DS refusing to sit in high chair!!!Help!

[marchmommy]

My DS, a week away from his first birthday, is now refusing to sit in his high chair. Up until now, he has always been a very good eater and sat in his high chair with no problem. Last week he did have roseola (a baby virus) but is now better. But when he was sick, he started refusing to sit in the chair, so I held him and fed him, or fed him by hand while he played on the floor. Now, he screams and arches so it's virtually impossible to get him in the chair. I don't know what to do or what is going on. The other thing is that I am 6 weeks pregnant and still breastfeeding and trying to slow down the breastfeeding but he is more insistent then ever,including pulling down my shirt-so I don't know if this has anything to do with my breastmilk changing....Has this ever happened to any of you-this refusing to sit in the chair when you have never had a problem? Do you think it has to do with the breastmilk or him being sick? Any advice?

[Momof3Labs]

Colin started fighting the high chair after he was sick in January, and so I just moved him to a strap-on booster chair (a folding one with a tray) that we had bought for eating out. He's happy as a clam, now, eating like a big boy in his chair - he even makes a feeble attempt to climb into it when it is mealtime! And I'm thrilled to put the awful Prima Pappa in storage (and get it out of my kitchen)!

Your son might be trying to nurse more because he was sick, toddlers often nurse for comfort and he might need that comfort right now. Also, is he getting less attention from you (maybe you are feeling sick or tired with the pregnancy)? He might want to nurse to make up for getting less attention. It sounds like there are a lot of variables here, so it will be harder for you to figure out what is going on.

Hang in there, and congratulations on your pregnancy!!

[JElaineB]

Lori,

Do you use the tray with the booster when Colin is eating or does he eat from the table?

Jennifer
mom to Jacob 9/27/02

[Momof3Labs]

Both! We use the tray because he is still messy and because it is the right height for him, but push the chair up to the table, so he uses the table for his "overflow" or when he doesn't want something on his tray anymore.

[calebsmama03]

Hi there,
no suggestions here. Just wanted to say my DS will also be 1 next week (Wednesday 3/3) and I cannot imagine being pregnant agai! You must have the patience of a saint. Good luck to you, and best wishes for a peaceful weaning and happy, healthy pregnancy!

Lynne
Mommy to Caleb 3/3/03

[mattysmom]

Our DS just turned one and about two weeks ago also decided that he hated his highchair. He used to hate getting into anything - stroller, carseat, and highchair etc, but now it's just the highchair (and he hasn't been sick for a while). We just take a lot of time (and do a little gentle wrestling) to get him in and usually once he's in, he'll be okay after a few minutes (which seems like a long time). Good luck with DS and with the pregnancy!

[marchmommy]

Actually, this pregnancy came as a surprise and I am having lots of mixed feelings-going back and forth between being happy and in shock and stressed about it. I love my DS so much and am worried about having the next one so close. But thanks for your good wishes.

[marchmommy]

Thanks for the good advice. We went out and bought a booster seat and so far he remonstrates a little bit, some screaming, but it's much easier to get him in, and both times, once he was in the seat, he ate very happily. Even started dancing to music that was playing while he ate.

[signsing]

He may want to nurse more because you want to nurse less. It might be best to take a break from that battle and work on the others until things even back out, then try to gradually make yourself "unavailable" ie. change the routine so he is doing something else when he would have been nursing. He might not even realize the change.

Good Luck
Betsey
Buddy's Mamma