9 out of 10 parents worry their toddlers won’t get the right nutrients growing up because they don’t eat as much as what’s expected. It can be cumbersome to feed a toddler with all the healthy foods you can think of when they start refusing every food you offer. Perhaps every parent will agree that at one point, you’ll panic and worry to death when your child simply doesn’t eat.
So what should you do when your toddler refuses to eat? Here’s for every parent searching for the best ways to feed their tots!
What Should You Do When Your Toddler Won’t Eat
Most parents worry when their toddlers stop eating healthy foods, become fuzzy, and at some point, eat small portions. While it’s a normal phase for toddlerhood, it’s also vital to understand when you should tag it normal and not.
Several factors affect a toddler’s eating habits, like growth spurts, changes in their activities, and distractions around them. Several sites provide Help for raising healthy humans and how to feed them properly. Other parents and experts believe it’s all about texture aversions and that toddlers refuse to eat a particular food.
While it’s entirely normal for your child to refuse to eat, keeping track of their eating pattern can help you decide whether you’ll need medical help or shake all the worries away. Keep in mind that as your child grows, they won’t need much food when they are babies. Toddlers have tiny stomachs, so getting full can be a major reason for not eating.
Since they start exploring and want to be more independent, they develop little attention to food and more around various activities around them. They like pushing boundaries and showcasing their newfound independence.
It’s also normal for your toddler to love certain food today and refuse to eat it the next day. This behavior is normal for most toddlers as they start showing their parents or caretakers how independent they are. Specialists suggest you give your child healthy foods and let them eat as much or as little as they want.
• Feeding toddlers is challenging, and keeping up with this phase is vital. (Parents)
• Reduce the volume of meals that you are giving your tots.
• Praise your toddler whenever they try eating a spoonful and sips of water, as this encourages them to have better eating habits.
• Avoid forcing children to eat, as this can be stressful for you and your child’s mealtime experience.
• Offer healthy snacks like vegetable sticks and fruits in-between mealtime.
• Children are smart enough to know how much food they’ll need.
• Check your child’s appetite over the week, not just for one day.
Most Effective Tips To Help Increase Your Child’s Appetite
Forcing your child to eat does not promote healthy eating habits. This can cause your child to be fussy instead of having an appetite to try new things. However, there are times that your patience will bear fruits, and your child starts trying new foods in return.
These effective tips will help in feeding your toddlers:
• Start by building a positive environment where your child starts eating healthily.
• Lead by example and let your child know how much you enjoy eating every food you prepare.
• Ensure regular, social, and happy mealtime by sitting together and eating with your child.
• When you let your child try new foods, ensure you’re both relaxed and focused.
• Prepare food with your child or help them prepare meals.
• Don’t punish your child when they don’t want to try new things.
• Don’t bribe children with sweets or treats just to let them try eating healthy food.
• Set a time limit for every meal, and don’t offer alternative meals or snacks.
Toddlers continue to explore new things and new tastes. It may take about 10 to 15 tries until your toddler accepts or enjoys the food you offer, but it will happen with patience on your end. To ensure your child eats normally as everyone, serve him or her the same food that you, adults eat.
Your child will refuse a new taste in most cases, but you can try again after a week. Offer food that your child likes or are familiar with. A child’s interest fluctuates wildly, especially when it comes to food.
When Should You Seek Professional Help For Picky Eaters?
Most parents seek medical help about a child’s overall health, nutrition, and growth. If your child eats a small amount of food or is picky, you may want to check with a dietitian or family doctor.
This will ease all your worries about your child’s overall development and nutritional health. If your toddler is growing well, exploring, and learning more, they are probably eating well.
Conclusion
The bottom line is that your toddler will refuse to eat at some point. This has nothing to do with how practical your parenting skills are or your cooking skill. Many things might happen moving forward as your child starts to explore, learn, and move forward to every developmental stage. Be proud and celebrate every milestone together with your child.