Any other Toddlers REFUSING to EAT ??

OK, I know that their appetites go WAY down after 1 year, because they are SO much more active and curious and busy with everything around them, but if John Anthony could have his way, he'd only have milk and baby cereal/oatmeal (with a jar of Gerber fruits thrown in) ALL DAY

My Dr mentioned that in the next year theyre only expected to gain 4lbs (isnt that amazing???) but Im still concerned about his refusing to eat.

I try to give him snacks throughout the day
Yogurt
Whole Wheat Bread
American Cheese
Cottage Cheese
Fruit (Either cut up or the jars)
Cheerios
GOldfish

And I find that he still LOVES and ADORES his Gerber Fruit Jars AND his Gerber Stage 3 food. He will eat these with NO problem. and thank goodness the Stage 3 is pretty chunky and hearty with veggies and carbs and everything nutritious. But Ive really stopped the jars, havent bought them in weeks, but I realized that at least he ATE something when I had them...

Pasta and meatballs is a hit or miss. (and when its a HIT, ITs a HIT and I couldnt be happier )
Soup is not his favorite. I change the noodles all the time, add veggies, add tomato sauce, add chicken, let him eat with his hands, let him play with the spoon, entertain him, etc.

Ive waited till he asks for 'Latte' and tried to feed him then, knowing its a hunger moment , but the story is the same...

It's a workout to feed him a meal lately.
and I know this is not with ALL toddlers because my nephew (20m - 4m older) is a little bottomless pit. He will OPEN WIDE
for as long as you want to shovel it in He eats maybe 4 times the amount and its always been this way, since they were infants.

MOMMIES-Whats a 'full meal' for your little ones? Should I be concerned or should I just continue with snacks all day, and the jars (Which I dont want to...) but hey, its getting nutrition in him...

IDeas? ADvice?

No advice, but my friend's daughter is JA's age, and she couldn't care less if she ever eats, so I think it's pretty much normal.

Luke is still a big eater although he will occasionally refuse stuff but as long as JA is getting enough nutrition from the different food groups it's probably OK to give him the same tried & true stuff if he refuses other things. Always keep those on hand but still try the other things.

Does he eat other meats? Almost every day Luke gets a turkey and cheese sandwich for lunch. (2 or 3 slices of turkey, 1 slice American cheese, 1 slice of bread). I cut it into cubes. Maybe try that so he gets some turkey? What about eggs? I do cheese omelets or scrambled eggs 2 or 3x a week for breakfast. If he's snacking all day long, he may be getting more than you realize.

If he still likes the Stage 3 meals, I don't see anything wrong with still giving those so you know he's getting enough.

Is he teething with the molars? Actually Im sure he is but is he showing any signs of them bothering him at the moment? That might make him less gung-ho about eating.

Maybe's he's going through a period of not growing as much at the moment. The opposite of when they are in a growth spurt and eat and sleep alot.

I'm sure he's thriving, I remember my one nephew going through a stage of refusing, I think he was about 1 1/2 years and it passed, just when you're a Mommy of course you worry through it.

THanks girls.

Liz- When I do make eggs, he has some (maybe a spoonful or 2 if I were to measure) and then plays with the rest.
He loves his american cheese and wheat bread. (pane and formaggio )

As far as meats, chicken, then when I make meatballs, theyll be either ground turkey or ground beef... I havent bought cold cuts much, so when I do I give him some, but other than that, I havent given him many coldcuts.. Gotta try that more often

He's DEFINATLY teething with the molars, and sometimes thats why I think he prefers the softer stuff. He'll have his hand WAY in the back of his mouth and will turn away if he sees a spoon coming towards him with anything other than MUSH

God job eating, Lukie !

I don't have advice but I have the same problem. Liv is 13 months and some days she just wants milk -
she starts out good in the morning - so I think this is going to be a good day.
At lunch I get a whole bunch of food out and maybe she'll eat 1/2 piece of chees - by 3:00 she's hungy and just wants milk and maybe a few cheerios -
On days like this by dinner - I'm pulling everything out of the fridge...
I don't get it...
My sister on the other had has to keep her son out of the kitchen b/c he wants to eat all day long.

Anna....you're doing everything right....just remember to keep offering him something, and he'll eat when he's hungry. Liz offered some great advice...you really have to try many things with them. Try some boiled carrots or string beans, cut up bananas, apples, pears...even the little clementines (Paul LOVES them!)

One dish that Paul just LOVES without fail is pastina with butter, milk and parmesan cheese (my little Italian). He will eat that until the cows come home! So, whenever I feel that he hasn't eaten enough, I make that for dinner!

Regarding serving sizes...a good 'portion' for a toddler is about 1/4 cup of food...so, JA is probably getting more than you realize - especially with all the snacking throughout the day. Try not allowing him to snack so much and see if his appetite increases at mealtimes. Also, you might try sticking to a strict mealtime schedule (if you're not already). Kids like predictability, and if he knows it's 'lunchtime' or 'dinnertime' he might eat better.

wow I am glad I read this thread...julianne is going thru this too and it is driving me crazy!!1

she used to eat practically everything...now she goes thru days where she will have ahrdly anything to eat. AMerican cheese, rice pudding, a piece of bread, maybe some applesauce, cut up grapes, strawberries, yogurt...those are her fav things.

I dont know why but it is aggravating me...esp when she takes each piece, lokos at momma with that SLY SMILE and then drops it/throws it on the floor.

How do you guys keep your cool when they do this?? I have tried saying 'no' but she jsut smiles...so I have done the no- reaction type of response and that baffles her ...or I will say 'ok are you finidhed with dinner? is dinner over? ' and just take her out of the seat.

I guess this is a stage...

dont worry ANNA I still buy jarred foods too 'cause she seems to eat these more often than not...I usually try to get EArth's best...but wauldbaums has a limited selection too choose from...so sometimes it is Gerber fruits too.
I also found it is hit or miss with the Beech Nut 'graduates' typs of meals...where there are those little microwave meals...sometimes yes and sometimes no

Hard to keep on a budget when they are throwing food on the floor!

Perfectly normal. I would call my sister freaking out. And she said he won't starve believe me when he's hungry he'll eat. Of course I thought she was nuts but Patricks pediatrician said the same thing.
When I got real worried I would give him a PediaSure daily. So, I knew he was getting the vitamins he needed.

Another trick is try not to give him snacks. (which I know is hard) but then he might eat 3 meals!

Patrick is still a VERY picky eater. If he had it his way he would never eat meat!! He lives on Potatoes & vegg at dinner time. he will eat pasta but not always.

Another thing his Doctor said is to keep trying him at things he has said no to. He said sooner or later he will eat it!!