LOT of food.

So, yeah, clearly the smaller bites, more substantial bites, are helping.

But... we're not there yet. I think encouraging utensils more is a great idea. Thanks ladies!