What Would You Do? 15 Month Old Eating Q

After reading your original post and your SWH, here's what I am thinking, mom. He knows you are desperate for him to eat. That's causing him some stress and he is reacting to it by not really wanting to eat. He also is starting to figure out that he can push the food away and you will try all kinds of things to get him to eat. That ratches up the process so that you are willing to even feed him the floor.

Instead, go ahead and employ the reverse psychology. He's already shown you that he falls for it. Allow him to eat from your plate, although you aren't encouraging it. Keep eating from your plate so that he knows it's going to be gone quickly, and he'll keep wanting it. Perhaps you can even start eating HIS food. He might start wanting to eat it so that you don't eat it.

As far as milk is concerned, start transitioning to 4% milk. Add it to his formula over a few weeks until it's just milk. When he's hungry, put one inch of milk in his cup and tell him that he can eat after he drinks his milk. That includes what is on your plate. When he sees you eating and only has a sippy cup, he'll drink the milk. Only put a little bit of food on his plate, and when he wants more, give him another inch of milk.

In between meals, give him milk. Make sure that he gets foods with calcium and a vitamin. I'd measure the amount of milk he actually drinks every day and ask the doc how much milk he needs now.

Good luck,
Dawn

You've answered your own question. Sit down to eat with him and let him eat what you're eating.

We had this too, DS prefered whatever was on our plate to what was on his, even if it was the same foods. Also, he liked using his fork and spoon to feed us. We let him. Table manners can be improved later. He was eating nutritious adult food, no matter if it was off his plate or ours.

Good luck to you and yours,
F. B.

My 17th month old son was like that for awhile (a few months) and sometimes is still like that. He would eat a couple of bites of the chicken/grilled cheese or whatever I gave him but would reach out begging to eat my taco as soon as I sat down. I tried making him a "mini-taco" with just cheese on a small soft shell rolled up but it just wasn't as appetizing as mommy's! So I finally started eating whatever I wanted him to eat. Bowls of cereal, oatmeal, chicken whatever. I try to only eat something myself that would be okay for him to have (which at this age, is pretty much everything). sorry I don't have much other input. Is your son still waking up at night for milk? I assume not, but if so - I noticed a big difference in how well my son ate during the day when I stopped letting him have milk during the night (which, embarrassingly, was only a few weeks ago...). good luck! i'm sure if he sleeps through the night without waking up for food and he seems okay during the day, then he is getting enough.

You say that he wants your food....then give it to him. My daughter had no interest in baby food and started table food at about 10 months old. As long as its not a choking hazard or you are watching them....give small bites of the real stuff. Some babies hate that puréed stuff.

If I understand correctly he wants to eat your food, why aren't you giving it to him? Have you ever tasted baby food, I would refuse it as well.

All four of my kids were eating the same stuff as we were by the time they were one.

My second child had no interest in food until he was around 18 months. He stayed on breast milk until then. When he wanted food - you guessed it - he wanted our food. When I mentioned to our pedi that son doesn't want "baby" food (the pureed stuff my first child loved). He said it was because he sees everyone else eating a different kind of food and he wants what they have, so since your son is interested in your food, I'd give it to him:)
maybe make a little extra. I personally would keep giving him a formula or fortified drink until you feel his eating habits have evened out to where you are comfortable.
No hard-fast rules on it, so I'd go with your gut. The formula can't hurt:)

He hasn't been eating food because you've continued to give him formula. You are supposed to begin switching to milk maybe at 11 months to make a full transition by year 1 for a reason. They no longer need formula!

Even by 9 months, formula should really be in a cup served alongside meals, and then supplementally between meals as needed.

My advice would be to cut the formula, start serving him milk in a regular cup (not a sippy...he'll learn quick, I promise...just put an inch or so in at a time) at meal times, and start serving him nice meals.

Serve very small portions at first...just a few bites of each thing...for example, half a piece of whole wheat toast with peanut butter, a tiny bowl full of yogurt, strawberries cut into bite size chunks, and a little pile of peas. That's a typical lunch for my toddler...or you could try tuna salad served with crackers or pita chips (something of that nature...something to "scoop it" with), string cheese, apple slices, and sweet potatoes. Something like that.

If you stick with it, he'll begin to eat. My toddler (2.5) is extremely picky, but I serve her what I make and she has good and bad meals...and she's perfectly fine for weight and height. Growing like a weed, and yes, sometimes she entirely skips a meal.