So frustrated! Eating question...

Shane is 13 months old and won't eat any "adult" food. I've tried everything! pastina, pasta, ravioli, mac and cheese, chicken, turkey, beef, bread with cream cheese, jelly, avocado, chicken nuggets, french fries, pizza, fruit, cheese, etc. etc. and he just spits it out or throws it on the floor! As soon as he picks up the food, he makes a face. He is still eating jarred baby food and cereal, but will eat yogurt, crackers, cookies, fruit puffs, etc.

I feel like he's so behind but I keep trying and he just won't eat!

Does anyone have any tips?

Message edited 4/10/2006 6:19:45 PM.

Re: So frustrated! Eating question...

Hi Dianne

We had the same trouble with Andrew at about 13 months, believe it or not. I mean, he ate table food, but more often than not, he would gag on it. Let me tell you now at 2 he can eat more than I can.

As far as suggestions, I personally don't think still feeding him what he will eat (aka jarred baby food) is wrong. They need the nutrition and he gets it from that. Andrew will still eat jarred fruits and such with his oatmeal, cereal, etc. I started to mix in bits of table food with his jarred food and he started to eat it more.

Just keep offering. He'll be eating in no time!

Re: So frustrated! Eating question...

Dianne - you know I had the same problem with Michael. His diet consists of mostly "adult" food now because he absolutely will NOT eat anything that is baby food or looks like it! Big difference from when we last spoke - as soon as Michael hit 15 months (I know it seems so far away for you) he started really showing an interest in real food - his fav's are chick. nuggets (I get really good one's shaped like dino's), pastina cooked w/ chick. broth, ziti with tom. sauce and parm. cheese, he LOVES grilled cheese and I throw in a piece of meat once in a while to trick him - the ONLY meat he eats is chicken.. umm... let's see - cheese he will eat, peeled/cut grapes, apples, still having trouble with veggies, but we're working on it.

How is Shane in the teeth dept.? Michael will NOT eat anything cut up small, he wants bigger pieces to take his own bites - like if I break up the chick, he will not eat it - his grilled cheese I cut up in 4's and he'll pick it up and eat it on his own - sweet pot. fries cannot be cut up, he eats mini pancakes and waffles. Also, it took a LONG time for Michael to like pastina - I only tried it with him again about a month or two ago and let him just try it himself and he LOVED it (cooked in broth though)... pizza is also a good hit here. Geez, I wish I could help, I know it's so tough!

I'm not sure if I helped here, just thought I'd give you an idea of what's going on here now at 16 months... Good luck and like Trish said, just keep trying!

Re: So frustrated! Eating question...

Thank you Trish and Lauren! You give me hope.

Re: So frustrated! Eating question...

Hi! Gianna is 17 months and we are going through the same thing. You are not alone. Last night she threw a bowl of broth and pasta...whatta mess I have good luck with pizza and mac'n'cheese-so she has it a lot. I think they eventually just grow out of it.(?) Good luck, you sound like you are really trying.

Re: So frustrated! Eating question...

I just wanted to say hi to you! My advice - - visiting Kevin - maybe he will get jealous and want to eat like Kevin - then there is no stopping him everything but fruit is fair game!! Just trying to make you chuckle - I know it is making you so frustrated.

Do you let him try eating things with a spoon of his own? Maybe once he starts using a spoon himself he will want to eat other things because he can do it himself? It is very, very messy but now Kevin wants to eat everything himself - there are many times he will not let me feed him - baby food is everywhere.

Otherwise just keep trying - eventually he will learn.

Re: So frustrated! Eating question...

Hi my friend,

Ava is picky too - some days I go through a million things before she eats something. However, I found that if she tried something and didn't like it I waited another 1-2 weeks and tried again.

A month ago she DESPISED pastina - now she would eat it morning, noon and night

My advice - keep trying. He'll come around. Give my little man a kiss for me