Am I a Bad Parent Because my Child Won’t Eat?
No,
you are not. Sometimes it is simply out of your control.
Five Reasons Why Your Child Won’t Eat
- Baby could be teething.
- His taste buds have changed. My baby’s favorite food changes daily!
- Baby is just plain bored. Variety is a huge factor when feeding a child.
- He’s sick, so his food tastes different.
- He’s gassy. Often when a baby’s gassy, it’ll develop a stomachache.
- I could go on!
My own toddler has recently been hit with a double whammy. He’s caught a viral infection AND his molars are coming in! I’m not sure if it’s because his food tastes different or his stomach’s upset or his gums hurt, but he absolutely does not want to eat solid foods.
What Should I Do to Help?
The answer to this question absolutely depends on the day. You could…
Mix it up!
A trivial meal to you could be an exciting new adventure for baby. Give him new foods to play with. Are you always playing on your phone while baby eats? Try engaging with him!
The more fun and interesting you can make mealtimes, the more baby will want to be in that highchair and eat.
Or…
Get baby out (of the highchair)!
Sometimes it’s better to not to force baby to eat. That hurts to hear, I know. As a mother myself, I completely understand the primordial need to feed my child. When he doesn’t comply, it can be very frustrating for both of us. Quitting feels like the coward’s way out. But actually, often it can be the kindest choice for your baby.
All I want to ask is “Why? Why won’t you eat??” I think this might be most frustrating part of being a toddler mom. He can’t speak English yet! We both know he’s having a hard time, but neither of us know why!
Whichever option you choose, you are a wonderful parent doing the best with the information you have. It is okay that you aren’t a master detective or mind-reader. You are amazing. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for reading!