Any success stories out there that can give this anxious momma a little bit of a break?

[Guest]

My girl just turned one a month ago and will only eat cheese slices, rice, unflavored seaweed (not with the rice, unfortunately), and sometimes mandarin and grapes. We still breastfeed but I want her to enjoy eating. I am very stressed during mealtimes and I know she can sense it. I want to be able to think it’s going to be okay when she’s a little bit older… But is it? Is it going to get better?

[Donna]

My Daughter was all about boob at that age and barely ate. Around 2 she started eating most things and then around 3.5 it went downhill. I wouldn’t be too concerned at a year old.

[Jenny]

Idk if I can say my two year old is a success story cause I’m still on this page. but she eats a heck of a lot more than she did at one! People always say oh babies eat everything and that their baby was such a good eater until they were a toddler. Not my daughter. I started offering a variety of foods at six months and she was a boobie baby through and through.

She showed ZERO interest in food until she was like 15-16 months old and still ate like bird. Maybe a bite or two of whatever she would try and then done. We only nurse now when she wakes, to sleep for nap, and at bedtime and she is eating quite a bit now during the day but still very selective about what she will eat.

She eats fruit, scrambled eggs, oatmeal, quesadillas, black beans, orzo with butter, avocado or peanut butter toast, pizza, and any kind of snack bar you can find. She still won’t touch veggies, meats, rice or noodles (but loves orzo lol make it make sense) yogurt, cheese, crackers, potatoes, I could endlessly list the things she won’t try I feel like but I know we’ve made progress and I still offer her everything I make for myself and exposure helps.

I made a post very similar to this one when she was 11 months old and still ate nothing and I was in tears because everything says they need to be eating meals by one and all she wanted was breastmilk.

[Diana]

All children are different, the best advice I was given is to not stress over meal time cause the child can sense it and try and turn it into a game for them... My daughter was a very picky eater, like plain dry rice and fish fingers were literally the only thing she would eat. Now if we playing her choochoo game she will eat it as long as it is not green. We still haven't mastered the green veg yet.

[Alexis]

I had exact same situation. My LO is now 21 months and is still very limited however she’s improving daily! We also still breastfeed. My best advice, stay calm, try not to stress & just keep offering. Bring it up to doctor and maybe they will have some suggestions.. but some kids just aren’t as mature with eating as others. Don’t let social media make you think she’s the only one this way. It’s more common than you think!

[Isani]

Oh it definitely got worse for me. at 1 she ate everything still but all kids are different and it’s hard to say. Just keep offering a variety of foods everyday even if she doesn’t touch it and don’t bother pressuring her either but let it be on the plate.

[Jessica]

Have you thought about messy play with food?

I use leftovers from the a few meals and/or cook pasta,rice/ vegetables etc and let my little one explore, and tends to try new foods this way. So even if she hasn't eaten it for dinner she would have had some nutrition through "kitchen time"

She thinks she's helping me cook when we do this, so she's in her highchair with a couple of little empty bowls and some little cups of different foods and she "mixes" and serves what she wants and usually ends up putting handfuls in her mouth.

I'm usually washing up or meal prepping for dinner.

Just make sure it's not too close to meal times. I find in between breakfast and lunch is perfect time xx

Explore these too: What words do you use for (healthy) and (junk food) for a young child of 4 years old?

[Dipan]

It’s definitely going to be okay… every kid progresses on their own timeline… I used to stress about it too when mine was one and having trouble eating… now she’s 2, doing a lot better as she understands more… give it time.. don’t rush it,… The stress will only hinder the process.. I saw a huge improvement once I started to stress less…

Also get a nuk and z vibe brush from Amazon.. put some nut butter of choice on it and let her chew on it… it’s supposed to increase oral stimulation… can put vibrating z vibe on the jaw bone playfully as well.. first time she might not like it.. but keep offering…