1 Year Old Won't Eat

At 9 months my son would pick up bites of food and eat - anything we put in front of him. Then he just stopped. He didn't want to feed himself big boy food, he only would eat the baby food. This continued until he was 14 months, and then he started eating on his own again, and now at 2 he eats with a spoon and fork easily.
Don't stress it. Just keep putting little bites down in front of him so they are there if he wants. Feed the baby food. With my son I would sometimes take the little bites off his tray and make a big deal of eating them myself - monkey see, monkey do mentality, and sometimes I'd put the food from the tray onto his spoon and feed him that way. He did love goldfish, puffs, cheerios, and graham crackers, and pieces of banana rolled in crushed cheerios so they were the foods I used to teach him to start self feeding.

so let him eat baby food and use a sippy cup. don't let the day care pressure him or "convert" him to a big boy, especially if he is not ready. you probably won't like the methods a company (your daycare)uses to "convert" your child into something he is not ready for. babies all grow up at their own rate. and look on the bright side, he is probably getting a more healthy and well rounded diet because he is eating the baby food, rather than picking up and feeding himself. it's probably not a control thing, it's probably a developmental thing. your baby is not out to get you or "be the boss"

My daughter was the same way, we cut back on liquids and presented the food, if she did not eat, we were told by our doctor when she is hungry she will eat. It's funny even at one they start to figure things out and see how far they can push the evelope. I remember those days and hang in there it will get better. Let them know you are in control

My daughter is 16 months. She didnt like reg food either. I would get baby food and mash up some reg food and mix it a little so she could get the feel of it so she wouldnt go hungrey. My ped said she would eventualy eat and she did but i had to trick her some to get her to eat. Mash up fruit and do some yogart. Just do it a little at a time he'll get it. It might take a little longer. It did for mine.

L.,

Try different sippy cups. We are on number 5 and he seems to like this one. Sippy cups are like bottles sometimes it takes a while to find one the baby likes. I work as a nanny besides having a 16 month old and know from experience that eating only baby food does not harm him. Just give him more than before. When he is full he will refuse to eat anymore. As my mother always said a child will not starve themselves to death at that young of an age they will eat when they are ready and how much they want at a time. One family I nanny for still feeds their 20 month old baby food since that is what he likes.

The first thing you might try for real food is the baby bananas that they sell at WalMart. Peel it and sit him in his highchair and see if he will eat it without your help.

Keep up the faith it will all work out in the end.

J.

L., Keep in mind that kids won't starve themselves...it goes against everything in them....my grandson is 3 and basically eats nothing but wants milk in a sippy all the time...i was visiting with them for 4 days...all he ate were a few bits of this or that, but never any consistancy...but he can sure put the milk down, they give him whole milk for the calories, etc....his dr. said he's fine as far and weight, height, etc so apparently he's growning ok....it's scary for me too....you have to keep offering different things, fruits, veggies, milk, etc...and he'll eat eventually...good luck...R.

As a mother, grandmother, and great grand mother please believe me that all children are different. He WILL eat when he's hungry. Many parents over feed, overfill a child's plate. Find something he likes. His next couuple of years he may only want one or two foods...then dramatically change.
My daughter ate cinnamon toast for months. Then, she began to eat regular food again.
My mother had the same challenge with me. I still can't eat raw onion, fried eggs...lots of things like that. I was the odd one out in our family. Some of us don't require as many calories.
P.S. At 72 I have never had a weight problem

Our pediatrician assured us with our picky eaters would eat when they were hungry. Some children just don't have much of an appetite. Just offer him foods he would like (macaroni, squished up beans, hotdogs cut up small, etc.). If he's not hungry, he won't eat much. Our son would always eat peanut butter crackers and the dr. said that was GREAT! If I was worried about his eating, I would pull out a pack of crackers! Our daughter has never been much of an eater either. Both are healthy and I don't make them eat a certain amount during meals, just until they are full. If I feel it really isn't enough, I will do the ...3 (or 5) more bites, please and then they can get down. That helps me feel better anyway to see more food off their plate. It seems like the kids who are forced to eat what's in front of them or a "full" meal are over-weight.

They (doctors) say that they (babies and toddlers) won't starve themselves. I know its frustrating. There are days I can only get my 2.5 yr old to eat yogurt. I also have a son who is 1 (April 18th) and he likes finger foods he can feed himself, so that is mostly what we do. Bite size of carrots, greenbeans, grapes, peaches, pears, Gerber graduates, and I found that he loves the vegetarian soup I gave him the other day without the brother. It has potatoes, carrots, green beans and little pasta. Hope you find something your little guy likes.

It's quite common for some babies to have trouble with different textures of food...such as sticky food or crunchy food. This can be a sign of sensory integration difficulties and may be very mild or more troublesome. Some other signs are kids that don't tolerate certain types of clothing or loud noises or don't like to be touched. Often it's really mild and you can get help from a feeding specialist (occupational therapist or speech therapist) after a referral from your pediatrician.

Try putting the real food in a blender?
B.

Hey L.. I have three children, the youngest of them turned two in January. All three went through a phase of not wanting to eat around age two. The baby is doing that now and has for about four months. Doctors say as long as they are getting some nourishment it is ok. They will eat when they are hungry. So, whatever your son wants to eat, let him. It is probably just a phase that he will grow out of. Good luck!

What kind of foods have you tried? My daughter was a very picky eater and we started on lots of finger foods and mashed potatoes. when she wouldn't eat anything she would eat those and a little mac n cheese. He may be adjusting to a new environement if you have recently gone back to work.

Try finger foods at first. It's okay to let him play with his food or cup. Only offer him water in his bottle. When he wants the taste of somthing else, he'll figure out how to drink out of that cup.

When my kids go through growth-spurts, they actually cut back on thier intake for some reason. The pediatrician always tells me they will eat when their hungry. When that time comes, all you have to offer is table food. Stop buying baby food and make sure your table food is not heavily seasoned.