My 2 year old doesn't eat much?

...this's nuts. The feeding problems are caused by your own compulsions. "The doctor says that is a normal weight" -- right. So, stop trying to force him to eat. Why somebody would be spoon-feeding a two-year-old I cannot imagine, but, just stop. You know he is capable of feeding himself, so stop with the jars and spoons. "Chocolate Ensures" = garbage. You are filling him up with junk. You are making him picky by pushing in junk the moment he balks at nutritious food. This http://www.ellynsatter.com/ellyn-satters-division-of-responsibility-in-feeding-i-80.html http://www.ellynsatter.com/11-to-36-months-feeding-your-toddler-i-31.html is really the best advice out there for these sorts of feeding problems that are caused by neurotic parents. Serve healthy meals and snacks at regular intervals and leave him to it; do not get excited about his not eating, do not praise him when he does eat, just back off. If you look through previous Q&A here there are hundreds of toddlers and mothers in this sort of situation, and virtually _always_ it involves a normal-weight child and a mother who is a bit nuts about the kid getting "enough." Just stop feeding him. If you need to, seek professional help -- for yourself; have a doctor reassure you and work with you on your fears here.

Getting him to eat more won't make the autism go away-if that is what he is. It is perfectly normal for 18 month-3 years is a time for appetites to get smaller. They do not loose energy and may appear to get skinny. They are going through a growth spurt. In a way they aren't growing as fast as they did when they were infants. If he wants to keep eating food from a jar, be happy that you don't have to prepare a special meal cause he can't handle adult type food. I fed each of my three boys baby food until they started to steal food from my plate. Sometimes I would just cut up soft food that I was eating and have it on a small plate near them. If he was interested, fine-if he didn't care, oh well. I always gave them more vegetable (fruit for snack) rather then meat products. The baby food meat is gritty and has no flavor. I've read that two year old shouldn't even have hot dogs unless they are small slices and quarter as well. If this is your first child-I completely understand your frustration. I was the same way and started reading more about the growth & feeding of children. Your child will be fine. Don't bribe him with treats, snacks, or tons of multivitamins. It may create bad eat ting habits later in life. Keep the meals as he likes them for now. Have a small plate of what you are serving next to him so he has the choice of trying new things. Follow the food chart and keep it balanced: 4-6 servings of vegetables or fruit (1 serving is like one ounce or 1 Tablespoon) 3-4 servings of bread type foods (1 ounce) 2-3 meat or protein (1 egg is 1 1/2 serving-[[ baked beans or dark green veggies or soy is protein]] Children really don't get into meat until almost 4. One or two pieces of chicken nuggets should be enough. Read some information from a couple of books may ease your mind and relax. Your child sounds normal to me.

Make food FUN! Buy him plates that have his favorite characters on them, and tell him to eat here or there to find the character. Also, ease him into table food by starting with things like smoothies and things that are similar to baby food.

Your son is letting you know that he is too old to be spoon fed and he wants the Independence to feed himself. Give him the control he wants and he will probably eat better. Offer him a variety of healthy foods and let him choose what he will and won't eat. He won't let himself starve, I promise. Start offering him what you are eating at meal time, along with foods you know he will eat too. If he eats bananas, cut some up with some blueberries and strawberries. Break up pieces of bread and add pieces of cheese and cheerios too. Even if he refuses to try them repeatedly (which is normal) eventually, he will get curious and try some new things and he will like more and more foods. Just don't stop offering because of what he's decided in the past. Give him the spoon and let him feed himself he really needs to be doing that himself. Offer a small bowl of yogurt applesauce or oatmeal and put cut bananas on top so that if he grabs some banana he will get the taste of yogurt or whatever is in the bowl too. Just be creative and make sure he's not filling up on milk or juice all day so that he comes to the table with his full appetite.