Ella WILL NOT eat.

Lea LaJeunesse-Askren

I do not know what her deal is. I can't get her to eat and she has not eaten a "meal" in days. All the foods she used to love she will not touch anymore. I was so worried today I made her about 4 of her favorite foods and she will not eat them. Some she will put in her mouth and spit out, others she will just shake her head and not eat.

She stole one of MH oreos off his plate today and ate it right up so I
know it isn't an issue of her mouth hurting or something along those lines. She also ate a handful of pretzels. Any ideas how to get her to eat?

 

 

Rebekah1021

Maybe just leave it out for her to graze on? I do that with audrey a lot.

It's the most frustrating thing in the world.

AnneUCSB

Rebekah1021:

Maybe just leave it out for her to graze on? I do that with audrey a lot.

It's the most frustrating thing in the world.

Ditto this.  It is SO frustrating (I've been there!).  Try not to make too big of an issue out of it (verbally) because she may just doing it to exert control.   Hugs- I know it's hard when they don't eat.

Ciarrai

Ok, I'm the bad mom who let's them not eat if they don't eat.  The girls seem to go through stages when they're inhaling everything in sight and others when they won't touch even their favorites.  I put the food in front of them for meals (and snacks) and they can eat or not.  She'll eat again when she's hungry.  I swear L went a month or more living on tiny bites of nothing.  This morning, both girls ate two (or three?) breakfasts and a big lunch...  Just depends on the day and their moods.

DandR

ditto ciarrai...I ignore it, and put the food away.  They won't go long without eating, but making a big deal of it results in power struggles about food.....not something I want to start.

When my kids go through phases where they aren't eating anything, then I never offer treats/sweets....when they eat well, treats/sweets are offered for dessert...but I never say "no cookie unless you eat it." or anything....I just say "tonight for dessert we are having strawberries." and that's it....

Ciarrai

Ditto DandR on the whole desserts thing.   DD#1 would make herself "try" something and was making herself gag just to get dessert.  Now dessert is a surprise treat sometimes if they eat well and if they don't, it's not mentioned.  Also, ditto on the power struggle.  It's not that I don't care if they eat.  It's that if they know I care, it goes on longer and they get more snacks and crap I wouldn't normally serve them.  Plus I refuse to turn into a short-order cook who makes them each whatever they want.

AZ_Erica

DS will do this (today is one of those days) then he has days where he eats everything in site.  I don't worry to much about it.  He will eat when he is hungry, I just offer him healthy options for all meals and snacks.

triplea1819

maybe teeth.  and after that just being a picky toddler.