Toddlerhood (One to Three Years)

Introduction

The stage from her first birthday until she starts school,i.e. from 1 to 3 years is the stage of toddlerhood. These are the crucial years for laying the foundation of your baby's health. Most babies outgrow the stage of eating mashed and bland foods and will now begin to eat more elaborate meals. They are now ready to eat everything that is being cooked for the other family members. Do remember that the food habits formed at this age will hold them good for a lifetime. So you need to ensure that she eats healthy and nutritious food. Encourage your toddler to eat whatever she likes and treat her palate to a variety of foods so that she cultivates a taste for new foods.

For you, this stage can be a magical experience, as you will see your baby gaining independence and ability very rapidly. Between the ages of 1 and 3 years, your bundle of energy will grow very rapidly, learning to crawl, talk etc. During this period, she will need to be fed more frequently. Unfortunately, right now, her small stomach is not in a situation to cope up with large meals. So, offer small and frequent meals to your child.

Also remember not to set hard and fast rules in terms of timings or number of meals, because what is really important is not the number of times your child eats but what she eats. You need to emphasize on the quality and not quantity of food she eats. Be flexible as rigidity regarding meal times may lead only to stubbornness.
They may get tired, cry or nibble on anything that's within their reach.

Now you need to be more attentive than usual, as your little angel may not understand that she is hungry and will probably realize it only once food is in sight. If she is hungry, she can cry or throw a tantrum too, so you need to be alert and remind her to eat by offering her food at regular intervals. Most babies show a decrease in appetite during this year, as they are busy concentrating on learning other skills. If your baby is one amongst them, do not worry as babies usually eat whatever they like and demand food whenever they are hungry.

It is possible that sometimes she may refuse to eat for no apparent reason. In your loving efforts to ensure that your baby eats a good balanced diet, remember that the coin is in your child's hand, too. If you insist on force feeding, meal times will soon become a tug of war between you and your child making them extremely unpleasant and your baby may develop an aversion to food. If your little one is not particularly interested in all the foods that you offer and chooses to eat one or two things, do not force her to eat the foods she does not wish to eat. She will surely make up for this lack of eating in her next meal. Mothers are agonized if their baby has had no milk for one day, but its okay to take a break from regular everyday foods, once in a while. Tempt her with cheese or paneer instead. Some toddlers are also fussy about what they like and what they want to eat. By now, they have strong preferences which might make you want to tear your hair out sometimes. This situation can be handled if you follow the basic principle of serving your baby the foods that she is already accustomed to and enjoys while continuing to add new foods to her diet. Fussing over her may convey that eating is a means of getting family attention.

Cook dishes that your child enjoys. Also it is wiser to mask foods she doesn't like by mashing, or puréeing it. You can also mix those ingredients with baby's favourite ones. For example, if your baby does not like carrots, try giving her Carrot Cake instead.

Toddlers also like variety in terms of textures, shapes and flavours as their taste buds are now almost developed.