Fussy Eater's - Don't Forget: "Rishtey mei hum tumhari 'Maa' lagte hai......

Recently I got a request from a fellow mom whose son is a day younger to Nevan to write something on fussy eater’s. I don’t know what are fussy eaters but I know what are MOODY EATER’s as my son shows me his mood swings all day long. Hence before every meal/snack I pray to God that Nevan should be in good mood else all the effort, cooking, thoughts behind his day's meal, etc etc will go down the drain.

Well what I try to do for Nevan is give him Variety. Personally, it’s my preference trait wherein I want variety in my food everyday for every meal else I don’t eat so I feel the same for Nevan and give him choices in his food schedule. I shall soon be listing down what could be served to an year old baby for their different meals.

Secondly, to brighten up his mood during his meals I give him his Favorite Toys & Books to explore or else play the audio or video of his Nursery Rhyme’s (which I have made him hear since he was a week old & now are his favorite) on the phone or tablet.

Another trick which I attempt to do is attract him by giving him Colorful Utensils; you will find the weirdest possible shaped/colored/designed cutlery sets at my house as he gets drawn towards them. Plus it promotes him to eat food by himself as he just wants those fork or spoons in his hand. Also to make him begin drinking from a glass I got all possible shapes and colors of glasses, with big eyes, nose, sponge bob, etc figures placed on it to make him hold it and sip from it. I also found a regular steel baby glass with an in-built sound making ball in it. It was cheap and he loves the sound it makes.

Nevan has been trained to get fed on a High Chair; well sometimes when we are travelling it becomes difficult for us to hold him & feed him without a high chair but at home he has to be on it. So what I do is keep on changing the Placement of his chair from time to time or meal to meal. Sometimes its in the balcony or in front of the window, or out in the courtyard for him to get a view of birds and tress & flowers. At times it’s near the bed where someone else is making him entertain as he is fed or at times it’s placed on the dining table coz I have noticed over sometime that co-eating also helps kids to eat. (As they are imitating us always)

Timing is another essential factor; your child has to neither be too hungry or too full before his meal. By the way also not too sleepy else he would like to rest/sleep with a little bit of food and then wont be able to sleep for long as his hunger prangs will spruce up within sometime. So time your baby’s meal and try to stick to his schedule everyday. 

For the ready reference here is an approximate of  1yr+ baby's Feeding Schedule:

7:00am: Milk (I give Nevan toned Mother Diary) 

9:00am: Breakfast

12 noon: Mid-meal Snack

2:30pm: Lunch

6:00pm: Milk or Mid-meal Snack

8:30pm: Dinner

No night milk as it does more harm than benefit to kid’s Dental Care. 

Personally, Nevan is given milk at night only when he rejects his dinner completely or if we are out and his dinner has been more of distraction than a meal.

Make Feeding time Fun Time; So allow your kid to play with Food. With Nevan there are always two servings of his food – one for him to play with and another one which we feed him while he is introducing the food to himself. It also helps them understand the textures, color, temperature and to an extent flavors of food in his meal; it not only keeps the kid occupied while getting fed but he enjoys it too. I remember the Surf Excel ad campaign on this: "Daag Acche Hai!!!"

Another significant thing which a few toddler mom's can do is Dress Up the Food!!! Making the food look fun, attractive & colorful is also quite critical. You can relate it with how the kid's stuff is marketed with all the shapes & colors...and make it with some fun salads, parantha's, fruits, etc.

 

I have for my part never been a believer of no Sugar-no Salt to a baby; so he was introduced to Flavors of Food after his 8^th month birthday. And it helps.....there was a time when he had just stopped eating any bland food and also helped in easy adoption to our regular everyday food. We should try and not serve/cook separate Baby's Food after the first birthday. 

Caution: This does not imply that the toddler should be served with red chilli/garam masala, etc but a combo of less oily, less spicy food just to tinkle his taste buds.

Baby Feeding time = Testing your Patience time; so chill and do not stress over making your baby gulp down food. I agree and relate to the fact that Meal time of kids can be very frustrating if in the end the baby doesnot have his food but I have been through a situation when I used to force feed Nevan & just at his last or second last bite he used to vomit it all out....So take every step at a passing & a growing phase and Never Force Feed your Child.

More suggestions are welcome.....please keep it rolling!!!

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