Feeding your toddler

This is for all the "bad" moms out there.
How are you getting your toddlers to eat without doing the "good" mom thing and making a whole second meal?
We have NEVER given her anything different than what we have ate. Right now she's in a phase where SHE WONT EAT DINNER. we have had her go to bed hungry but then I feel guilty and she wakes up at 5:30-6 asking to eat. I have tried the 3 bites and then you can leave, but it just ends in force feeding which isn't healthy for either of us mentally.
Anyways, tips?

Read more on Peanut

The views expressed in community are solely the opinions of participants, and do not reflect those of Peanut.

Learn more about our guidelines.
Add a comment
Avatar

Pediatrician suggested present what we are having and then always have a safe option included on the plate. Essentially an always yes food. For us that's typically applesauce or peanut butter banana šŸ¤·ā€ā™€ļø

Avatar

I give her carrots and fruit. She said no to both! Today she ate the 5 carrots and no blueberries, the other day she ate one blueberry and that was it.
It's just not enough and she wakes up early asking for breakfast.

Avatar

My boy is super picky and will go to bed hungry and starve if he has to until we give him what he wants. So I always cook dinner give him what we're having and a few nuggets or whatever I think he will go for sure. I always worry because he's not a breakfast eater so his big meals are lunch and dinner. So don't feel bad some kids are just picky my 2nd boy will eat anything and everything no matter the time or if he just ate. Safest is just give her a yes and offer the other. It's helped my boy eventually they see the meal enough times they'll try it and start to eat it on their own. Eventually you'll be able to get rid of the yes when you see they like the family meal.

Avatar

also she will eat every other meal and gets a snack between breakfast and lunch but never between lunch and dinner unless it's RIGHT after her nap.

Avatar

it's rough out here being a toddler mom. Some days he eats like a bird other days it's a never ending pit. If she isn't loosing weight then she is getting enough. We went through a big "hunger strike" type phase a few months back and my peds biggest advice was he won't starve himself and as long as the food is accessable and reasonably enjoyable/has been enjoyed before you're doing the right thing. If she is loosing weight it's time to get some more professional evals done, IMO.

Avatar

okay so the option is just give a yes food. But her yes food is carrots like she's always down to eat carrots. Do I basically give her enough to make her full or just a regular serving?

Avatar

I definitely think she's gaining weight at least one lbs since last week. I just feel bad she's going to bed hungry. I feel like I would not be satisfied if I only had 5 carrots for dinner lol

Avatar

If you can try to turn carrots into something else. My LO is obsessed with popsicles right now and only wants to eat that so I blended up fruit and veggies into a smoothie with flaxseed and just let her eat popsicles with every meal. Before the popsicles she was obsessed with bananas only so I made banana bread and that helped to get something else into her. We still offer her what we are eating and every once in a while she will eat that too so we just keep trying.

Avatar

Does she eat anything else besides carrots? My picky eats corn dogs or nuggets but is obsessed with grapes so I give him the grapes plus his other yes which would be the nuggets and some of family dinner. Hopes this helps you.

Avatar

Good rule is as long as they eat something and continue to gain then you can stay rest assured everything is fine that's what his dr said. Or if you can make them a smoothie and that works swell Jasper doesn't care for new things but he does like his pedialyte protein drink I'll give him when it feels like he's been eating like a bird.

Avatar

I try and do a variety through the day so if he eats fruit and veggies earlier I’m ok if he doesn’t at dinner.
We always offer what we’re having and when he says he’s done he can get down. If he really didn’t eat anything I’ll make a quick chicken nugget. If he ate but not a lot when he asks for a snack he’ll get something healthy like yogurt.

Avatar

If our son is hungry after dinner he can have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (or the rest of his dinner, which he rarely chooses). PBJ is the only alternative. It keeps him from going to bed hungry without a fight or making anything special.

Avatar

I give my boy a nutrition packed breakfast we have healthy snacks through lunch fruit things and protein like cheese sticks or yogurt sometimes beef jerky. Then cut off snacks around 3ishh usually by dinner he’s so hungry he eats most of his food. Some days if he really won’t eat anything for dinner I’ll make him sit while we eat then I try again an hour later. If he still won’t eat I’ll give him a safe option like porridge which he loves or chocolate milk.

Read more on Peanut

Trending

in our community

Post partum dad

I have a 2 month old. A few weeks ago my husband crashed out because he didn't feel like he was getting to bond with her. I started exclusively breastfeeding around that time and honestly didnt see the big deal. Baby and I left for a few days and when we got back home, everything was fine. He was extremely hands-on. He helped with my meals, her bedtime, bath, stories.....for a few weeks it was great. Then he randomly sounds depressed af. He says our lo is better off without him, he wants to sleep all day , he asks me not to watch tv then tried playing a video game. He refused to reply to me when i asked any follow-up questions. Then he woke up our baby trying to race me to the bathroom first thing in the morning . He's doing a weird mix of crying, trying, and giving up. Im starting to feel like I cant handle him not being able to handle life with baby and just want to be alone. Are there resources for men?

Avatar

3

6

Is it bad of me to think this or no?

My husband has been abroad for work (1 day and exploring for 1 day) for 2 and a half days which means I’ve had both kids (1 year and 4 year old) for 2 and a half days plus cooking, cleaning, taking them to clubs, bedtimes!
He came home late afternoon and said I’m so tired, I just need to chill. I said can you wash up whilst I sort kids dinner out, he said he’ll do it later which means he won’t do it and I’ll end up doing it so I said no do it now please otherwise I’ll end up doing it and he said well you have been home and I’ve been away so you’ve just been relaxing.
Don’t know what planet he is on but having the kids alone for 2.5 days is not relaxing. I was stressed!

When he was away, I did miss him and wanted him to come back but now he’s back, I want him to go away againšŸ˜‚
Is that bad?

Avatar

2

13

My 2 year old won’t eat nothing but snacks

Is this normal ? He won’t even try anything I eat .. he really only like pizza fries and spaghetti… nuggets and snacks bananas some other fruit but like anything else he won’t eat if try but I don’t want to force him I’m just I feel like bad I mean he isn’t losing weight I breastfeed mostly still

Avatar

1

7

Really bothered by this

A friend posted this and it really bothers me because that is exactly how she parents her kid, and it's rather unfortunate because when our kids hang out together, her kid has a meltdown at least 5x within an hour. We have know them for years and it's only gotten worse. My kids will concede to hers, because they don't want to see their friend crying, but it sucks because they give up so much of their toys and enjoyment to keep the peace. We aren't hanging out as much anymore but it's rather sad to think she doesn't intervene more in her child tantrums and just let's it slide

Avatar

4

Shift worker daddies - advice please?

My husband works shifts (6am-6pm days or 6pm-6am nights) so when he’s on shift we either get about an hour or 2 before he goes to work or an hour or 2 when we gets home with him.

I don’t think people who aren’t married/have babies with shift workers fully understand the impact of feeling like a solo parent sometimes.

Does anyone have any advice? I do have parents who can help but I struggle to leave my baby with others as I always feel like they don’t understand the need for tracking wake windows or feeds and our baby will not sleep unless we black out a room or go for a car drive . Everyone seems to think ā€˜if he’s tired he’ll drop off’ - no he’ll just get overtired and have to then pay for it during his night sleep. So I feel like it’s just easier for me to do it all myself.

When my husbands off work he is great but I do take the mental load of telling him what to do or even reminding him of wake windows etc because he’s not here and forgets routines. He’s also being tested for ADHD currently so there’s that on top of shift work.

Just looking for advice on how to stay sane/keep routines or share loads with shifts workers?

Thank you ā¤ļø

Avatar

1

5

Feeling like I’m failing

Hey guys, I need some advice or some positivity here!
My daughter is 5 months next week and she has her first tooth coming through! Yay! But for the past month or so she has become so wary of family whenever I go to visit! She screams, won’t settle, cries the whole time. I went for my birthday to celebrate and I had to leave because she just would cry looking at anyone :( it’s so hard because she used to be so good with anyone!

Will this change or is this just the way she is? I try to see them as often as I can, and my MIL is looking after her in two weeks overnight and part of a day and I’m petrified of what’s going to happen, that she’s going to scream. My poor MiL 😭. I’m a very calm and collected person and I don’t get worked up when she does react this way… I just feel so sad and down that I can’t be with family and that my poor girl is scared. I give her so many cuddles, milk, toys, going to a quiet room, but she just doesn’t settle 😭

Please someone say this is a phase and there is light at the end of the tunnel ?!!

With the weather getting nicer I just feel we are going to miss out on so many lovely family memories

Avatar

1

5

Read more on Peanut