My 2-year-old doesn't eat very well: Advice?

I have a question, so my daughter will be 2 in May. She’s only roughly 20lbs. Her dad and I are both built small and have fast metabolisms, but she used to eat pretty well and was drinking pediasure twice a day. Now she doesn’t even want to eat anything. No matter what I put in front of her, it always ends up on the floor. She will only eat 1 or 2 bites before she’s done. I need help. This has been going on for about two months, and it’s so stressful. I’ve tried giving her small portions of different things, making her favorite foods, even snacks just to get something in her stomach. Nothing. I feel like I’m falling… Have you went through this? How long did it last? What helped you?

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My suggestion would be to just keep offering her food, leave finger foods within her reach at all times. A pediatrician once told me that a child will not starve itself, they will eat when their hungry.

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I think it’s normal?
My son will be 2 in June.
He used to eat everything …
Now he doesn’t.
He’s 30lbs .

Shell eat when shes hungry. When toddlers are going through growth spurts. They dont eat. Talk to your doctor.

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They eat like they have hollow legs…then it drops and hardly eat anything I bet she is having a growth spurt

My 3 year old is only 24 pounds. Doesn’t eat anything. The doctor says he’s fine and he will eat when she’s hungry.

Kids will eat when they are hungry … js make sure shes not filling up on liquids…

Continue with pedisure, continue with snacks. Notify her physician and include him ur dilemma

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I’ve done home child care for the under 5 crowd for 7.5 years, plus have 4 children of my own. Most of the time, when kids are eating a lot, that’s actually a growth spurt. Eventually, it levels off for a while and we think they’re eating less when in fact, less is their normal.

That being said, if you feel like she needs more, keep things out for her to “graze” on. I do this for my own 2 year old because she has her picky moments and I worry that she’s not getting enough. I put balanced meals in front of her, if there’s anything left after breakfast or lunch, I just leave it out on her little table for her to grab if she wants. Whatever’s left on the plate by the next meal, I toss then try again. I don’t do it after supper though unless she barely touched anything since everything is cleaned up for the night after supper.

Some parents offer unlimited milk for extra calories, some add Carnation Instant Breakfast to their milk for even more calories, some just feed them whatev,er they want all the time. I like my way because it allows her to develop a taste for different, balanced foods at her own pace.

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My youngest son would go for 2 days without eating. Super picky when he did eat. But day 3 he would pig out. I had 3 meals a day but if he wasn’t hungry I just let him b. I kinda ate like that 2. He’s healthy n fine at 30 years old now

My daughter will sometimes eat only what we r eating. She is going through a stage where she is super picky. My only advice is to try eating something yourself and if she asks for some share with her that way. I have to do that with my 19month old she never use to be picky. But now she is about every good even her favorites. Hang in there.

Give her vitamins don’t stress about it put a small plate of tiny bitesize sandwiches out and some snacks and let her pick when she wants chicken nuggets bits of cut fruit crisps so there is no pressure xx good luck x

I’ve been there, my daughter was exactly the same! It’s only a phase. They will go through this. If her ped isn’t worried then don’t stress too much about it.

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I would talk to ths pediatrician and make sure blood work is ok.

I have taken care of kids the better part of my life and kids will eat when they are hungry. I know its hard with picky eaters.

Stop giving her pediasure , pediasure kills hunger try fresh milk
And yes don’t offer her any thing just provide her when she will ask for something to eat
Also try not to giving her candies chocolate lays etc

My daughter is the same and her birthday is may and the same again at this moment I’m battling every night with her she only wants soft things I also want to know is this maybe a stage or what could be possibly wrong

Pretty normal for the age. Just keep offering it. Let her help make some decisions with her food, like do you want grapes or oranges? Etc. Its a phase and will pass

My son will be 3 next month, he weighs 26 pounds and he and is the same way. He used to be a great eater. Now, some days pass and all hes had is a yogurt and some goldfish :pensive::pensive:. He does drink milk often, so I offer it after his meals. Im hoping he will grow out of it. If anything, I would make sure shes getting her fluids.

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If she is not losing weight then no worries. This is normal eating behavior for toddlers. Just keep offering different foods at meal times.

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My daughter did this pretty much her whole two year old life. It passes. Now she eats all the time lol. I felt like a failure too, but it’s actually really normal.

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My daughter is like this I found she will only eat fresh veggies nothing canned, she loves berries and nuts.

Im going through the same thing right now

This was my life. Take her to feeding therapy. It will help I promise

Currently going through this been going through it for a couple weeks now.

Thanks guys! Its hard but I’m definitely going to keep pushing. I only give her the pediasure towards bedtime if she hasn’t more than 2 bites of something so at least she won’t go to bed on an empty tummy. I guess we’ll just have to watch and see how this goes. :sweat_smile:

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I went through this with my older 3. First make sure your offering food before pediasure. Next offer small frequent options with high calorie/protein.

Don’t stress over it so much sometimes they do the opposite when pressed.

I could be wrong but i hear they will eventually , they wont let themselves starve just keep trying to offer food!

Kids eat when they are hungry. Just set out healthy snacks for her and shell eat them when she wants.

My wee man use to be the same. More of a grazer during the day and wasn’t hungry at dinner time.
I sometimes found If I make platters he will eat most of it. Sometimes smoothies are good and I found if he helps make the food he will eat it. Bite size food works sometimes as well

Mine drinks milk at night and would skip breakfast so now in the mornings I take him to walk around and run up and down then he is ready to eat and with appetite easier to feed anything. So try either letting her play outside if able or jump around before offering food just juice to get her tummy ready to eat

My daughter started doing this at around the same age now she is 7 and has not changed so I just roll with it. She has been to all necessary doctors who have all said don’t stress she won’t starve herself she will eat what she needs and eventually grow out of it which she has a fair bit now but still just grazes all day long. You are NOT failing a lot of kids do this you are doing just fine😊

Talk to your pediatrician. For some kids it’s normal for some it is not. My son (almost 3) stopped eating to the point he lost 3 pounds. They put him on medication to increase his appetite and he gained it right back and ate everything in the house. Just check with the pediatrician for your specific child,they are all different.

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Kids do that sometimes. My slim 34lb 4 yo daughter and my chunkier 2 yo son (hasn’t been weighted in a minute) both go through eat everything and eat nothing spells. Just feed them normal meals maybe small meals to waste less and if they want seconds or thirds give it to them. I serve small because my kids drop a lot of food but I always ask if they’re still hungry and offer more

They go though a stage where they just don’t want to eat.Then before you know they just start eating again .Weird but true Went though it with all my kids

Don’t give in or give up x

Honestly, my daughter is 14yrs old and ate like a bird until puperty. She was always tiny, wasnt really into food, ate very little. But shes been healthy her entire life. She has a fast metabolism. Some people are naturally skinny. Here she is at almost 15