Daughter Always Wanting Food

Rachel,
I can relate. My daughter (2 yrs today!) has been 90-95 % since birth. She used to eat a ton. 3x the reccomended daily servings for her age from ALL food groups, everyday. Everyone would comment on how much she ate. Then all of a sudden she stopped. She picked at things like a little bird. It worried me to death when she first switched over, but then I realized that she eats what she needs. She is growing and changing at an unimaginable rate and since she is offered healthy foods and beverages whatever portion her body needs at whatever time is okay. I think that a more negative food issues impact would come from forcing food when they're not hungry or witholding food when they are. As long as she is physically healthy right now and you're offering her healthy foods I wouldn't worry about any emotional side effects from her eating habits. Good luck.

Hi R.,
My 27 month old used to be like your daughter. She is one of 6 and would eat more than her 2 sisters that our 3 and 4. She is as big as my 3 yr. old. I was worried that she always seemed hungry and sometimes I thought I should tell her no but if I did give it to her she ate it so then I would worry she was hungry and if I didn't give it to her she was truly hungry and not getting enough food. She would eat about anything I gave her. Anyway, now for the last 2 months she barely eats anything at all. All the foods she used to eat she just picks at now, she never finishes her meals and if I give her a snack she only takes a bite or 2 and it ends up on the floor. She is healthy so I try not to worry too much because I know with my other kids that their eating habits have changed sooooo many times throughout their first 5 years. One is a good eater and then the picky eater turns into my good eater, my 5 yr. old son has started to even out now with what he will or won't eat and how much he eats but my girls are still up and down alot. There is something to be said for a mother's instinct also so if you are continually worried I would not hesitate to push it a little harder with your pediatrician but I just wanted you to know that it isn't so unusual, they go through so many stages and when they become pickier you'll be wishing for the days she would eat anything you gave her. Good luck. :)

Get a second opinion if your gut tells you something is wrong. On the other hand, as long as she is eating healthy and not overweight I would let her eat when she is hungry. Controlling her eating now may also cause issues down the line. Maybe there is a pediatric nutrician specialist? Not sure if they exist but search online and see what you can find.

Sometimes babies just ask for things because they see it. She may not be hungry all the time but just asks for it because it's in her sight. Maybe you could put as many things out of her sight as possible, then see if she continues to ask for it. I know that you don't want her to become overwieght and unhealthy, but for now I wpuldn't really worry if the doctor aeems to think she is ok. Continue to give her healthy foods and snacks. It just may be a phase that she is going through. My son was like that for awhile and not he's a very picky eater. It just varies from baby to baby and stage to stage. If you see that it is becoming a problem, continue to check with her doctor until you feel comfortable.

I know exactly what you mean. My daughter was and still is 95th %ile for height and weight and was 21 inches long at birth. I am not a petite lady, by any standards, and I have dealt with weight almost my whole life. Which is why I also worried about my daughter's appetite and eating habits. But after asking around, and reading and considering what many others had to say on this matter, I have come to this conclusion: She is just a baby. She does not know what it means to eat for entertainment (popcorn at the movies, chips in front of the TV, ice cream before bed, etc). Her body tells her when to be hungry and when to be sleepy. Her body knows what she needs. If she is on a vegetable spree, and refuses fruit, so be it. If she is on a bread/fruit spree and refuses vegetables, so be it. Her body is builing itself in perfect fashion. Her health is great. Her spirit is great. Her disposition is happy. There is plenty of time to worry about body image in the future. But right now, her body is just getting its start. I am no doctor, but I wouldn't want to deny her something that she is needing to grow healthily, brain, skin, teeth, hair, organs...whatever. By letting her eat when she is hungry and not forcing her when she is not hungry, I let her learn to regulate her own metabolism. (I grew up having to eat when I was told, and didn't always eat when I was hungry. My metabolism and life eating habits were affected by this, I believe). I also believe my daughter's height/weight percentage average compared to other children may be an indicator of just how "HEALTHY" she is. She is, in technical/clinical terms, THRIVING. And that is wonderful. There is so much to worry about now that we are moms. Please don't worry about this issue too much. Enjoy your daughter, her health and let nature speak. Some good reading on this might come from Dr. Sears' "The Baby Book". If you don't feel like buying it, you can stand in the store (booksamillion or baby's r us)and find what you are looking for in the index and read right in the store. Also, check out Dr. Sears' website: http://drsears.com/welcome.page. There might be some useful info there! BEst of luck to you! S., mother of Hanna who will be one year on 29 September 2007.

Hi R.,
My little girl is the same way too. She's almost 18 months and eats like a horse. She will gobble down her meals and right afterwards, she will beg for fruit which she calls "duh" or "yum" and will finish an entire helping, even if I had already given her fruit after dinner!
For breakfast she eats fruit, yoghurt and cereal and while I'm having my breakfast afterwards, she will demand to eat mine too!
Despite all this though, she is still little, actually in the 50th percentile for weight and about 75th percentile for height. I only feed her healthy, natural stuff and she's obsessed with fruits (any kind) and steamed veggies like broccoli, zucchini, carrots and cauliflower. She also loves pasta and would have that for every meal if given the choice.
The bottom line is that she's healthy, she isn't overweight because she doesn't eat bad stuff. I think you should quit worrying if you're feeding your little one good food because you are teaching her to eat healthy and therefore when she grows older, she will not be tempted to eat all the bad, fried foods out there. She wil learn to make smart choices with her meals and weight will never be a problem to her. At least that's how I look at the issue. And hey, you really should be glad that she eats well. Infact, I am almost sure that if you observe what it is she eats, you will find that she doesn't necessarily eat that much more than other kids. She just eats bits and pieces of better food.
Finally, give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done!
Best wishes,
L.

My daughters was like this, too. She was born 90th percentile for weight and height, and I started her on solid food at three months (no kidding) because she was just insatiable. Today she's 10 years old and has a big belly, and we are fighting battles over what she eats.

If I had it to do over, here's what I'd do:
1. I would be a total kitchen tyrant, and I'd never let cookies or candy in the house. Period. She'll encounter those things at other places, but it's better to start off by saying, "We don't eat those things at home." Fewer battles to fight about limiting them when you don't have 'em in the first place (and this is the part I messed up the most).
2. Limits snacks to healthy things, as you're doing. Encourage her to drink water, and lots of it. It'll help fill her stomach and help with digestion.
3. Make sure she gets plenty--and I mean plenty--of physical activity every day.
4. Try training her to observe her own "fullness" signals. When she asks for food, say, "Is your tummy empty?" At meals, do not encourage her to clean her plate. Stick to a "if you're full then you must be done" rule. (I never understood what was so important about cleaning one's plate anyway.)

And, finally, when you've done all these things, come to peace with the kid you have. She is likely to be a big girl, from the sound of it, and "big" does not equal "unhealthy." My daughter would be big even without her belly; she's just big-boned and tall for her age. Think of things in terms of health, not size, and teach your daughter to enjoy and take care of the body she has, no matter what size it is. Good luck!

My son now 3 1/2 has been in the <95% for weight since birth. We have constantly questioned the pediatrician about this and about his massive amount of eating! They have kept saying not to worry about it yet. So, I understand how you feel. He is now 43 lbs and outgrew his car seat where the 5pt harness is only rated to 40lbs. I think you are doing the right thing keep offer healthy foods. My son over the past few months is finally acting like he is not hungry ALL the time. So, it will get better. My son has eaten as much as we do at some meal, which always surprised me. One thing that I have noticed that helps is trying to make sure to give plenty of fluids. Sometimes they confuse thirst with hunger. Just a thought. Good luck.

I have a snacker too. I think that it is the foods that they eat. Remember, fruit changes to sugar in the body, vegatables are good, but most foods for kids are high in carbs. These burn very fast. You may want to try nuts or beef jerky if you are not a vegan. These will last longer because they take longer to burn. Maybe even a half of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich as a snack as if no peanut allergies.

I had a friend whose child was like that. At all the time, constanly said she was hungry but no fat, overweight or anything. It turned out she had a high metabolism. I would ask yuor doctor about that if you are that concerned.

I understand your concern that you do no want your daughter to develop food issues! I feel the same! I read a book on feeding issues that helped me very much - Ellyn Satter's "How To Get Your Child to Eat, But Not Too Much." Her basic theory is to establish regular meal and snack times and that parents jobs are to provide good healthy foods and kids jobs are to eat it. She has several other books, many of which are available at the library. I hope this helps as it helped me a great deal.

My son ate everything that was not nailed down. He became so chubby that his legs rubbed together. He also grew at a phenominal rate. He ate everything, loved good food, and was really not interested in junk food.

When he hit about 10, he grew and didn't gain weight for about a year. He went from a little chubby toddler to a slim bean pole child. He is now almost 24 and is slim and trim.

My take, for what it's worth, is that unless you have been using food as a reward, and you did not, the child's body will self-regulate and will require what it needs. I'd let her eat as much good healthy food as she wants, and see what happens. You will be establishing the habit of eating good foods for snacks, so there is a benefit to doing this.

R.,

She could be on the edge of a growth spurt right now. Or, does she get attention from you when she asks for food? If she doesn't pitch a fit when you re-direct her with a toy or a game then MAYBE she's figured out that nummy's = Mommy time. Of course, she could also be perfectly normal. My daughter (2) will ask for food every time she's in the kitchen too.

Try not to stress if your pediatrician isn't concerned. If she's eating healthy food and not overweight then she'll probably turn out okay.

S.