Toddler Troubles?
We spend so much time thinking about how to introduce foods to our baby during that first year of life and what foods were offering that sometimes we forget to think about those toddler years. Mealtimes may be going smoothly and all of a sudden you notice a shift in how and what your toddler is eating.
Has your once adventurous eater started to eat less variety?
Has your toddler been eating less at mealtime?
Has your toddler refused a whole meal entirely?
Has your child started to show an interest in carbs and sweeter foods?
Are you having a hard time getting your toddler to stay at the table for meals?
If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions you have probably felt some form of stress around mealtimes with your toddler. Well, I’m here to tell you that you’re not alone AND what your experiencing is likely the “normal” developmental phase toddlers go through. I’ve seen toddlers as young as 11 months begin to show selectivity with food and knowing WHY it’s happening can be a great first step to learning how to navigate this season.
In general, a toddler’s growth begins to slow which means their overall daily intake also decreases during this time. This means that your toddler might only eat one or two good meals a day so do not be alarmed if they skip a meal all together! It could also mean that they take 1-2 bites of a meal before saying “all done”. Similar to adults your toddler will have days where they eat less and some days where they will eat more. It can help to look at what they eat throughout a whole week rather than on a daily basis.
Toddlers are very active little ones and it can be very difficult to get them to sit at the table to eat, especially for an entire meal. Be sure not to invite your toddler to the table until the meal is ready and make sure that their seat is supportive and includes a foot rest for them. Also try to have realistic expectations for how long you expect your toddler to sit at the table. Most times we do not see a toddler sitting for a meal for more than 5-10 minutes at most. If your child is done and requests to leave the table, allow them to play on their own while the family finishes their meal.
It’s no lie that surviving the toddler eating stage can be a struggle at times. They may love a food one day and the time you offer it act like you’re trying to poison them! Totally normal ;)
To learn more about what to expect with toddlers at mealtime and how to stay sane in this season of parenting, head to my “Toddlers at the Table” resource HERE.
And, if you need a little more help with feeding, check out my step-by-step guide to navigating mealtimes and make big changes today.
Happy Feeding!
