I started giving Sammy solid foods when he was about 4 1/2 months old. We started with the rice cereal, and then moved on to the fruits and veggies. Besides being stopped up, we had no problems. He ate everything just fine. Well. at about 6 1/2 months, something completely changed. He did not want to eat anymore. I had to start using distractions to get him to eat. I would have to hold up a toy, and then when he would open his mouth, I would shove the spoonful in. This worked for a while, but eventually he caught on to what I was doing. Well, once we started table food (a few months later), he was a much happier guy. I think he enjoyed being able to actually feed himself, as he is a pretty independent fellow. He has never been the type to just eat and eat, but I would place a variety of food on his tray, and he would eat some. Then, when he stopped eating, I would also give him a jar of baby food because I know that he hadn't eaten enough on his own (and, I would always have to use distractions to get the jar down).
Well, now, I put food on his tray, and he MAY take 3-5 bites, and then he screams his head off to get down. I know that this is why he is screaming because as soon as I take him out of the highchair and set him on the floor, he is fine. Laughing, and just all over the place. His pediatrician said that this is a hard age because now that he has the independence of walking, he doesn't want to take the time to eat, he wants to explore his world. BUT, what am I suppossed to do??? It has gotten to the point where I DREAD meal time because I know it will be a battle of the wills. I have tried making fun little games that we play while he is in his highchair, and he likes those, but as soon as I try to get him to eat, it is a whole different story. I don't think I would worry SO much if we weren't already having weight problems, but we are, so I am just stuck!
If your child, or anyone else you know has been through something similar, please let me know. I am at my whits end trying to figure out how to get my child to eat!
Rhonda
(Sammy's mom)
Member comments
Hi Rhonda, having just come through eating issues with our new daughter I know exactly how you feel. It is a very scary thing, especially since Sammy is already having sleep issues.
I'm not sure how you structure your dinners but since it sounds like Sammy doesn't like sitting at the highchair/table to eat so maybe you could try feeding him while he is running around. My sister used to do this with the kids, feed them while they were playing with their toys or watching a movie or drawing, etc. Her boys had too much energy to sit down to eat too.
Thank you so much for your advice! I am definitely going to give this a try! At this point, I will try anything! I will let you know how it works out for us.
Rhonda
(Sammy's mom)
Ok, I've just searched and can't find this article on-line. It was in our local 'KC Baby' magazine that I read everyday while waiting for my daughter at school. I thought of you as soon as I started reading! It was called 'boys vs. girls'. Now bare with me, I've got to tell you a little about the article so the point makes sense, but it just could work.
It starts out with a mom sitting at a table with her two kids, a boy and a girl. She asks the girl what she did in school today and gets a 20 minute reply with all the details she doesn't want to hear; while her son is quietly playing with a toy ignoring them completely. Then she asks the boy 'what did you do at school today' his reply- 'nothing'. She then day after day goes on like this. Finally, desparate and willing to try anything tells her son 'I'll give you this oreo for just one piece of information about what you did today', he looked up at her and said 'Joel' as he snatched the cookie. Whoo Hoo she thought, finally! He's going to let me in! 'what about Joel', at this point he looked at her like - 'well, that's going to cost another cookie!' So, the story goes on and on like this and the end point is that men are from mars and women are from venus and this starts at an extremely early age.
I bet you're thinking...So, why did I think of you and what the hecks my point?
Have you tried to bribe him? Tell him that you'll let him have a cookie (very small of course) but if you let him eat that 1st then he has to eat 5 bites of big boy food. Make sure the cookie is only a bite size so that by the time he's done with his whole meal he has had maybe half a cookie - that won't hurt anything and it'll only add calories! :-)
Anyway, I thought maybe since we are from Venus and we are trying to feed creatures from Mars we might need to look at it in a different light. When all else fails, bribery will always work on men, boys, guys, dudes, whatever male being they may be! They are in capable of saying "no" to cookies!
Just another thought!
Live, Laugh, Love
Alicia ~ Regan and Lexi's mom
LOL! I LOVE it! And, thank you SO much for thinking of me! There are these cookies, they are the little animal crackers that Gerber makes, that he LOVES. But, I have never given them to him as a bribe. Honestly, if he wanted to eat an entire bag of them, I would probably let him just because he needs the calories! BUT - do you think that he could really understand what I was doing if I bribed him? Sometimes I feel like he doesn't understand anything I say at all! I think I will definitely give it a try, though. He probably understands more than I give him credit for. Again, thank you for your wonderful ideas!
And, I just love the article, because it is SO true how men are SO different from women! And, I defintely think that once Sammy really understands what is going on, that bribery will play a major role in our eating habits..."5 more bites, and THEN you can go play video games!" I honestly can't wait until I can reason with him! Then, he will be eating better, at least. I am sure there will be other problems that we are dealing with!
Rhonda
(Sammy's mom)
Clara must have a lot of her daddy in her lol. We bribe her with "desert" all the time! "If you eat your meat then you can have a cookie." LOL
Jessica
http://www.roseslife.blogspot.com