Picky 2 yo | Imamother

amother

Sun, Dec 22 2024, 5:32 pm

My newly 2 yo has become more and more picky about foods the past year. Was never a great eater, but now won't eat foods that she used to. She also eats very little when she does want to eat something.
She just wants milk all day and I have had an impossible time cutting the milk because she will scream until she gets it and won't eat anything else. I have never had a kid like this. Please help!

amother

Gray

Yesterday at 2:16 am

amother OP wrote:

If you give her regular red or blue cows milk, I would say firstly try to change her on a more nutritious milk like Goats milk and that would be just like she is still breastfed

amother

Magnolia ↓

Yesterday at 7:22 am

Does she have large tonsils or adenoids?

Separately, milk and dairy can be addictive for some kids, cutting it out completely can help open their palettes to trying more foods.

Could she possibly have a tongue tie, other oral restrictions or more oral motor skills?

How is her behavior and her sleep?

Poor gut health and chronic infections can also contribute to picky eating. Does she get sick a lot? Has she been on antibiotics a lot?

Do you live in a basement? Is there possibly mold in your apartment?

BatAvrohom ↓

Yesterday at 10:20 am

I’m sorry to be blunt but there is absolutely nothing physically addictive about dairy. She may be associating it with comfort and that’s an emotional thing, not an addiction. Make sure she gets plenty of cuddles when she asks for milk.

Offer her a healthy snack if you want her to reduce the amount of milk she drinks, or move her mealtime forwards if it’s nearly lunch and you don’t want her to snack beforehand. Toddlers very commonly go through a “picky” phase (lasted a year with mine). They retreat to “safe” foods and refuse to try new things. Even things they liked previously can drop off the list. This is normal. Just keep putting a tiny amount of new food on her plate with no comment at all, no stress if she doesn’t try it. Have one thing on her plate that you know she will eat. If she only eats a few carrots, for lunch, so be it. Consider her total food intake over a week - does it balance out to a good mix overall, and a decent amount overall? Do not make it into an “issue” because we all know how stubborn toddlers can be! Just relax, breathe and remember very few 18 year olds eat nothing but pasta or whatever. She will grow out of it. Hang in there mama!

amother

↑ Magnolia ↓

Yesterday at 11:03 am

BatAvrohom wrote:

Dairy CAN be physiologically addictive

https://www.mountsinai.org/abo.....drugs

↑ BatAvrohom

Yesterday at 11:19 am

amother Magnolia wrote:

Dairy CAN be physiologically addictive

https://www.mountsinai.org/abo.....drugs

One study does not make scientific consensus. Before leaping to conclusions that a two year old is an addict, maybe explore the more likely possibility that she is going through a normal developmental stage where she is hanging on to her babyhood.

For more on the topic of “milk addiction”, read the links below:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/.....00370

https://www.zmescience.com/fea.....real/

amother

↑ Magnolia

Yesterday at 11:28 am

BatAvrohom wrote:

This isn't about consensus and it doesn't make her toddler an addict. It just explains why kids will commonly restrict to certain foods because it gives them a subtle "fix". There's a reason toddlers don't scream and cry for roast chicken and butternut squash but will restrict to and tantrum endlessly for their milk, yogurt, and cheese.