11 month old won't eat at lunch time

[Shirlwith3]

I have had mindee N aged 11month's since Oct & since he has started he has hardly touched his lunch, I have tried offering it early(11.300 & after his afteroon nap at 2pm, mum has been providing his lunch sometiems it is home cooked sometimes in a jar will refuse both, so this week I tried him on a sandwich, the poor child didn't even know how to eat it he wiil suk it for a about 3sec but will either just sit with the bread in his hand or in his mouth (you can imgaine how it comes out if his mouth). I know he is not tired as he will sleep from 9 to lunch time if allowed & still sleep in the afternoon, he Just don't seem hungry he never crys when he is hungry or thursty. If I gave him a bottle of milk he would rather have that than eat.
I was out the other day so gave him a mini cheddar he would only eat about 3 of them as he had know idea how to eat it. He is a very heavy child too.
Must say he is the worst eat out of the fussy eaters that I have had over the time I have been mindign.

[Flisspaps]

Maybe he's just not hungry? If he's heavy he's clearly getting plenty in, just keep persevering and one day he'll probably fancy something at lunch.

What does his mum say about lunch at the weekends? Will he take lunch from her?

[ziggy]

i have a child now 2yrs old that wouldnt eat at lunch time at about that age, I just offered food every day and took it away if he refused. Told his mummy who said he eats on her knee at home from bits on her plate!!!!

Anyway he now eats most things (apart from sandwiches) but like you i worried about it at the time.

[Alibali]

Is he perhaps filling himself up with milk? That may be why he is heavy as well, I wonder if cutting out morning milk may help?

[kel1983]

The 21 month old i have wouldnt eat lunch before the christmas break. Over the christmas break her mum stopped giving her the morning milk and ever since she has eaten pretty much all her lunch. It seems that she was filling up on the milk in the mornings.

[Bridey]

Have you spoken to the parent to find out what he eats at home and is the parent aware he's not eating at yours. If he's merrily eating the right food at home and if the parent isn't concerned then I would just relax and go with the flow rather than make mealtimes stressful for you both.

[Shirlwith3]

Mum provides food for him, if I gave him the jogurt or fruit pot that mum packs he would eat without a problem. I must say I don't give him the milk, but do know that he has milk & breakfast before coming to mine. I have even tryed not to give him a morningsnack to see if that helps but it don't.
Mum did say before chrstmas that he would not eat his tea in the evening but is now eating his tea well. Just don't know what else to do beside not giving him anything to eat at lunchtime.

[mushpea]

I look after a child that has a breakfast bigger than i could eat then has his evening meal plus eats mums too hence he is not hungry at lunch time,, no matter how much i explain to the parents that he is eating far to much for his age they dont listen,, he is now 3yrs old and bigger than he needs to be.

[SYLVIA]

I have a little one that wouldn't eat at all when she first came. Mum was woried and allowed her to eat anything at every opportunity. So meal times didn't matter. I made her eat at the table at meal times. If not she waited to the next meal. Didn't take long and now she eat really well. Just don't stress and go with the flow

[Shirlwith3]

I feel it itis the the parents that are concerned more as every time they come to pick him up they ask how has he eaten today. I too have the feeling that he eats a big breakfast for his age. He is extremely heavy as every day my back aches from lifting he is walking now but mum has not got him any proper shoes so have to carry him alot.


thanks for the support everyone, I have had children before that had issues with eating but none of them was this young.

Shirl

[Bridey]

The trouble is that mealtimes are imposed on us by society. I eat when I'm hungry at weekends and eat far less than I do during the week when I eating as part of a daily routine.

[The Juggler]

Is he perhaps filling himself up with milk? That may be why he is heavy as well, I wonder if cutting out morning milk may help?

exactly what I was thinking. not knowing how to chew finger food and his size could indicate perhaps he has quite a lot of milk. if mum offers both together perhaps he has the milk and leaves the food??

[Mollymop]

If he is a healthy heavy child I would just keep perserving, with help from parents and I am sure one day soon he will eat his lunch for you. If he is eating breakfast for mum ok and eats his morning snack I wouldn't be overly concerned that he is going to go hungry, etc, if he was hungry I am sure he would eat it? Hope it works out soon sounds frustrating for little one

[Vickster]

My daughter doesn't really do lunch, she has a snack at about 10.30am but won't do lunch even if she does not have a snack. She eats dinner usually. She is such a picky eater, but does still like her milk at night and in the morning. I Just keep offerring her food, she has been better recently. She is 19 months. My son was completely different, he would eat most things.

[Shirlwith3]

I offered him some finger food at 10am this morning, that mum put in his bag (tuc biscuits) & he spent over an hour with it in his mouth, I even broke it up into small pieces & said "right eat 2 bits & you can have the jogurt", guess what that didn't work, I even gave him a selection of finger food from toast with marmite, peanut butter & some chopped up cheese he was not even going to touch them.
Oh mum put in his diary if he won't eat food then give him a bottle of milk either before his nap or after. I feel giving him the milk is giving in to him.

[marnieb]

it sounds like he doesnt know how to eat???

Check with mum that he's being the correct type of food for his age - maybe she's still giving him pureed or mashed food??

Try him on a puree yourself and see if he eats it.

You're right he should be eating sandwiches, crackers, etc, but if he's just sitting with it in his mouth then he either doesnt know how to eat it, or he is just really lazy and maybe mum gives into him and gives him things she knows he will eat (yogs etc) and he's trying it on with you??

[Helen79]

Tuc biscuits are very dry and salty and quite hard for a baby to eat. I'd ask mum to bring some fruit that might be easier for him to eat.
My mindees are just over 1years old and are just getting the hang of sandwiches and toast. I've been offering them crumpets which are easier to bite and chew and lots of fruit. One eats loads and the other will have a tiny nibble and then leave the rest as he's just not a big eater.
At 11 months I'm still happy to spoon feed meals if that's how they prefer to eat and offer finger foods aswell.

[Shirlwith3]

marnieb you are that is what i am thinking, oly thing is when mum provides his cooked meals they are very lumpy, she also packs a fruit pot & jougurt which Iknow he will eat with out a problem which is really anoying. oh when I have given him a biscuit he is the same as finger food will suck on it for a sec then will just mash it up all over the place. I also think he is haveing too much at breakfast time & too much milk.
think I might go back to basics with him & see how he goes.

shirl

[Shirlwith3]

UPDATE
Spoke to Dad today when I dropped lo home & asked what he has for breakfast & said 2 weatabix's & a bottle of milk the poor child is 11 months no wonder he is not hungry after having all that for breakfast.
when my kids that age they would only manage about 1 whole one with milk added with fruit.

shirl

[mrsoliver]

Food under one is just for fun!!! Do not cut down on milk, as babies under one still get the majority of their fat, calories and nutrients from milk.

But do continue to offer a variety of finger foods so he becomes used to it.