[VeezieTG]

so my 20-month-old son has pretty much decided to fast. he won't eat ANYTHING! i give him choices of all his favorites at each meal and he usually just says "no" to each choice. at that point i just make him a plate of what everyone else is eating. now one of two things happens. he either eats a bite or two then says "done" and wants to get up from the table. i allow him to because if i don't he screams, and i don't want him thinking that having a meal with his family is something he needs to scream through. or he just looks to my plate to be fed. he just ignores his own. even tho its the same thing and presented in the exact same way. i ususally let him eat off my plate and take whats on his. i don't really know how to deal with this. he was such a wonderfully polite little man. he would sit at the table and eat what was in front of him and tell me when he wanted more of something or when he was done. and now he just won't eat.

any tips? i am also 5 months pregnant and the whole thing is just exhausting me.

 

[delphiniumpansy]

I am confused. Is the problem that he will only eat off your plate or that he won't eat?

 

[alegna]

Quote:

Originally Posted by yellowpansy I am confused. Is the problem that he will only eat off your plate or that he won't eat?

:

Either way I expect it's a stage.

-Angela

 

[Ms. B. Sprout]

I agree that it's a stage.

Perhaps suspend formal meals for a while and switch to a snack tray format? Offer a variety of healthy items on a tray or plate throughout the day and let him graze. He'll eat what his body needs.

Or just let him eat off your plate.

 

[delphiniumpansy]

What about taking him shopping for a plate he likes and will eat off of? My dd loves that she has special plates. We got them at Target.

 

[VeezieTG]

wow. i need to reread my posts... i confused myself...

he won't eat more than a few bites at a time. i do kind of let him graze, which is why he eats a few bites off my plate, but he's also in daycare in the daytime so they have set meals there. our home life is MUCH more lenient.

i assumed it was a stage but i also feel bad cos he's not eating... i try to always let him choose. but lately his answer to everything is "no." to everything. i try to understand its his way of testing just how much control his words have over his environment changes but at the same time i want him to eat. he looks skinny. but maybe thats just worry making my mother's eyes see him like that.

 

[TiAmosJewell]

Travis is starting this at 17 months and it's driving me batty. The last couple days the only thing he'd eat was waffles and not nearly as much as he use to eat. Today started alright and he had cereal for breakful. Everything was a no at lunch so I resorted to a favourite, pancakes! I added cottage cheese and fruit to the mix and for lunch he eat one and a half. He was fussy again at dinner but ate a bit of chicken and cheese. For the bed time snack he had a little cereal the cheese he left from dinner and another panncake. That may sound like a lot but it's only half of what he normally eats. And I have the question of...is he going to eat tomorrow? He's just at the right weight he can't afford to lose more, what am I suppose to do? He sees the pediation(sp?) tomorrow hopefully that will put away some of the "mom" worry!