My daughter is just a year old. She has only 2 teeth on the bottom center so far, so she can't chew some foods yet. She gets very distracted at mealtimes, no matter where I put her to eat. As a result, at many meals she doesn't end up eating very much. Although some of her favorites she will eat more of. I am worried that she isn't getting the proper nutrients and enough calories due to her lack of variety and small amount she is eating at times. Am I worrying for nothing? Does anyone have any suggestions?
Thanks.
Terri

Hi,

Are you feeding her at mealtimes or is she feeding herself? Maybe you can sit with her during mealtimes and help feed her, encourage her, and have a meal with her so she can see you eating, it may stimualte her appetite.
My son in the past and even now sometimes doesn't really get distracted, but he more or less goes through "picky" stages where he doesn't really eat much of anything. I just do whatever it takes to try and get him to eat. I sit beside him and tell him how yummy my food is and make the sound effects to go along with it I also will sometimes feed him myself if he doesn't seem interested in eating but I pretend each spoonful is either a car or plane, train, etc. going into his mouth.

As for variety just try to offer only very small amts of each food item, make it colourful, and make it fun eg. small bits of cooked carrots, green beans. I used to mix in cooked veggies with his pasta and he wouldn't even notice. You can even make soups with pureed veggies that way you know she is getting them down her.

Good luck. Hope this helped a little.

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Most kids at that age don't eat much. It's amazing how little food toddlers need considering most are on the move the entire time they're awake.

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*Formerly Dad2Hannah

My kids:
Hannah - Born 5/18/02
Jackson - Born 6/17/04

I dont have any real advice, my daughter is almost a year old and doing the EXACT same thing, she doesnt wanna sit down and eat she throws a fit. I bought her some crayons and stuff and that worked FOR A DAY, then she just threw them out of the high chair too.
Lyric feeds herself, so the ONLY way i can get this girl to eat now is if i just give her things like tator tots or chicken strips or stuff that she can eat with her hands and she just walks around with it.... Whatever worrks for now, and as long as she eats.
Good Luck!

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Gina and Lyric (9.27.03)
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Thanks for the help. I guess I'm not the only one in this boat. I was just worried about her not getting proper nutrition and maybe stunting her growth or something. She doesn't feed herself, I have to feed her. She just picks up the food and drops it on the floor or hands it to me! She CAN do it, she's just lazy I guess. So just feed her whatever she will eat huh? Even if it ends up being the same thing for 3 days.