<r>BTDT with both my kids. Very common. I've learned the trick is not to have junk food in the house, other than for an occasional treat, and just continue to offer healthy meals and snacks. She will eat when she's hungry. Watch what she eats over a weeks time vs. daily. My DD used to eat what seemed like hardly anything at all for several days and then chow like a horse. Our ped. assured us this was normal. Also, don't make a big deal about it. Pressuring the issue of eating can actually make things worse by turning it into a power struggle. Offer healthy foods. If she eats, great, if not, no biggie. Our kids began to eat much better once we stopped pleading, begging and bribing, etc.. <br/>
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Sometimes reverse psychology works. LOL! I remember my DD asking what was for dinner. I matter of factly stated, "Oh, something awful that you're not going to like." At dinner I served everyone but her. She said, "Hey, what about me?!" I replied, "I know you're not going to like this. Are you sure you want to try it??" She confidently nodded her head, tried it and proudly exclaimed she liked it! *Giggle* Score one for the parents! LOL! <br/>
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I would try to lessen her milk intake, but would not substitute with juice. Milk is far more nutritionally valuable than juice. Even 100% juice has a lot of sugar in it. <br/>
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A good article from Baby Center dot com:<br/>
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<B><s></s><COLOR color="blue"><s></s>Is it normal that my big kid hardly seems to eat anything?<e></e></COLOR><e></e></B><br/>
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<B><s></s><COLOR color="blue"><s></s>Expert Answers<e></e></COLOR><e></e></B><br/>
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<COLOR color="blue"><s></s>Melanie Shay, registered dietitian <e></e></COLOR><br/>
<COLOR color="blue"><s></s>As long as your child is growing normally, she's most likely okay, even if she doesn't seem to be eating enough. The truth is, it's quite common for children at this age to have trouble sitting still for meals, to eat irregularly, and to be very picky about what they will eat.<e></e></COLOR><br/>
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<COLOR color="blue"><s></s>You may be tempted to try to force your child to eat more, but don't: The more pressure you put on her, the more she'll resist and the less she'll eat. Instead, offer her a range of healthy foods, eat them yourself so you're setting a good example, and then sit back and let her choose what she wants to eat, and how much. Don't worry — she won't starve. A recent study from the American Dietetic Association showed that nearly all children will eat enough to meet their nutritional needs when they have access to a variety of foods, even those whose mothers described them as extremely picky eaters.<e></e></COLOR><br/>
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<COLOR color="blue"><s></s>The important thing to remember is that normal growth is the best indicator of adequate nutrition, so if your child is maintaining adequate growth in both height and weight (which your doctor can help you determine), then she is getting plenty of calories. Talk to your child's doctor at the next well-child visit (or make an appointment before then if you're really concerned) to confirm that your child is growing at the expected rate.<e></e></COLOR><br/>
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<COLOR color="blue"><s></s>While your child may be getting enough calories to grow, you may be worried that she's not getting these calories from the right sources. So you may want to record what your child eats for about a week (without making a big deal about it in front of her). Then you can use the Food Guide Pyramid (link shown at Baby Center dot com) to help you assess her eating. You'll probably find that she's eating better than you thought. If she seems deficient in any one food group, try offering more foods from that group for a while. If that doesn't work, you can always ask your pediatrician to recommend an appropriate multivitamin to help meet your child's nutritional needs.<e></e></COLOR></r>
