Not eating at daycare

buddrfly421

DS was in DC for about 2 months when I was only working part time, he was on,y there for 4 hours so I didn't have to worry about lunch or anything. Now he's been going to a new daycare [where I work, in a different room]. He's been going for a few weeks now and they told me he doesn't eat much at all, if anything. He's there all day long. If I go in at 10 then he will usually have something small with me, but he's not eating snacks or lunch. He's already very small for his age [17 months-22lbs]. He's a VERY picky eater,like most toddlers, but I'm starting to worry. He hasn't lost any weight yet [not much gain either though], but I was wondering if anyone has gone through this before? I'm hoping its just a phase! 

ETA-  they provide lunch and snacks, I can't pack food for him.  

alstumb@gmail.com

My son is almost 21 months and also goes to the daycare where I work, in a different room. He will eat breakfast about 75 of the time. For lunch he usually just eats the fruit, unless they have something like chicken nuggets or mac and cheese. He almost always eats snack.

I've always heard if they eat one good meal a day, don't worry too much. Does he act hungry when he gets home? Does he eat a good dinner?

MamaAllison

Daycare won't even let you pack snacks if your son isn't eating what they are providing?

buddrfly421

alstumb@gmail.com:

My son is almost 21 months and also goes to the daycare where I work, in a different room. He will eat breakfast about 75 of the time. For lunch he usually just eats the fruit, unless they have something like chicken nuggets or mac and cheese. He almost always eats snack. I've always heard if they eat one good meal a day, don't worry too much. Does he act hungry when he gets home? Does he eat a good dinner?

 

he will usually come home and eat a good amount. On the weekends he usually eats several small meals. 

traveltheworld

Can you try to get him to eat before you drop him off and after you pick him up?  DS gets 2 breakfasts - one right when he gets up and one on the way to DC, and also gets a big snack right after we pick him up, followed by dinner an hour later.

Lots of DCs in our area don't allow you to bring any food in as well so I usually look at the DC menus and if I know DS is unlikely going to eat much that day, I give him snacks I know he'll love when we are together. 

st.augbride

My son is a terrible eater. And not just your typical picky toddler either. He was born with severe growth restriction, so was just basically born not hungry at all (I consider it a birth-related injury really). He also has severe reflux we treat, but I still wonder if it's enough, and other issues that keep him from eating well. We've ussed songs/distractions/videos to get him to eat, which takes about an hour per meal. With all of this, he has grown well for him. He's been at a home daycare where she still spoon fed him lunch and also used songs to get him to eat. However, next week he is starting at a center. Meals will be at a little table with others his age, and there will be no distractions, pressure or anything extra to get him to eat in the 30 minutes for lunch. In other words, I KNOW he will not eat more than a few bites unless I send him with only crackers and pretzels. He also doesn't drink all day long, even where he's been now. I'm worried he will take a big hit in weight, but there isn't much I can do about it really since the benefits of this new place far exceed the loss of lunch. We are trying to figure out ways to bulk up his calories elsewhere. Like he eats chicken nuggets at dinner, so instead of baking them we now fry them in a healthy oil. We also add some duocal to his food and drinks where we can. I am hopeful this counters the likely loss of a real lunch. 

buddrfly421

st.augbride:

My son is a terrible eater. And not just your typical picky toddler either. He was born with severe growth restriction, so was just basically born not hungry at all (I consider it a birth-related injury really). He also has severe reflux we treat, but I still wonder if it's enough, and other issues that keep him from eating well. We've ussed songs/distractions/videos to get him to eat, which takes about an hour per meal. With all of this, he has grown well for him. He's been at a home daycare where she still spoon fed him lunch and also used songs to get him to eat. However, next week he is starting at a center. Meals will be at a little table with others his age, and there will be no distractions, pressure or anything extra to get him to eat in the 30 minutes for lunch. In other words, I KNOW he will not eat more than a few bites unless I send him with only crackers and pretzels. He also doesn't drink all day long, even where he's been now. I'm worried he will take a big hit in weight, but there isn't much I can do about it really since the benefits of this new place far exceed the loss of lunch. We are trying to figure out ways to bulk up his calories elsewhere. Like he eats chicken nuggets at dinner, so instead of baking them we now fry them in a healthy oil. We also add some duocal to his food and drinks where we can. I am hopeful this counters the likely loss of a real lunch. 

 

im sorry that you have to stress about all of that! It must be really hard! If I'm working at 10 then I load him up with anything he will eat...even if its Mac n cheese from dinner the night before. I figure its better than nothing! But if I'm working earlier, like 7:30 then he is usually up for about 30 min before we leave and he won't eat that soon after waking up, I'm the same way. DS doesn't drink much either...he comes home so thirsty! I wish you guys the best and that your DS doesn't lose any weight [such a stressful thing! We've been dealing with weight check ups since he was 6 months.] if you don't mind me asking, how was your son diagnosed with sever growth restriction? I sometimes wonder if we have something going on, but all blood tests have came back normal.  

st.augbride

buddrfly421:

st.augbride:

My son is a terrible eater. And not just your typical picky toddler either. He was born with severe growth restriction, so was just basically born not hungry at all (I consider it a birth-related injury really). He also has severe reflux we treat, but I still wonder if it's enough, and other issues that keep him from eating well. We've ussed songs/distractions/videos to get him to eat, which takes about an hour per meal. With all of this, he has grown well for him. He's been at a home daycare where she still spoon fed him lunch and also used songs to get him to eat. However, next week he is starting at a center. Meals will be at a little table with others his age, and there will be no distractions, pressure or anything extra to get him to eat in the 30 minutes for lunch. In other words, I KNOW he will not eat more than a few bites unless I send him with only crackers and pretzels. He also doesn't drink all day long, even where he's been now. I'm worried he will take a big hit in weight, but there isn't much I can do about it really since the benefits of this new place far exceed the loss of lunch. We are trying to figure out ways to bulk up his calories elsewhere. Like he eats chicken nuggets at dinner, so instead of baking them we now fry them in a healthy oil. We also add some duocal to his food and drinks where we can. I am hopeful this counters the likely loss of a real lunch. 

 

im sorry that you have to stress about all of that! It must be really hard! If I'm working at 10 then I load him up with anything he will eat...even if its Mac n cheese from dinner the night before. I figure its better than nothing! But if I'm working earlier, like 7:30 then he is usually up for about 30 min before we leave and he won't eat that soon after waking up, I'm the same way. DS doesn't drink much either...he comes home so thirsty! I wish you guys the best and that your DS doesn't lose any weight [such a stressful thing! We've been dealing with weight check ups since he was 6 months.] if you don't mind me asking, how was your son diagnosed with sever growth restriction? I sometimes wonder if we have something going on, but all blood tests have came back normal.  

It was actually diagnosed when I was 20 weeks pregnant. We just watched him lag further and further behind until they took him out at 34 weeks and only 3lb 3oz and 15.25in long. He had severe IUGR from placental issues. In general, if your LO is born less than 10the %ile, they consider it possible IUGR. Ds wasn't even on the charts for adjusted age. Fast forward to now and he is 60th for height and 30th for weight at 29 months old, so truly doing great! But the eating and drinking (or lack of) is pretty rough still. We just give him whatever we can get him to eat that isn't complete junk and go with it knowing that at some point he'll get easier! Even if that point is a loooong time form now!