Tantrums, tummies and toddlers: tales from the high chair

The reality for many families is that it can be a daily battle to get the right foods into a toddler’s little tummy, which is only the same size as their own closed fist. A balanced and varied diet is key during the early years in a child’s life. However, feeding toddlers can be a rocky road for many parents.

Toddlers, although tiny, require almost four times more iron than an adult per kilogram body weight per day, yet one in four one-year-olds in Ireland are not getting the right amount of iron, which is a key nutrient in supporting brain development.

Research carried out by Toddlebox, Ireland’s newest feeding and nutrition website for parents of toddlers, indicates that 67 per cent of parents have experienced a toddler’s fussy eating and almost 50 per cent have abandoned a planned meal due to their toddler’s tantrums or refusals to eat.

The toddler years are a crucial time in a child’s development, as between the ages of one and three, a child gains 40 per cent in weight and about 25 per cent in height, and a significant amount of organ and brain development occurs. It’s incredible to think that by the time a toddler reaches three years of age, their brain has grown to about 80 per cent of its full size.

The Toddlebox initiative aims to support parents who sometimes struggle to get the right nutrients into their toddlers’ tummies, with expert advice from dietitian Sarah Keogh. The supportive online community enables parents to engage with other parents who, just like them, can sometimes find mealtimes a battle.

Mealtimes on film

As part of the Toddlebox Challenge, seven families from across the country had the realities of the highs and lows of their toddler mealtimes filmed. Toddlebox worked with each family, one on one, filming every step of the way to share their findings, and offer advice and tips on toddler nutrition to the wider Toddlebox community.

According to Keogh, “There is so much information out there about feeding your toddler that it is hardly surprising that some parents feel confused. As a mum of two, I have been there and done that. The important thing to know is that fussy eating is a normal and common phenomenon with toddlers, so if you experience it, don’t panic.”

A common problem among parents of toddlers in Ireland, says Keogh, is filling their tummies with milk and not having any interest in food; this was the case with Clodagh Murphy from Co Wicklow.

“If a child is drinking too much milk, it tends to become a vicious circle. They are refusing food because their tummies are full so they are given more milk for nutrients.

“Once a child in is their second year, it’s hard to get enough calories from milk and, as in Clodagh’s case, they will wake three or four times a night for more milk.

“We cut Clodagh’s intake of growing-up milk from 750ml a day to 200ml – in other words, from five bottles down to two – over a couple of days and almost instantly she started sleeping through the night and eating more food during the day.”

It’s not always that easy of course, Keogh points out, and the earlier you tackle fussy eating and make changes, the easier and better it is.

Once a child hits the age of two, they become more stubborn and will put up more of a fight. Many parents will try something two or three times and then give up, but Keogh says it can take 10 to 15 tries before a baby or toddler will accept something new.

“It took me four months to get one of my kids to drink water. I just kept giving him little sips every day, just to get him used to the taste. It’s not easy and my older guy would definitely be a fussy eater if I wasn’t in the job I’m in.”

Another common problem with fussy eaters is too much snacking and too many drinks, even on healthy foods such as fruit, as it means toddlers are not hungry for their meals. Keogh advises parents to plan three meals a day and no more than two snacks, depending on the child. There should be no snacks allowed for two hours before a meal and no drinks an hour before meals – unless the weather is very hot – so that they are hungry. To watch the Toddlebox videos, and for tips and expert advice on toddler nutrition, see toddlebox.ie or facebook.com/ toddlebox

They were drinking too much milk, not self-feeding, throwing food, refusing meals and snacking constantly The Brazel Family from Raheny: Ann Marie Brazel from Raheny in Dublin had a battle on her hands with twin toddlers Max and Will, two mischief-loving little boys.

When they first reached their toddler years, Will and Max had really healthy appetites but since they were ill with a virus last year, mealtimes had become a nightmare.

Before taking part in the challenge, the twins were not meeting the RDAs for iron and vitamin D. They were drinking too much milk, not self-feeding, throwing food, refusing most meals and snacking constantly on fruit.

Since taking part in the challenge, they have reduced their intake of milk and snacks, are hungrier at mealtimes and have started to self-feed.

Max is doing much better, but Will is still putting up a huge fight against the change; this is why dietitian Sarah Keogh advises tackling these problems as early as possible.

'I never thought I would see the day when Clodagh would eat so well' Rebecca and Clodagh Murphy from Wicklow: A premature baby who was slow to put on weight, 16-month-old Clodagh was a very fussy eater who threw tantrums and refused to eat. She was drinking about 750ml of toddler milk a day and eating hardly anything.

Her mum, Rebecca, was very worried that this behaviour would affect her development further, and she was exhausted from waking three to four times every night with Clodagh.

Since finishing the challenge, Clodagh drinks 200ml of toddler milk (one bottle at nap time and another at bedtime), eats most things her mum gives her and sleeps all night.

"Mealtimes are a breeze with no more tantrums. I never thought I would see the day when Clodagh would eat so well. She now eats family meals with lumps of meat and is doing really well with fruit. And she sleeps from 8pm to 9am, I'm thrilled," says Rebecca.