Anyone Have a Small LO Who Won't Eat?

Re: Anyone Have a Small LO Who Won't Eat?

• AMcLaws member

  January 2013

  My 18 month old is 25.9 pounds. She gets really picky also. The other morning she would NOT eat her breakfast. I gave up and let her play. When I offered a yogurt granola bar about an hour later, she happily accepted it and chowed down. Kids are so finicky at this age. I just try to remind myself to pick my battles. She's healthy, so if she doesn't eat for one meal, I'm not going to stress over it.

  

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• LeofgythsMama

  January 2013

  My 14 month old weights 17.9lbs and is somewhat picky (though about the weirdest things).  What I have done, is I will give her choices as to what she wants to eat.  I will show her a yougurt pouch and an egg.  She can choose what she wants to eat and this has helped in getting her to eat.  She picks out which fruit she wants.  Do you let him feed himself?  It gets messy, but DD is more likely to eat something if I let her have at it too. 

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• avacura15 member

  January 2013

  My son was not eating around that age as well and was 5-10% for weight. The doctor put him on Zantac and its helped tremendously. He now is a very good eater.
  

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• Ecy member

  January 2013

  My DD is 21 months and just hit 21 lbs. She was right under 20 lbs. at 18 months.

  She isn't super picky but just doesn't eat a lot of food at once. I would continue introducing foods but also give him the stuff he does like more often. My DD loves beans, spaghetti, peanut butter, and fruit so she gets those things a lot. She also hates milk but I really wanted her to have the fat from milk so I add just a little bit of vanilla Pediasure into the milk and she likes this. I'm pretty sure it has helped with weight gain.

  It's hard not to worry but try not to get too caught up in it. These kiddos will not starve themselves! The more I pushed it with my DD, the worse she was.

  http://wwwmedia.theknot.com/profiles/avatar.aspx?username=Ecy&cache=false

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• Piper345 member

  January 2013

  I have a small LO who will eat just abot anything and a lot of it. We do have issues with mealtime but its more about sitting still than being picky about the food. My 20 month DS is small only 22 lbs and he will probably always be that way. He eats  A LOT but still gains at his own pace. The pedi isn't concerned because he is growing on his own curve. Some kids are just meant to be small.

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• memali26 member

  January 2013

  If your LO is following his growth curve and not dropping off of it, and your pedi isn't concerned, then I wouldn't worry. Give the multi vitamin approved by the pedi, continue to offer healthy foods and let him determine his intake. Infants and toddlers are usually really great about regulating their food intake. While it may seem like he's not eating enough, if you added up everything he at over the course of one week you would probably find he's getting exactly what he needs. 

  Mama to two sweet girls
  DD1 Feb 2010
  DD2 Sept 2011
  
  
  

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• Nechie122 member

  January 2013

  Yes! Here! I feel like we earned every one of her 19 lbs. at 21 months.
  
  The pedi isn't overly concerned yet but DD is definitely not going to hit the 24 lbs. at 24 months we were hoping for.
  
  I try not to stress too much about it though because I don't want mealtime to be a struggle. I do limit milk because I find she eats better if she doesn't fill up on liquids. We also allow her to eat whenever, wherever; table manners can wait.
  
  But if your pedi is not concerned, just take it one day at a time. Unless there's something wrong clinically, he will eat eventually. Your pedi will tell you when to worry.

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• ack2002 member

  January 2013

  patchen30:

  My DS is 15 mo and only 18.5 lbs and 28".  He's growing on his own little curve beneath the 5th percentile and the pedi isn't concerned. 

  DS is a terribly picky eater though - picky about texture, taste, etc.  He does the typical toddler stuff like loving something one day and hating it the next, going days barely eating and thing then eating great, etc. 

  I get really stressed at mealtimes when he doesn't eat and find myself trying everything to get him to.  Putting him in front of the TV, toy distractions while I attempt to spoon food in, etc 

  I know it's a bad habit to get stressed at mealtimes b/c you can convey it to your kid, etc.  I think if I had an average-sized kid I would be a lot more chill about it...but he's so small, how can I have a hands-off attitude?! 

  I was hoping my pedi would tell me he'll just self-regulate, etc. but instead she suggested I put him on a multi-vitamin and not switch him from bottle to sippy to make sure he's still getting at least 16 oz of milk.

  Anyone else dealing w/ a small LO who doesn't like eating?

   

  This is totally my DD!!! She sounds a lot like your son (both language-wise and food-wise  She is 17 lbs and 26 inches, in less than 3rd% for height and weight and has been that way since she was born. She is very very picky and it is really stressful trying to get her to eat or drink. She usually only drinks 18-20 oz. of milk a day. She refuses to eat raw fruits or veggies (at home). I have to make quiches or casseroles to hide meats and veggies and I have to make smoothies for her to eat fruits. She will eat a little of what I make for dinner and I usually end up giving her cheese and yogurt. It is so frustrating. HOWEVER...she eats pretty well at daycare. I think it is because they all eat together. She will even eat fruits and veggies there. My pedi wants me to go see a nutritionist but I am going to hold off for a while. 

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