Reviewed by the BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board
- The problem
- What you can do
While your child needs some encouragement and structure when it comes to mealtimes (such as regular meals and healthy choices), William Sears, noted pediatrician and author of 23 books on childcare, says whether, when, and how much your child eats should ultimately be up to her. "Your child may eat well one day and eat practically nothing the next," says Dr. Sears, who recently co-authored The Family Nutrition Book (Little Brown, August 1999) with his wife, Martha.
Rather than get hung up on the fact that your child has refused everything you put in front of her today, consider her food intake over the course of one week. Parents are often surprised to find that their child's food intake balances out. Something must be fueling all that energy!
Don't forget to consider fluids in the food equation, too. Milk and juice can offer vital nutrients (though too much juice means too much sugar). But since too much fluid can also dampen an appetite, you may want to serve drinks after and between meals. And try to make sure she's not filling up on junk food. A daily multivitamin also provides added insurance that your child is getting the vitamins and minerals she needs but is not a substitute for good food. And if your toddler refuses to eat or drink anything for an entire day, call your pediatrician.
