Caleb wont eat!

[Godgrl Gomer]

Caleb is 21 months old and he was a little late in getting his teeth...well a whole lot late....but he has most of them now. Molars and everything.
He will eat donuts, crackers, cookies, banana, apple, pear, chocolate;)

I cant get him to eat a proper meal! And he is hungry and driving me NUTS!

It was ok when I could mash or 'blend' his food, but he wont eat it now because he notices that it is different to ours. He wants to eat what we are eating and in the same form...know what I mean? Even if he sees me dish off my plate and mush it up, he wont eat it.

Its not that he cant swallow the bits. He is LAZY!:mad:
Caleb will eat pasta and rice....One of his favourites is spaghetti bolognese or beef stroganoff with mash potato. If he is really hungry he will eat one or two bowls....but then most times he wont even open his mouth. I have had to force some food in his mouth so he will taste it....this is an extreme that has happened maybe hmm only a few times.(if he hasn't had anything solid all day and only two bottles) And instantly, he is ohhh! that is yummy and he sits there with his mouth open for more!!!:eek: :( :eek:
Otherwise he goes without.:confused: :o

I try to let him feed himself but he wont. Not at dinner time.

But he will drink his formula. So Caleb is getting nutrition....and it is Summer and he is drinking water. I shouldn't worry, I guess, because all physical signs say that he is healthy enough.
Tonight for dinner he had diced pear in raspberry juice with vanilla yogurt.(something I put together & not processed.) We had pasta and Caleb had two mouthfuls but he tired of that.
Caleb is fine with things he doesn't have to chew. Otherwise he has maybe three or four mouthfuls and he gives up. I can see that he is still hungry but couldn't be bothered.

I don't know what to do.
This cant be healthy.

Any advice?
Will it sort itself like most things with Toddlers?

[EmmoGomer]

'The House of Tiny Tearaways' this programme is really good. Do you get it in Aus?? ? It gives really excellent parenting advice.
Here's a link; http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/programmes/tiny_tearaways/tanyas_top_tips.shtml
You may find something on eating there - I know it has been on the programme.

Dr Tanya Byron is the in house Doc. She may have her own website, I don't know.

[EmmoGomer]

This looked helpful Joan. Lovely pic of Caleb by the way ;)
http://www.elainegibson.net/parenting/eatingB.html

[Godgrl Gomer]

This looked helpful Joan. Lovely pic of Caleb by the way ;)
http://www.elainegibson.net/parenting/eatingB.html

That was GREAT help Ems! Thanks a bunch!
*big hugs*

The article told me what I thought to be the case.
Yes Caleb was a big eater and then suddenly nothing.
Like the girl with apple juice, if Caleb doesnt have a bottle, he will eat. I have tried to decrease his bottles to almost illumination. But at times I can see he is hungry and he wont eat and is crying but he will have a bottle.
*shrug*
And then there are days when he will eat.

But that article helped a lot. Caleb is good where he will only eat if he is hungry. Sometimes at dinner he will eat three pieces of carrot. I guess I should see that as something and not 'nothing'.

That calories guide was good too.

I feel much better.

Thank you so much Emily. It looks like my little guy is being a typical toddler! LOL

Bless you....I can sleep easy now.

[Godgrl Gomer]

And yeah....I think he is a little cutie. I adore my little Caleb. Lets face it...I adore all my three boys!:cool: ;) :D

[ausgirl]

Joan, in my experience, children who are drinking lots of milk, don't tend to want to eat solid food alot. I know you feel he's getting nutrition from the formula, but it's still a limited type of nutrition, a child of his age really doesn't need much milk in a day - he can get his calcium from lots of other avenues like yoghurt, custard, cheese. I know if I drink alot of milk I feel really full. I know one over two year old who was still breastfeeding from mum morning and night, he just wasn't interested in eating food, once she weaned him, he started to eat.

Just a suggestion.

[ausgirl]

Another suggestion - have you heard of "Fun not fuss with food", it's a course that is run by the local health nurse in my area for parents - it's quite good with the amounts of food,etc, I have done it through work. Perhaps you could find one locally? It's also free which is great.

[kiwisongbird]

Hey, Nicodemus is a big,strong, healthy thirteen year old boy - he went for about six months or so around the same age where he was hardly eating anything. Kids that age generally eat when they're hungry - sometimes they're just trying out ways of behaving - um, I'm not recommending thumping him or anything, just want to say don't worry about it - if he's eating carrot and apple and pears I wouldn't worry much at at all - Nico went through a stage of eating fruit or jam sandwiches and he's fine now!

Blessings,
Sharon:)

[Sharon]

Joan, in my experience, children who are drinking lots of milk, don't tend to want to eat solid food alot. I know you feel he's getting nutrition from the formula, but it's still a limited type of nutrition, a child of his age really doesn't need much milk in a day - he can get his calcium from lots of other avenues like yoghurt, custard, cheese. I know if I drink alot of milk I feel really full. I know one over two year old who was still breastfeeding from mum morning and night, he just wasn't interested in eating food, once she weaned him, he started to eat.

Just a suggestion.


Milk, when it enters your stomach, turns into a semi-solid, hence the feeling of being full. Formula does the same thing. So his tummy really is "full" from the milk / formula.

He'll be ok Joan ..... just typical behaviour.

[Changed 4 Ever]

I remember going through similar stages with both my girls and they are just fine too. I found out from my doctor when I expressed my concerns that they needed a whole lot less food then I thought they should have.

[Godgrl Gomer]

Thanks guys. You all have confirmed what I figured to be correct, and I needed to hear it from other mums. Sometimes not having a mother to seek advice from is difficult.

I value your help. Thank you.:D :cool:

[Godgrl Gomer]

Another suggestion - have you heard of "Fun not fuss with food", it's a course that is run by the local health nurse in my area for parents - it's quite good with the amounts of food,etc, I have done it through work. Perhaps you could find one locally? It's also free which is great.

No, sorry, I havent heard of it. I will look it up.


I have been giving Caleb water instead of formula and he has been eating. When he eats solids, he sleeps through the night. This was one of my primary issues. When Caleb doesnt sleep, I dont either.;)

I suppose if he is putting on weight at a safe level and his toileting is 'healthy' then I have no need for concern.

Again, thank you all.:cool: