HELP! 16 month old not eating as much

[babycoolz]

HELP!! My 16 month old son is driving me insane and worried about his eating patterns.

Ever since he has been introduced to eating his own food at his grandmother's house (where he is taken care of during the day), my son insists on having something in his hand to eat e.g. a piece of vegetable. But when he does, he won't eat food I'm spoon feeding him. He used to attempt to grab the spoon, but now he bluntly refuses - he'll spit his food out, or push my hand away viciously.

He used to be able to finish a 170g bottle of Heinz baby food, now I'm lucky if he gets half way. I am so worried and stressed about this whole situation.

HELP!!

For example, he'll have some vegebtables in a bowl and I would feed him food as well.

[Trillian]

I think your son has just decided that he prefers to eat finger food instead of being spoon fed. Some babies will quite happily have someone feed them, but others (like your son from the sound of it) much prefer to feed themselves. This is a great opportunity for him to learn how to feed himself using a fork/spoon and using his hands. It may not be to your liking, but its their way of asserting their new-found skills with eating. And also the brought food is nothing like the consistency of the food you cook yourself and it is such a sensory thing to eat different textures. You may find that if you give him a plate of cooked vege pieces and meat that he would eat equivalent to what was in the jar anyway, taking into account that there is a high percentage of water in the brought food.

[Visitor7]

I think it sounds like a great thing that he wants to eat food himself. Like Sherie suggested, start offering him a fork or spoon to eat with. This is the only way my DD eats. From around 11 months she started eating food on her own. It's a lot easier than having to sit there and feed her myself.

[mickyndan]

Let him feed himself I say... LOL - it means you don't have to do it (you can now share meal times rather than he eats and then you eat IYKWIM). It might get a bit messy but that's half the fun (for them... not us)!!! I am sure that if he is hungry he will eat -I have never known a toddler to starve. Good Luck xxoo