12 Month Old Not Eating

He's doing what 12 month olds do - my son did the same thing... and the day after I was discussing it with my co-workers he just started eating... and never stopped! He's alomst 3 now. Is he a picky eater... if so, I'd give him two or three choices to choose from (all healthy) and then eventually (eventually = it could take SEVERAL tries... more than you think) he'll get both food in his system and it will be a good diet. Hope this helps!

Have you had him tested for hypo-thyroid. My daughter did the same thing but was also somewhat lythargic.....she tested positive and takes a pill daily. Her appetite is 110%.

Good luck

My daughter is the same way. I spoke with her dr about it and he said that several children do not like the stage 3 baby foods. He suggested that I keep her on the stage 2 and keep introducing table foods. Said that it could take a while for her to get to where she is on table foods completely, but not to worry. Hope this gives you some relief to know your not in this boat alone. V. C

totally normal. He doesn't need as much food because he isn't growing so fast. You should read My Child Won't Eat, it is a really awesome book that will calm your fears. Never force feed, that can lead to food aversion. :) its OK and NORMAL!!!

At this age it is most likely that he is becoming independent and wants to feed himself. At his age, he should be well into table foods. Gerber pick-ups are really good for starters. Cheerios, crackers, well-cooked soft diced carrots, peas, macaroni and cheese...pasta of any kind cut small. Make sure you cut up round foods like hot dogs and grapes as they can pose a choking hazard. Give him the cut up foods on the tray of his high chair and leave him to do it himself (stay nearby and watch for choking as he is learning to chew).

I also put stickers of my kids' favorite characters and put clear contact paper over the tray top so the stickers didn't get gross with food. They would talk to me about the characters and be so distracted that they would open their mouths and eat without even realizing it. Good luck!

Has he been sick lately? I ask because my 16 month old did that recently; turns out he had a bad ear infection. I knew he had a cold, but there were no other signs or symptoms of the ear infection.

He's probably waaay past this (my pedi said they develop immunity around 9 or 10 months old), but are there white sores/blisters in his mouth? Mine quit eating every time he had thrush.

Otherwise, you just never know. I agree that it could just be a phase he'll outgrow. Life is pretty interesting right now, so why slow down to eat?!?

Buy him good grass fed raw milk and if he does not want to eat, offer him a glass of milk and let him be. Watch him carefully to see if he has other symptoms of illness or begins to loose weight. Make sure he gets plenty of exercise to build a hunger. Offer snacks of al dente carrot sticks, broccoli, cauliflower. Try raw sweet peas, and other fruits. Cut out all highly processed snack foods like crackers, gold fish, McDonald's, french fries, ice cream (unless homemade with raw milk, organic maple syrup, pastured eggs and arrowroot). Offer him only healthy foods, no cereals, and good healthy live milk and wait and see. That is what I would do.

This is ok and normal my daughter goes thru these phases she is 21 months now and she went thru this her doctor said that this was ok exspecially when teething as long as you offer the food when there hungry they will eat and if there not its ok just atleast offer don't worry they will eat when they are hungry.

from an older mom, do you give him the same things that you eat, i did that with both of mine and they found out that it was good. Sometimes it takes awhile but when hungry they will eat. Do not force any foods.

I agree with Allison O. As long as he is eating something, keep giving him that! He will not starve! Even if he eats the same thing over and over, at least he is eating!

Around the same age, my daughter started to do that. I was kind of freaking out! Your son isn't going to starve himself. Kids just go through phases where they dont' eat as much. Make sure he is still drinking though! Try offering him different foods, eventually he will eat :) Good luck!

Leave him alone, he'll eat when he's hungry. All kids go through eating phases. You'll know he's about to have a growth spurt when he eats all day long and is still hungry.

My pedi told me to go to this website, www.keepkidshealthy.com. I think it's a great website for any questions you have about your little one. I go to it alot for my daughter who will be 1 this month and is also a picky eater. She started refusing food for us about a month ago. Make sure you go to the 'Toddler' tab at the top of the website. Good luck!!

He may be getting more teeth and his mouth/gums hurt. He will get back to where he was before long.

Hi,

My granddaughter is the same way. Just keep trying new foods until you find something he likes. I would give him the Next Step formula (for older babies) I believe between 9 and 24 months) for the vitamins he needs. They even have this in an off brand at Walmart that is not very expensive. That is what we are doing with my granddaughter so we do not have to worry about her getting the vitamins she needs. Right now the only things we can get her to eat is the fruits only in the baby food (oh and cheetos she loves cheetos) but that is all she will eat. So I would say buy the Next Step formula and just keep offering new things. If he sees you are trying too hard to get him to eat he may resist even more.

dont start worrying yet. Children have those weird times where their just not hungrey and when they just cant get enough to eat. Their bodies are making major changes during the years that they are young.

I have two little boys, 5 and 2 1/2. There are times that they would slow down on what they ate, and after a couple of months they would pick back up again. Remeber that they have tiny tummies and when they don't have a reason to eat a lot, like a developemental mile stone, then there intake will slow down. Give him some time. He is old enough to know that when he is hungry there is food to eat. Just don't become a short order cook for him. This is the time where they will become picky eaters. Make sure you give him the same thing you are having and if he turns his nose up to it, and would rather have gold fish or something not so good for him, don't. You will regret it. I promise. Make sure he gets enough fluid, but as for food, just wait a little while and he will come around. Just love these days while you can, because my 5 year old can eat more then me now, and he is a bean poll (4'2" and 62 lbs.)

Hi I know that youre a little concern about your baby not eatting,but sometimes babies go thru that stage.Iv taken my kids to the Dr for the same thing and all they told me was that when he gets hungry he will eat.As long as hes drinking milk and eatting some food he will be ok,just make sure that hes eatting a little something and watch his weight because you dont want him to get to skinny.B. F.

My son goes on these "food strikes" for a few meals or a few days and then he'll get back into it. I always feed him the same thing that I serve my husband and myself so that I can model good behavior. I do feel like my toddler gets bored with the same old things I serve. So I try to mix it up when I can and I never force him to eat anything.

My son is very thin and active and sometimes too busy to feed himself. I often wonder when he will be consuming enough of the good foods on his own and I will not have to sneak him bites in between.

My first guess would be teething. My 2 yr old was always a good eater but there were times when all food was pushed away. Try some different textures and temps because each child is different at what feels or tastes good. Mashed potatoes or carrot sticks...very cooked squash or dry cereal... and DON'T forget the good ol' Oragel!!! When they're hungry, they'll eat!

Hey may not be growing as much right now and just not need as much food as before. Kids are smart, they won't starve themselves. Just keep offering him the same choices as before and when he's hungry he will eat.