Decrease in Appetite

Yes. My daughter is now 3 and eats fine but for the first 2 years she would not eat meat and wanted milk all the time. She'd take a few bites of food but never ate a whole meal. They grow out of it.

Yes, I would say it's just a phase. I have 4 kids, all mine did this off and on. Eating tons for a bit, stabilizing, eating almost nothing, drinking nothing. As long as there aren't other accompanying symptoms to be concerned about, it's most likely just a stage.

I think almost all children go through this. My son loved to eat when he was a baby but boy has that changed. He is almost 3 now and he doesn't want to eat anything but maybe some cheese and his chocolate milk. He also likes those fruit gummy snacks. My daughter just turned one and she is starting to be the same way. She still eats better then my son Tyler but she doesn't eat as much as she use to. I think it is a phase and most experts say around this age they start showing a disinterest in eating. They're to engaged in everthing else to want to stop and eat!

Her growth rate as an infant is starting to slow down, so she isn't as hungry. At about this time, it seems kids will live on air and love and a bit of bread. I think you should encourage her to eat a good breakfast, then let her slide on lunch and dinner. Some baby advice books suggest this is what kids do natually ; breakfast is the big meal, with lighter eating at lunch and dinner (when you think about it, that sounds pretty healthy for all humans) Just try not to make an issue of her style of eating.

My daughter didn't really go through this, though when she turned one she caught a cold which would cause her to vomit after every meal, no matter how little if fed her. She finally got over it and went back to her normal eating.

She's four now and I try to make sure eats healthy meals. I strongly encourage breakfast of just about anything, mostly because my mother didn't care if I ate breakfast or not (she was too busy to insist) and I think I suffered for it as a child. I do insist she finish her vegetables and she takes a children's vitamin. I make sure she has kid sized portions. One day I have to make sure I keep my hands away from her because she is eating everything in sight, and the next day she'll only nibble her favorite foods.

Remember, she is human like you. Somedays I don't feel like eating much, and the next. . .well, let's just say chocolate isn't safe in my house.

Hope this helps. Remember when she is a teenager you'll be going to the grocery store everyday to make sure there is enough food in the house.

Hope this helps.

My son (almost 19 months) goes through ups and downs with his appetite all the time. It's typically related to teething, or he just doesn't feel well. Like you, I'm not worried either because he's a chunky monkey. :) He also will wave away food if I try to feed it to him, preferring to *try* to feed himself. He usually doesn't get as much to eat if he feeds himself, but he's much happier when he does. He's become quite independent lately.

My daughter did the same thing starting about 18 mo to 2 1/2 years. She even slowed in her weight gain (she stayed 18 lbs for almost a year). She did fine and now(at 3 years) she is eating a whole happy meal including drinking the entire apple juice box with it. It is just a phase. She will probably eat even less as the weeks go on. Trust me, she knows what she is doing and will eat when she gets hungry. With my little girl, I would cook anything just to get her to eat. She would only eat a bite or two and go for the rest of the evening without anything. There were some days she only ate two potato chips the whole day!

It is a normal phase and she will come out of it. Don't stress about it. Just relax and let her do her own thing. She will come out of it eventually. On the bright side, you don't have to cook as much. Just give her a bowl of dry cereal for breakfast or half a sandwich for lunch with some cheese puffs and you will be set. Don't get me wrong, still make a plate for her, just don't put as much. She will eat what she wants and you don't have as big a mess to clean up. Plus more for you and baby-to-be.

My daughter does the exact same thing and has been for doing tis for awhile now. It seems like she goes through phases where she eats like a horse, then the next week all she will do is play with her food and eat a couple bites here and there (I've given up trying to force her to eat anything because it just turns into a battle of wills and she usually wins :) I've always just gone with the theory that when she gets hungry, she will eat. Good luck!

H.,
Your baby is doing her normal thing. She is probably too excited about the new things she can do like walking, climbing & just is really slowing down her growth. I have 16 mo old twins and they were both big boys. Even now they are still bigger for their age (24 mos clothes) and I have scheduled meals throughout the day, and snacks in between if they ask. Mostly they always eat a good breakfast of something filling like eggs & pancakes, oatmeal or banannas and peanut butter. Then they eat 2 small lunches that are more like snacks, and a small dinner. I try to limit their junk intake as to not take up the room for wholesome foods. Also, I only give them 4-6 oz of juice w/ 4-6 oz of water and the rest is milk. If they drink their daily requirement of milk then I will give them more watered down juice, but I do watch this because the sugar will make them feel full.
Good luck and trust your mommy instincts :-)

I agree w/ the other mom's who've posted; and if you were to go into my posting history, I've had this same concern, ha!! My guy is still not the greatest eater, he goes in spurts of eating, then grazing. I just try my best to always have a healthy type of snack handy; those mini pb crackers; slice of cheese; yogurt. I really have tried my best to double up his calories per meal... for example - breakfast is his biggest meal also, so I add 1/4 cup of mixed cereal to his yogurt ... that adds an addn'l 60 calories w/ iron/fiber/vitamins. I try to get the most out of that meal, without letting him know it!! Go to www.wholesometoddlerfood.com for some fun recipe ideas, I found several that he really enjoyed!! Good luck!!

H.,

my son is 19 months old he is a good eater now but when he just turned 1 lord he would go without eating anything all day a bite and a bite there i thought i was doing something wrong being a first time mom and all but he eventually stated eating and his weight has never been an issue hes 19 months and wears 4t he got hisdaddys height good luck

Hi H.,
My son will be 1 on July 1st and I've noticed that he has slowed down a little on the solids now also. I'm chalking it up to him starting to take steps and he thinks he doesn't have time to eat.
LouAnn F.

Totally normal. And she could be sensing that something is going on with you or in the house since you have a LO on the way. I have a 13 month old and he has eaten all 3 meals really good 1 day in a 2 week period! Why? It's either cause his older sister is in Michigan with her dad (this started a few days after she left) or it's cause we started packing our house cause we are moving in Aug. Or he just feels like being stubborn! lol Either way, I'm not worried cause I know he won't starve himself. I just wish I could get into that little head of his and figure out why!

Good luck
S.

I have a 15mth old who still tends to do the same thing from time to time.

It's totally normal. I have three boys and my little one is doing the same thing. One minute they won't eat much and the next, they're tearing down the refrigerator door!
Take it in stride,
Sam

Definately a phase! And get used to it, b/c they DO it for a while longer too. Aryan will be hungry one day and gobble up everything, and then the next day he's picking at food. And I made a promise to myself that I'm not going to be a short order cook and make him anything different than what we eat. He isn't even "interested" in his fav snacks either. Just keep fluids down her. I usually mark it up to a growing spurt when he DOES eat. But also right now, it's hot outside, so who really wants to eat anyway?

Hope that helps H.!
B.
My son is 2 with 1 on the way