Food strike?

[Jen Sully]

My daughter just turned 16 months, she's breastfed on demand, without restrictions. (We had thought about night weaning but have paused that effort for now). She has been a fairly great eater until the last 1.5 weeks or so... she ate veggies, fruit, cheese, meats, yogurt... LOVED to eat. But lately, I'll put the same types and varieties of food on her tray (or sit with her at her kid size table) and she won't touch much of anything. Except the occasional carbs we put down. For example, last night was spaghetti and meatballs plus mixed veggies. Typically she would devour 3-4 meatballs and the veggies, leaving the pasta noodles. Last night was the opposite. All noodles gone, nothing else touched other than to hand it me because she didn't want to eat it. I don't feel like I'm doing anything different, I've even tried to without nursing until after breakfast to see if that makes a difference, and at least right now, it doesn't. Tried mixing up what type of meats or fruits/veggies we offer. Essentially, if we offer a carb (cherrios, pasta, rice cake, ect) she's been eating it. Anythign else is very hit or miss. Even the "she always eats this" stuff like strawberries and yogurt are being refused. We've experienced a day or two food strike before when she's getting a tooth, but nothing this long and I don't see any teeth.

My question is, has anyone else experienced this? Have any tips? Common/normal with her being 16 months/becoming more opinionated or would you be concerned? Should we just give her the carbs? Normally if she wanted to gorge on a fruit, veggie, meat we would let her, but I am hesitant to do that with carbs. (I dunno why... is that silly of me?) My gut tells me that this eating strike/change is somewhat normal, but wanted to ask/read up just in case it's not a passing phase and see if anyone has experience with it. Very thankful to still be breastfeeding because in the meantime I know she's getting SOME nutrition. Planning on picking up some toddler vitamins during my grocery run tomorrow. She does also drink water in typical fashion.

Thank you

[Rrrrrachel]

My only insight is that my 16 mo is doing the same thing!

[Jen Sully]

Oh no! What, if anything are u doing about it? I find it a tad obnoxious but want to be patient with her if its just a passing phase.

[Jen Sully]

Oh no! What, if anything are u doing about it? I find it a tad obnoxious but want to be patient with her if its just a passing phase.

[Jen Sully]

Oh no! What, if anything are u doing about it? I find it a tad obnoxious but want to be patient with her if its just a passing phase.

[Jen Sully]

Oh no! What, if anything are u doing about it? I find it a tad obnoxious but want to be patient with her if its just a passing phase.

[Rrrrrachel]

For the moment I'm not doing much. I keep offering her a variety of (mostly) healthy foods and let her eats as much and of what she wants,and I'm grateful for breastfeeding to fill inthe gaps! I am trying to offer her some new things and offer food more often. Hopefully it is just a passing thing or I not know how we're ever going to wean!

I do find she likes to share my food with me, that might be a trick to try.

[skycheattraffic]

My 19 month old goes through phases like that. Only meat and dairy for a few days then only carbs for a while, then nothing but fruits and veggies. She's big on independence and LOVES to steal my food. If I want her to eat something, usually if I start munching on it in the living room, she will investigate and usually steal it. I do let her eat unrestricted the (wholesome) things she wants at the time. Tonight we had potato leek soup and Cajun sole. She had two mouthfuls of fish, tried painting the table with the soup and in the end had a slice of whole wheat bread. When we visit family, often she will devour a bunch of steamed carrots and not touch anything else. I have decided to let her lead with it since what she eats is pretty healthy, if not balanced each day. My instincts are saying that much like me while pregnant, she gets a craving for something because she needs it. I suspect that the long carb phase would be replaced by a meat or veggie phase if she could have her fill. I would just be careful to only offer whole grain options at least until her eating habits return to normal. Toddlers are notoriously picky eaters and as long as she is not replacing good food with junk, I don't think it would be harmful to have more carbs until she gets over it.

ETA: I also only insist on one formal, high chair meal a day: dinner. We usually have breakfast and lunch camping out on the floor or hanging out on the sofa. Often I hang out and she runs around but I think it helps make eating a little more easygoing and less of a struggle.

[petitpois]

My 12mo was starting to refuse certain things etc and while reading around a little I came across a really helpful (and reassuring) perspective on the Zero To Three website (US early childhood research org): parents and toddlers have different roles for toddler mealtimes! Our job is to provide several healthy choices, their job is to pick and eat what they want. Also, keep offering new foods or things they reject along with things they've eaten recently (since it can change fast and you want probably to make sure they don't eat the same thing every day for 6 months). So simple! It helped me relax a little, anyway.

And btw breastfeeding mamas have even less to worry about - it's not just "some" nutrition, it's still a complete nutritional base and there's no way you have to worry about vitamins if she's nursing on demand. This should also apply (just less perfectly) to toddler formula or any kind of enriched toddler milk too if that's available in your area, but I would be less confident following the standard US dairy indrustry/lobby advice on giving less nutritious and less digestible cow's milk from age 1 to replace whatever they had before (ok, that's another story). The main point anyway is offer healthy choices, let them choose, don't stress. Hope this helps!