Do you regulate how much your LO eats?

scooter19

At LO's 15 month appointment she weighted 27lbs (in the 80th percentile).  But she was also tall (in the 80th percentile as well).   She a little chunky monkey compared to other kids I see her age.

I usually let her eat until she stops asking for more.  I feed her well, fruits, veggies.  And of course, I sometimes give her sweets (but not often).  But lately she keeps asking for more, and more, and more.  She almost eats more than me!!!

I know it could be a grownth spurt but do you eventually cut your child off?  I mean, she is fed well....but I don't want to overfeed her.  Stupid question but does she know when she's full????

TY!

longhorngal

my son has always been over 95th%ile for height and 50th%ile for weight...he says no no when he is done eating.....so i don't regulate it because he is adamant about being finished.....

6fsn

It sounds like your child is well proportioned.  Unlike adults kids don't eat out of boredom or frustration or stress.  If your kid is eating it's because she's hungry.  We don't regulate how much DS eats, but we do watch what he eats.

ncbelle

No.  I think if you are offering healthy choices and modeling healthy habits there's no need to regulate at this age.

almostabuck

No. She eats a lot but is still small. I figure if she is eating it's because she's hungry. I offer healthy choices and once she is done, I don't try and get her to eat more. I bet she can regulate her own eating/appetite better than I can, lol.

MariM

Your child & mine are pretty alike. She's always been a big kid since birth & has always been in the 90-95th percentile for height & weight. She's a bottomless pit & she'll eat & eat & eat. I try to only offer healthy stuff. I never offer French fries & other fattening stuff even though my friends & family think I'm cruel. I was a chubby kid & had poor eating habits & I don't want the same for her. I want her to be happy & healthy. So to answer your question- I don't regulate how much she eats but I try to only offer healthy stuff.

mabst196

My kid eats like a bird and is in the 95% for height and weight. I don't liimit her because I can barely get her to eat as it is. I try to offer a variety of foods that are healthy and hope for the best.

betsnup

I actually wondered this as well a couple weeks ago, because now that D really learned to sign "eat" and "more" it seems like that is all he does.  He's 95th for height and 50th for weight, but it still worried me that I was constantly feeding him, because he'd eat a decent meal and within an hour walk to the kitchen and sign "eat."  At this point, we just keep a LOT of fresh fruits on hand (typically, we have bananas, pears, and grapes at any given time, plus apples some days) and he eats those things every day.  So, like others have said, just make sure you are offering healthy snacks for the most part, and you should be good.

mary5198

My son has always been 90% + for height & weight. We pretty much let him eat til he's done. He eats what we eat, for the most part, and we've been making an effort to eat healthier lately - turkey meatloaf instead of ground beef, baked ziti w/ spinach in it, etc.

lmdbww

I really wish that I had this problem... DD barely eats anything at all...

Mjmksb04

My DS is 16 months and 27 pounds, 34 inches. I typically feed him as much as he wants if he is eating healthier stuff. I don't let him eat as much as he wants of empty calorie foods like crackers, or high sugar foods like yogurt.

Stellasmom

I usually don't cut him off because he's currently tall and thin. It's amazing the volumes of food he will eat. Occasionally I'll cut him off when he has eaten so much that I'm afraid he might throw up from being overful.

The kid regularly eats as much or more than I do!