Baby Is Not Eating

I have the same problem with my 3 yr. old girl. She's always been a weird eater. My pedi says that at this age they will eat when they get hungry. They are not choosing to be anorexic or anything like that. My daughter goes through phases. Eats really well then weeks of nothing. I just let her eat when she wants. I offer breakfast, lunch, & dinner & if she doesn't eat it she doesn't eat it. I offer snacks throughout the day too. If she isnt eating I try to make her snacks healthy ones. Milk is filling so your pedi is right don't let him fill up on milk. Sometimes I give my daughter the pediasure for kids before bed if she hasn't ate anything all day, but again don't let him fill up on that either. My pedi also said at this age a lot of kids are grazers & will only eat a little bit here & there & that's ok. Don't worry about him. He's perfectly normal & will start eating. Hope this helps.

M.

First thing is, why didn't your Dr. recomend he be given only sippy cups at 18 months? Then he should have 2 to 3 of those cups a day. If he's not filling up on milk all day he should want to eat. Try lots of different foods: crackers fruit chunks, steemed veggies, eggs, hot dogs/ turkey or chicken dogs, yogurt, cheese cubes. He won't starve himself.

Hi
Don't worry He will eat if he is starving! I went through the same thing..I started getting him to eat nutrition bars cuz at least he was getting SOME nutrition...also the other way I get My son to eat is by letting him HELP me make it..Like PJ sandwich he is more likely to eat it if he helps and my son turned 3 in August and I started teaching him how to help preparing something to eat a long time ago ..so at 2yrs he right about the age ..or let him pick between 2 things ..let him think it's his choice! I hope some of this helps!
M.

Next, I would take him to a dentist to see if he has dental/mouth/jaw problems that might be making eating uncomfortable for him. The bottle may have interfered with normal oral development: A speech therapist may also be able to evaluate this. While this may be the case, I sure would make sure he's getting nutrition from somewhere before taking the bottle, cold turkey. I disagree with the Pediatrician: You need to rule out all physical possibilities before treating it as a behavior issue.

Wait! Your 2-year-old still drinks out of bottles? That is the first problem. Secondly, during their 2nd year they are only supposed to drink two 6-oz. cups of milk per day. Drinking too much milk can cause anemia and can suppress their appetite for other nutritional foods. You need to wean him off the bottle...no more milk in the bottle, for starters...only water...or very, very diluted milk in the bottle. He won't like it, but that's just how it is. Also, give him his milk CUP only after he has eaten at least half of his meal. Hope this helps!

Hello P.,

I have been having the same problem with my son which is 26mnns. Our doctor told us to cut the milk as well and that he won't let himselve strave.

I think it is just a boy thing. My brother did the samething around this age. They are just so active and exploring that they just don't want to stop.

I have noticed that my son will skip at least one meal a day and will pick at another meal a day and will eat at least one good meal a day. So, I just have to make sure that when I offer him food that it is healthy.

We have our good days and bad days. But, I have noticed that when he is hunger he lets me know by saying "Dean's tummy sick." So, I offer him something healthy. I and my doctor think its just a phrase that we will monitor.

Hope this helps,
M.

I went through this with my both my two and four year old. and they are both perfectly healthy. I bought pediasure for awhile and gave him that he was very active and didnt sit still. there are generic brands for pediasure that dont cost as much. my dr said too much milk could cause an iron deficency. my son did not end up getting one and now a couple months later he eats great, he has his moments but his diet is much better. I wouldnt worry too much about it he will not starve himself just offer healthy snacks when he does eat. if he wont sit still and eat offer him finger foods on the go.

I agree with your doctor. I have 2 year old twin girls and the youngest of the two has always been a finicky eater and has never really eaten much. When I asked my doctor he told me that she will eat if she's hungry. He already knew she was underweight according to the weight table, but he said there is really nothing you can do if she doesn't eat alot. Unless of course,it begins to get so out of control that it is affecting his health. I have also cut down on the girls milk intake 'cause they were relying on just the milk throughout the day. My youngest still doesn't eat much for the most part, but when she does I know she must be going through a growth spurt.

D. G.

Hi P.,

Does your sone drink any other liquid besides the cut down to 3 bottles a day of milk?

I ask, cause my 20 month son would not eat anything but mac & cheese, fishy cheese crakers and 8 bottles of watered down juice or milk through out the day. I just stopped the bottles all together a month ago, and now he eats everything under the sun.

All foods and 3 complete meals a day with snacks in between, it is absolutely amazing. He had been filling up on liquids during the day so when it came time to eat he had no appatite. So that was then end of the bottles and the end of the not eating. He actually lost allot of weight during that time and I was concerned about the lack of vitamins so in the mean time the Dr. had given me some vitamin drops to give him.

So depending on if he is drinking more as well that might be the answer for you as well.

hope that helped. Have a wonderful day.

A.

Dear P.,

The other mommies will probably tell you that their child quit eating at about 2 years old. Children grow at various rates during their first years. This is probably the time that his body does not need food or much food . Go online to www.drgreene.com or About.com/pediatrics, and they will tell you all that you need to know.....probably.

I know that it is very upsetting to mothers when their children do not eat. It took me a while to realize what was going on.

I saw a great idea on Oprah's show yesterday - Go on line to see Jessica Seinfeld's idea of how to feed your children vegies. I am going to try it just to make our meals and cookies, yes, cookies, more delicious.

Good luck, C. N.

Hi P. - hopefully he's just going through a phase, and once you cut back on the milk and he gets hungrier, he'll try other foods. It will take a little time and patience on your part. To make sure he's getting whole food nutrients I suggest you get him Juice Plus Gummies. He'll like them and they're the equivelent of eating 17 fresh fruits and vegetables every day. http:/www.juiceplus/+cc42230. 24 hr health info line: 1800-###-###-####. Good luck!

not to be judge mental but why in the world are you giving a 2 yr old a bottle the dr is right! give him less bottles and try to take it away all together give him sippy cups instead he is a big boy now and instead of milk give him water or juice and if you give him snacks though out the day lessen those make sure he eats with the family at the same time and remember he may not eat that much because his stomach is smaller then ours so give him a small portion and if he wants more of what your serving then have him eat up!

I think the doctor is right about not offering too much milk, especially in a bottle at his age. His teeth are forming and he could need braces later if he's still sucking on a bottle now, not to mention, the risk of baby bottle rot on his teeth. The milk makes him too full, so he doesn't feel like eating. There is also not enough iron in milk and he could become anemic, if that is all he's eating. Try offering a sippy cup only. He could probably have about 2 cups of milk a day, but that's it, and spread throughout the day with meals. He might go through a state where he will only eat one other thing for awhile. Does he sit with you while you eat and other members of the family eat? If not, pull his high chair up to the table and let him see all the different things you and your family eat. Offer him small portions and expect him to play with it. Sometimes it takes offering it up to 3 or 4 times before they start to put it in their mouth.

try feeding him food first and then give him the bottle... it might also be a good idea to start weening him off the bottle all together... the longer he uses it, the more likely he is to develop problems orally, speech problems, and cavities...