Acceptance and Refusal – 12 to 24 Months

While feeding your baby, understanding how much food he/she needs can be tricky. With a little knowledge and observation, you will easily be able to identify when you have fed your child the appropriate amount of food.

• Too much? Shakes her head or says “no”: Baby refuses to eat? There’s no point insisting… You should try to meet your child’s needs. If they are no longer hungry, don’t force them to eat more.
   
• Plays or throws her food: Baby throws food off the table? It’s time to stop the havoc! If your baby was hungry, they’d eat the food instead of playing with it.
   
• Gets distracted easily?: Baby seems in another world? Your baby is probably satisfied. According to their level of activity, the amount your baby eats at each meal may vary from one day to another.
   
• Covers her mouth with her hands: Baby refuses the spoon? They are probably satisfied. Note what your baby likes to eat and how much and when in a diary. These notes may prove to be useful for visits to the paediatrician.
   
•  Too little? Points, reaches or asks for specific foods: Is your baby fascinated by their food? They may still be hungry. Let your baby eat with their fingers a little to practise independent feeding.
   
• Too little? Leads you to the fridge or kitchen: Baby wants to set the table? Your baby may still be peckish. It’s not surprising with all these new activities! You can give your baby some treats such as wholegrain rice puffs or a little piece of bread to practise chewing and independent feeding.