Baby Grandson's eating

[Gemini]

My younger grandson is 18 months old. He has always been well fed. Breastfed for the first weeks, then bottle, weaned onto healthy foods, always offered a good variety of good food.
For the last few months he has been a picky eater. Suddenly not wanting things he had liked,and often refusing food. He will always have milk, raisins, and bit of things like pasta, bananas and toast. But not the satisfying amount of food we like to see them eating!
We have put this down to teething which he has been doing a lot of. DD however was still worried, so talked to her health visitor about it.

HV was very reassuring. They went through all that had happened in GS's life since he lost interest in food. In 10 weeks he had : a chest infection, 3 colds, a sickness bug, got 8 teeth, learnt to walk, transitioned to just one afternoon nap and dropped all his daytime bottles (apart from some Grandma sneaks him when he's not eaten well )
HV thinks it is almost certainly the teething that has triggered this, but that so many changes in a short time may have knocked his body clock out of sync a bit. As long as he isn't losing weight, which he isn't, and is having plenty of dairy and his vitamin supplements, and is happy and active, not to worry.
She also said not to worry too much about letting him have things he will eat, like cereal, toast, raisins, pasta, bananas, breadsticks, cheese sandwiches etc, while continuing to offer other foods alongside them.

I have no experience of difficult eaters really. DDs 1 and 2 were a dream to feed. DD3 was a little more fussy than them in that there were foods she wouldn't eat, but nothing like this.

Fingers crossed that this will soon rectify itself and he will be a good eater again.

[Nanto2girls]

I agree with with if he isn't losing weight, it's not something to worry about too much.
One day, he will probably eat something that he didn't like before.
When Rosie who will be 15 next month was little, she would eat anything,now she doesn't like a lot of those things.
She used to love puddings, now the only dessert she will eat is ice cream. Before she would eat any hot or cold puddings,
whether it was with custard/cream.

[Gemini]

It's funny how their tastes change isn't it Nan2? My GD loved olives as a baby and toddler. Now as an 8 year old, she hates them and has for several years.

[Oma]

My boys were the same , ate anything and everything ,
Then at around 2 GS1 went off a lot of things and was a nightmare to get to eat , and he took so long , we would even have to tell him to chew and swallow .
Now at 13 some day's there is no filling him .and he will try most things .
GS2 on the other hand has always ate anything and still does , he's like a puppy dog very food motivated

We found with GS1 not to make a fuss and if he was eating say cheese to put something else he wasn't keen on onto the plate . 9 times out of 10 he would just pick it up and eat it ,
He wont starve maybe its not the best food you would want him to eat but at least he's eating

[Nana]

As you probably remember my GS1 wouldn't eat. He's still not a good eater but at least he'll make more of an effort now. The doctor said he seems to have enough energy so let him eat what he fancies. I'll be much happier when he actually sits down & eats most of what's on his plate.

My GS2 who used to eat everything seems to only want sausages now ....with the skin off, but not the ends❤ They're funny little souls aren't they.

[Plantaholic]

My husband was a bad eater as a child, his mother took him to the doctors as he would only eat custard and cake, the doctor said let him eat custard and cake. My daughter, having four children, used to put a very small amount of what they didn't like and encouraged them to try it. Love the sausage skin ends Nana

[Daisy]

I think Plant's OH's doctor was right! One of my DS's was very picky and at one time lived on yoghurt, bananas, weetabix and eggs - he'd have 3 out of the 4 every day. He's still fussy (can most often be heard saying "but that's not food - it's green and poisonous"!) He's nearly 6' and very fit, so it didn't do him any harm!

I read somewhere that children have a built-in survival instinct that puts them off eating something that may be toxic for them, so they become quite cautious around food and stick to a few known items. Also, of course, there's an element of "I can make a choice so I will, and it's no!"

Have you tried eating with him and offering something off your own plate that he wouldn't normally eat?

I'm sure he'll grow out of it. GD1 was a great eater - even mashed swede! but wouldn't touch roast dinners. Now she loves them!

[Oma]

Daisy funny you should mention the Toxic thing , as most of you know I'm allergic to Shell fish and Mollusc's
I have never eaten them, never fancied them ,
Even as a child when everyone went winkle picking or bought them at the seaside I would shudder at the thought of anything from the sea apart from Cod .
Maybe it was my own defence mechanism telling me they were Toxic to me .

[Daisy]

Oma - I really believe as children we have instincts which either we ignore, or get overridden by adults saying 'you must eat this'. If we look back now at things we didn't like as children, they are probably things we still don't care for much. You were right to steer clear of shellfish, etc.

[Qwerty]

Gem I had this problem when we were weaning DS he never was a good eater, took him to the doctor several times and eventually a paediatrician who told us no child ever starved itself and just to give him what he wanted so he lived on Birds Eye mousses and the cheapest Swiss roll we could find wouldn’t eat the good stuff , he was like that till he went to school and then picked up and ate most things then , he’s 6 ft 2 ins now still very slim but eats like a horse and a good cook too . Don’t worry too much he will be fine frustrating as it is

[Shemadee]

DD1 lived for about two years having weetabix for breakfast, no lunch and then cheese, cream crackers and a few crisps for her evening meal. I was amazed when she started school and announced that she had eaten liver and mashed potato for her lunch. A few days later she told me that she had flat sausages and hard boiled egg - scotch eggs! Hard not to worry at the time but amazing how they can thrive without fruit and veg.

[Gemini]

Thanks everyone, reading all your accounts helps a lot!

[Nana]

Thanks for putting this up Gem. I've been so worried about my GS1 but reading all the responses it's more common than I thought.👍

[Gemini]

It does help to hear about other children, doesn't it, nana?

DD messaged me and the other gran to say GS2 has eaten all his food today
We shall see how he is when I have him tomorrow.

[Gemini]

He is still very up and down with his eating. Some days he eats well, others we just can't get him to eat any sort of meal. Just toast, breadsticks, yogurt ,raisins etc. He won't try it or let you get the spoon anywhere near him, he shouts, moves his head from side to side and firmly closed his mouth!
Apparently he eats a good breakfast often having seconds of his cereal, followed by toast or a banana and milk. The rest of the day, not so good. I wonder if it would work to offer him some sort of meal with spoon or fork at breakfast time. When DD gets back at the end of the week I will mention it.