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Toddlers: 12 - 24 Months
honeydew01
member
DD's new eating phase
honeydew01
member
DD is 15 months old and a very picky eater and a stubborn toddler as well. I need help with the newest phase we are in now. Previously it was a miracle if she drank a few ounces of milk (or really any liquid), now the new phase is her chugging down the milk at mealtimes and then refusing to touch the solids.
We offer her milk at mealtimes and water in between. No juice. Sometimes I put a few berries or fruit in her water to make it flavorful. Here are things I've tried:
1. Gently taking away the milk after she has had a few sips, results in fussing and crying each time no matter how I try to take it away.
2. Not offering her milk, as in not have it anywhere in sight, so she'd eat the solid. She'd sit there and refuse to touch the food still and constantly call out for her milk.
3. I figured if she likes drinking now, I could get some of the nutrients (veggies/fruits) via smoothies, she refuses smoothies.
4. Switching it up and offering her water, instead of milk, at mealtimes.
6. Pouring little milk in the cup instead of filling it up all the way..
This has been going on for 9-10 days now.
Additional info: In addition to refusing solids, she has been sleeping more than usual recently and seems cranky and tired when she is awake (yawns constantly and rubs her eyes). She had her 15 month appointment on Friday, doctor checked her mouth/ears and said she doesn't see anything that could be contributing to her not eating/sleeping more so "wait and see" I guess. She did get DD her vaccines and was cranky this weekend and continued to sleep a lot and not eat.
Is there anything I can do or just wait it out and hope that she'd go back to touching her solids again..thank you!
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Re: DD's new eating phase
I would probably wait it out. Could it be teeth? I know when my DD is teething, her solid intake is always much less than her liquid intake. It usually only lasts 3 or 4 days at the most, though. Or did your DD receive any live vaccines (MMR or Chickenpox) at her 15 month visit? Fever/irritability from live vaccines can take 7-10 days to even present.
Thanks Nic! I have been offering it with meals because as you know we struggle to get her eat anything and was worried that she'd fill up on milk if we offered it in between with snacks. She is refusing snacks all together. It's 12 pm now and she didn't touch breakfast (for days now actually) nor wanted snack or water, all she has had is 6 oz of milk at 8 am.
If I don't give her milk at mealtimes she just sits there grumpy and then starts throwing food on the ground, after two warnings I take the food away. I just don't know what else to do
it seems like a lose lose situation whether I give her milk or not..
I thought she is probably coming down or fighting something last week when it all started and have been waiting to see if it goes away, she has no obvious signs like fever or I would have taken her in earlier last week...whatever it is, it's taking its time I suppose. On Friday when we discussed it with the doctor, she basically said "interesting, I don't know what's going on..I guess wait and see..." I was hesitant to give her shots to her on Friday but Dr assured me that it won't make things worse.
Yes, she has been super grumpy and high maintenance pretty much all day, like she wakes up and wants to be held constantly by only me. Even if I have to put her down to use the restroom, she is pissed and throws things around like a tantrum and just looks pretty unhappy. This is totally not my happy go around girl so I know something is not right. I feel terrible and don't really know what to do anymore besides holding her constantly and my back hurts so bad from holding her.
I called the nurse and she said to give her Tylenol if she is fussy and try Pediasure. Pediasure looked like full of sugar when I looked at the ingredients, but whatever, I went and bought some this morning and gave it to her, she did not want it. She made the disgusting face and wanted her milk. It's so weird how we could go from hoping that she would drink a couple of ounces of milk a day to a new found obsession of milk. My husband jokes and says be careful what you wish for...
Anyway, I guess I'll keep waiting it out..thanks so much for trying to help me out.
With DD is this way currently. We are working on the tough love approach. She is 14MO and i am about 5MO pregnant so my fuse is running a little shorter than usual. We had a doctors appointment yesterday and I was advised that this is the stage where she takes everything in! For food as soon as it hits the floor we let her know its all gone. She hates milk but loves water. We are a NO juice family and your idea of fruit in water is genius! Why we havnt thought of it i dont know! Now that you have a smidge of background
During meals we only give her food on her tray/bowl for about 4-5 bites and then refill as she keeps going. There was a post a few weeks ago about how a child wont starve themselves. Some truth to that. Then again it seems like something more is wrong. she should be hungry enough to eat by now. If she is so hungry/empty she isnt hungry (if that makes sense) you need to find a food she loves and push that until she is full again. With the pedialite our DD wouldnt take it at first either. SO we made it into a fun little popsicle for her. She thinks she is getting a treat but in reality we are! If she is a picky eater you may try a meal time buffet where you give her options out of this world and see what she picks and chooses. Annoying at first but will help you in the long run. We've started a time out spot on the sofa when the tantrums start so she knows and can associate that if i start screaming/kicking/ owning the place, im going to the sofa. It has always pained me to have to "discipline" her in any way shape or form but i refuse to be the mom in public trying to pick up a limp child because she knows she can get away with it.
I hope some if any of this was helpful! every child is different and you truly have to just wait it out. If you feel inside that something more is wrong and your doctor just seems to be pushing it to the side dont hesitate to step up to the plate for your LO there could be something more. You're doing a great job!