My 11 month old just doesn't like eating

We're seriously losing our minds. DD didn't start cereal until I think 5.5 months, solids a few weeks later. She has hated eating practically EVERY meal since then. She'll tolerate something for a day, then hate it the next. She doens't even like/dislike certain foods, it's just that she hates eating, period. Besides for her Cheerios, she'd eat a bag of those. But for meals, she just pushes the spoon away, screams, etc. MIL feeds her 3 times a day the days she's there, and it's the same battle for her, I actually feel badly for my MIL.

We've tried doing more finger foods, because she's SO independent that we thought she'd rather feed herself. She would eat a meatball, mini waffles, pasta, etc. for a few days, now she's done with those, IF she puts them in her mouth, she spits them out.

However, a girl after my own heart, she'll NEVER turn down a piece of bread. WTH??? Why does she like bread and nothing else?

I'm seriously getting so stressed because I want her to EAT!!

Message edited 6/9/2008 2:49:52 PM.

Re: My 11 month old just doesn't like eating

My niece eats NOTHING. She is on Pediasure for calories and she eats bread like a champ..will eat bread all day long!

Noah is the same. Feeling sick he hasnt wanted to eat much the last week or so and yet if I give him bread, he eats the whole thing.

Strange?

Hugs though, I know its frustrating.

Re: My 11 month old just doesn't like eating

I am going through the same thing right now with my 10 month old. He was such a good eater and all of a sudden, he just doesn't want to eat. It is very frustrating.

Re: My 11 month old just doesn't like eating

Don't stress!!! Thats the key! She knows it pushes your buttons, and in a lot of ways, thats negative attention. Kids love any kind of attention. They smell fear.

I have a two and a half year old who has just started to eat. He hardly ate anything for almost 2 years...honestly. We found out that he likes pasta, so we stuck with that, day in, day out. Pasta.

At the end of the day kids can live on amazingly small amounts of food, let her eat what she wants, when she wants it. Don't hold back food from her. IMO she has plenty of time to eat dinner at the dining room table, like sixty years worth of eating dinner at tables. If she wants to be fed in front of the TV, do it. Just get the food into the kid!

Let her eat bread untl it comes out of her ears, it won't kill her!

Good Luck!

Message edited 6/9/2008 3:18:24 PM.

Re: My 11 month old just doesn't like eating

Caden is being a PITA too lately...

In one respect he's all over the place an seems to not want to be bothered eating. But then he is all over the place so I think he should be hungry..KWIM???

Thankfully I still have a couple of standbys that I can get him to eat some of like cheese and ritz crackers but he's not the chow fiend he had been....

I swear he is starting to look skinny!!!!!!!

Re: My 11 month old just doesn't like eating

My DD is not a big eater - she eats cheerios, puffs, 1/4-1/2 of a yobaby (the yogurt alone is considered a meal for her), 1/4 of 1 scrambled egg, 1/4 of one very small pancake, a small amount of tuna fish (by itself), small amount of chicken breast shredded. She hates baby food these days and will only eat a small amount of veggies or fruits pureed.

Those items are all separate meals not combined for one meal - she won't eat say some eggs and a pancake, or yogurt and something else. She is gaining normally per our ped she just is a very small eater. Most of the 6 month old babies eat a lot more. She is constantly moving however and never sits still - and doesn't really snack either. If you figure out how to get yours to eat I would love some tips.

Re: My 11 month old just doesn't like eating

My niece was the same way at that age! Nothing but carbs for that kid- everything was a struggle.

Now at 19 months she eats anything- so it may just be a phase- hang in there!

Re: My 11 month old just doesn't like eating

this consumes my life! i've been going through HELL with my ds since he was 6 months old (he's 13 months today.) each meal was 1 hour and he barely ate. i'd give him a million toys to play with (he won't self feed unless it is fruit or snacks) but he'd get bored and throw it. he hates eating all food except fruit , puffs, mums, arrowroot cookies, and recently cherrios in milk.

he has gone from the 75th% in weight to the 20th%.

we are now seeing a speech therapist (started last week) that will work on his eating issues. i feel it is behavioral b/c he has reflux and a hyper active gag reflex and will vomit when eating.

he just hates eating, even if i can tell he enjoys the food.

i'm also seeing a nutritionist on wed. to see how i can sneek in extra calories, protein, etc. right now i'm actually mixing in powdered formula into his food for the extra oomf.

gl, i now it $ucks.

Message edited 6/9/2008 7:14:49 PM.

Re: My 11 month old just doesn't like eating

Jack does not want to be strapped down.

Sometimes he eats great - other times he screams as if I'm torturing him.

What he has been doing the last few days....I sit eat watermelon on the couch as he's playing - he comes over and wants some. Did the same thing yesterday with my DH and his apple. Today for lunch I was eating the last of the manicotti and meatballs that I made for him (that he didn't touch by the way) and he comes over and eats the entire thing. I think he likes to eat on his own terms. Little maniac! When he started eating the manicotti I put him in the highchair - he wouldn't eat it! So bizarre!

Re: My 11 month old just doesn't like eating