We've been struggling with getting ds to eat for a yr now, and I'd love to hear from other mothers who have had a similar struggle. He's basically never accepted solids though he sometimes does eat well. It seems to go in cycles for us. It's so frustrating and most moms don't seem to understand. So many flippantly say, "When he's hungry, he'll eat". But he doesn't. If we take away his bottles, he cries in hunger, wakes frequently at night, and then starts losing weight. Has anyone else been through something similar?

How old is your son?

I think she said he was 18 months in another post. Mine always wanted to eat so I have very little advice but I think constantly keeping trying different things and some toddlers want to be fed and others like more foods that they can feed themselves. My neighbors little boy refused to allow you to feed him but if you put it in his hand he would eat all day!

Alicia

Yes, he's 18 months. Like I said, it goes in cycles. There are times when he won't eat more than 2 small bites/day for wks, even if he doesn't get anything else (bottles). Other times, like today, he had 10 bites for lunch (a very very good meal for him!). We've had an OT involved for the past few months and she believes it may be a med problem. He has an appt with the feeding team at Children's Hosp in Jan.

One suggestion: is it possible that he could have food allergies? I heard that children who are highly allergic tend to intuitively push away solid foods longer.

As for feeding, I suppose that you could continue the bottles. I don't see there being any harm in allowing a child over a year to continue bottle feeding. I myself plan on breastfeeding my daughter well past one year. It's certainly good "nutritional insurance" if they aren't good eaters.

I hope and pray that you find resolution to your problem.

I don't have any advice other then what has been said but I will pray for the situation.. it must be difficult. [pray]

You are telling my story Soap lady. My ds has been diagnosed with a severe sensory based food aversion and hypersenstive gag reflex, he is 22 months and we are finally getting him to eat peanut butter and he will lick on a few things. This has been accomplished through feeding therapy and OT for his other sensory issues. I know exactly how you feel when people who are well meaning say "he'll eat when he's hungry". Feel free to PM me anytime, I know firsthand what you are going through.

Thank you all for the encouragement, support, and prayers. And Jennifer, I really appreciate you sharing your story. You may be hearing from me one of these days when I get really frustrated! :wink:

our one month old has hypersensitive gag reflex too, and I can only imagine what we have ahead of us.

Ruth is right, kids with allergies will tend to push away food all together.

if you're sure it's not an allergy, you could try mixing half a jar of say apples or pears, something sort of bland, but nutritious with some formula or breast milk just to thin it, and give it in a bottle. our 13 month old went through a period of not eating after he had well established spoon feeding, and the pediatrician told us to do it that way for a while.

he could, too, have a minor gag reflex issue and the spoon and or texture could gag him and he not want it regardless of what's in it. KWIM?
your feeding team and OT should be able to tell.

watch his shoulders and high chest when you put something to his mouth. babies tend to show gagging with their shoulders and high chest more so than their mouth. If his chest and shoulders are tensing up when he tries to eat, he's more and likely gagging and you don't realize it.

I hope this helps, I can't help too much from experience as I'm a few months behind you with my food adversion baby, but I'm here for moral support if you need me, just PM me.

Prayers with your little one

kana