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View Full Version : Advice Please - 2 year old wont eat



kel1983
23-03-2011, 12:26 PM
I have a lo who will be 2 on monday. She wont eat. Not at mine or home. It is getting frustrating.

You ask her what fruits she wants and she gets excited about the food but then you put it in front of her and she either pushes it straight away and says "no like it" or tries a bit, chews it up and then spits it back out.

This is the same for all food. I have talked to mum and she does it at home too. I think mum is getting desperate for advice now and I just cant give her any.

Today all she has eaten is a small handful of raisins for am snack and half a piece of toast and a Jaffa cake for lunch. Mum supplys lunch. In her lunch box she also had beans (She usually loves these) and satsuma. She usually has yoghurt too which she has no trouble eating.

Has anyone else got some advice on how we can get her to eat.

She seems really healthy. She is not underweight. One thing I have noticed in the last few days is that she has been really tired by lunch time. She does have a sleep after lunch and can sleep up to 2 hours. Not sure whether this could be a reason for her not eating.

Any advice would be greatfully received

Pipsqueak
23-03-2011, 12:29 PM
A child won't starve themselves.
This child is getting nutrients from somewhere therefore eating.

Try giving smaller portions, less choice
take it away after a certain amount of time.
get into a routine

so unless they are failing to thrive, losing weight and showing other symptoms then it could be a case of persevere

could be LO needs a nap before lunch time

nicoleon
23-03-2011, 12:43 PM
I agree, children sometimes go through phases of not eating much - they just don't need it. Has this been going on for long?

If she isn't loosing any weight, I don't see a problem apart form parents getting stressed by it.

I wouldn't make a big deal of her eating at meal times, that's what I did with my DD. Just put the food in front of her and then cleared the plate away, sometimes she hadn't even touched it. Then she would have her yoghurt and that's it.

Children do like to fill up on Milk and yoghurts in my experience, so if she drinks a lot of milk, that might be one reason.

Another thought, as she is pushing things away apart from nice soft yoghurt - could she have an issue in her mouth? Have her teeth and palette / gums been checked by a dentist? Maybe it hurts her to chew? Just a thought but might be worth following up on.

In the mean time - don't get stressed and reassure mum :thumbsup:

mr man
23-03-2011, 12:51 PM
i have the excat same issue with a lo who is 32 months.
paretns did say at the beginning - he wont eat anything ( oh execpt cheerios and yoghurt :rolleyes: ) waffle and smily faces - :( shoot me now but i did say to day we dont have them sorry. but my thinking is potstoes done come in s smily face.
well it was a huge battle and still is - i can see his curiosity when sitting with the other children, and sometime he will try it, thats all i ask him.
he sees it, pushes the plate away and goes 'errghhhh' ( drives me nuts this but now the others ahve stopped laughing (after talks) he doesnt do it now.

after giving lots of diff choices and not eating or even trying them ( no good for the food bill either) he has on offer what the others have and thats it. i do now incorparte what dad says he'll eat fish fingers ( probably the only frozen thing i have) so one day we have this when he is here.


it is oqrrying when they've not eaten anything decent enough - so words od reassurance there from pipsqueak - child wont starve themselves. :phew:

willl be wathcing for ideas too.
i have done stickers which worked well for a bit but then he was so impressed.

The Juggler
23-03-2011, 02:16 PM
i think often children who don't eat like this are often 'given in to' and will hold out for yoghurts, milk drinks or other treats. Especially those who it easy to see are far from fading away from the lack of food. It' s more worrying with very tiny children who are bordering underweight and really not eating anything.

I think the best way round it is, as Pip says, to give tiny portions, the portion size can put them off. So 1/4 sandwich , 1 cheese stick, 1 slice cucumber or one spoon ful of hot dinner. No issues made over it, if she doesn't want it or pushes it away, remove her plate and just carry on chatting with her and others.

It could be tiredness though if she's not eating at home either then it might not be. Def. worth checking out teeth and gums as someone suggested though:thumbsup:

kel1983
23-03-2011, 04:47 PM
Thanks all for the advice. I think we need to stop stressing too much about it.

I had a quick chat with mum and we are going to try and stop making lunch time and dinner time a big thing. We are going to put the food in front of her and then after a while just clear it away and continue on.

I think the LO knows it annoys mummy and unfortunately her mum does give in and give her treats as she knows she will eat these.

Oh well I hope it works for the mums sake.

Thanks again