Good Little Eaters
Let me paint a picture… you started solids with your baby at 6 months. It went really well. They were happy to try everything. They ate a lot. They loved food! Yes, you think to yourself, I won the baby lottery, My baby isn’t fussy.
Then they hit 18 months old and all of a sudden mealtimes get flipped on their head. They are struggling to refuse all the foods they used to love. They barely eat anything at some mealtimes and getting them to try something new – simply out of the question.
So is this just a phase? Well, it’s a little more complex than that but let’s dig into it.
Yes, there are phases where your baby who was fantastic at starting solids will start to become fussy. It’s built into their DNA to protect themselves. They start to become more wary of what is going into their mouth and what they consume.
But where fussy eating becomes more complex is how long and what signs your child is showing throughout this stage in their life. Because when it is not addressed proactively it can very quickly progress into much more serious cases of picky eating.
So when do you need to enlist the help of a professional?
Your child has less than 20 safe foods: Safe looks are those that you know your child will eat when served up to them. This should be 20 different types of foods.
Picky eating has gone on for longer than 1 month: When picky eating goes on for longer than a month habits can start to form that is even harder to break, causing more stress for you and your child!
Mealtimes cause you stress: Talking about stress, Mum, dad, caregiver – I am looking at you. Mealtimes do not have to be stressful. You are allowed to enjoy your meals as well. So if the mealtime battles are starting to take over and even the thought of sitting down to a meal with your toddler is enough to get your blood boiling, it is time to reach out for help!
They aren’t eating from every food group: To make sure they are eating all the nutrients that they need to develop their growing bodies, it is important they are getting an adequate variety from every food group.
You notice aversions to particular textures of food: Are your kids hesitant to try wet foods, or maybe they don’t like crunchy foods? This can be a big warning sign that something else could be going on.
You are worried they aren’t eating enough: If your child is dropping weight or made a significant change in the quantity they are eating then it is time to look at what is going on with their eating.
Ready to stop preparing for battles when sitting down for mealtimes?
Check out my ‘Mealtime Magic‘ Online course to set the foundations of your child’s nutrition and mealtimes and help you feed your kids with confidence. www.goodlittleeaters.com/services/
