Non-eater - is it right to withold pudding/toast?

ellasmummy · #1 (**permalink**) 07-03-08, 14:34

Help! My 10 month old was a good eater, however she is now becoming more and more fussy. I made her AK's salmon in chive sauce last night and she turned it down point blank, having a bit of a strop along the way, and I confess (guiltily!) that I was a little cross about it!

She's getting really fussy about savoury stuff I present to her, yet she will eat toast/rice cakes etc. and fruit/pudding till the cows come home.

A couple of friends have said she's waiting for me to present pudding or toast and I guess I do. They suggest that if savoury isn't eaten, just remove it but don't offer anything else.

Is this right?? I feel cruel thinking she's gone to bed with an empty tummy. AK seems to say this is what to do on her 'Fussy Children' eating tips, but for a 10 month old baby???????

Help! I want her to have savoury in her tummy too - maybe the days of puree are over and I should offer only finger foods which seem more successful.

Any ideas? Should I withold pudding and toast if she doesn't eat her main meal???

linasi · #2 (**permalink**) 07-03-08, 16:03

I haven't had this problem myself but a friend of mine had a problem with her DS who didn't like savoury but liked sweet stuff

...she made more of a big thing with sweet potato and turnips if you see what I mean?

I must admit I'm afraid if you offered me salmon in a chive sauce I'd turn that down too...maybe have a little nibble..lol .. but you say you have been having problems across the board savoury wise...

If she'll eat finger food perhaps try and focus on that for savoury for now? Carrots and cucumber are rather sweet?

*hugs* anyway... I haven't had a problem with my two... if they didn't eat things I just took them away and they didn't get anything and they soon learned... but apparently this is more luck than anything so I wish you all the luck in the world xxxxxx

kerri-anne · #3 (**permalink**) 07-03-08, 20:09

Hi and welcome.

First of all, yes you are right, everyone says thats what you should do - take the uneaten food away and give LO nothing else. However, that is so much easier said than done!!!!! I too hate the thought of LO going to bed with an empty tummy.

Why don't you try your LO with more finger foods first (you already mentioned they are more successful) and see if you still need to put the above action into practice. You never know your LO may love having the independence to feed herself and clear her plate! My LO refused anything from a spoon from the age of around 9 months so everything I give her she has to be able to eat with her fingers, to be honest though she manages to eat just about anything you put in front of her - it can be extremely messy but hey you can't have it both ways!!!

If the finger foods approach doesn't make your LO improve, then perhaps think about being a bit tougher. If you need any recipes for finger foods there is loads of threads with ideas and the recipes section on here has some good ideas too.

Good luck and keep us posted xxx

batmum · #4 (**permalink**) 09-03-08, 23:33

well, we have the same issue lately. all he wants to eat are blueberries. Part of me thinks, hey, they're good for him, I should let him have it... but then it gets out of hand. For two days he's refused everything at first glance and said "no, blueberry." I haven't given in and he's actually eaten most things. Today he had pasta and broccoli for lunch, which he normally loves, but he ate all the pasta and left every bit of broccoli in his bowl, and then wanted more pasta. I said no, not until he ate at least one piece of broccoli. He threw a fit. So I got him out of his chair and cleaned up. He was completely shocked and there were a lot of tears! But he ate dinner without complaint (granted, he had fish fingers so it wasn't like he at tofu without complaint or anything, but it's progress...)

So I do think it's best not to give in. If I know he really doesn't care for something, and I can see him trying to eat it anyway, then after a few bites I will usually let him have the fruit. But there haven't been many cases of this (I mean where something makes him gag, etc.) also, if I think he may be hungry at bedtime then I increase his bedtime bottle from 6oz to 8oz but your lo may not be on a bottle anymore. maybe offer a cup of milk before bed if it's been an especially bad eating day?

isabellasmum · #5 (**permalink**) 09-03-08, 23:51

I don't offer anything else if she doesn't eat her main meal. I've been doing this since she was about one.

I do sometimes feel mean but having seen firsthand a friends lo who refuses to eat almost every meal then eats puddings and biscuits afterwards happily I didn't want Isabella's fussiness to escalate. The going to bed on an empty tummy thing isn't a issue as lo soon realises they need to eat what is offered unless they aren't hungry.

Saying that my lo is unwell so I've been letting her eat whatever she wants atm bless her.

mitzigollop · #6 (**permalink**) 10-03-08, 16:30

i tend to take the food away and then take her out of her highchair and then wait for about 30/45 mins and give her something else whilst she's playing so i don't feel guilty and by then she's forgotten the link between dinner and the 'snack' so maybe you could try that.