Feeding Strategies That Don’t Work – What NOT To Do

Here are some feeding issues that some parents have tried, but may not be appropriate for toddlers at this age:

• Insist that baby finish his meal – making baby sit in the high chair until his food is finished is unrealistic at this age. An 18-month-old is unable to understand “you can’t get down until you finish your dinner.”
• Insist that baby not make a mess – this too is unrealistic. Toddlers are supposed to make a mess while eating. That is how they learn. You can draw the line on making a mess where you feel it is appropriate, such as when baby begins throwing his food, it’s time to get down.
• Make baby eat what you have prepared – one of the most useful concepts parents learn is flexibility. Offer baby a variety of foods. Don’t expect her to eat liver and onions! Baby may not feel like spaghetti that night. Offer her an alternative. Be careful not to give in too much, such as crackers and bread for dinner every night.
• Don’t push it – when baby does not want any more, let him be done. Trying to coax a few more bites into him may turn into a battle, and may turn him off to eating. This makes him even more picky at mealtimes.

Remember, you can either spend the next two years worrying about your picky eater and trying every trick in the book, or you can just sit back, relax, and let your toddler go at his own pace. Either way, he will come out just fine.

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