I am having a testing time with my 17-month-old boy. He is quickly changing from a terrific eater to a real fusspot. He will eat brilliantly at nursery – sometimes even seconds – and I am regularly told when it comes to food time, he is the first in the queue! Yet when it is suppertime at home he is always pushing the spoon away. Any ideas? He does like feeding himself, but when I get in from work I just want something quick and easy, otherwise it gets too late and he is really tired and irritable. Any ideas? Also, I was just wondering what everybody else’s babies of…

Angela is over twelve months but I am still scared to give her honey. What makes it not safe one day and safe the next, i.e. the day before they turn one, to the next day? Angela is small, just 18.5lbs – is the safety issue weight-dependant or am I being crazy? I’m very happy that you brought up this issue as many people aren’t aware that they’re not supposed to give honey to babies under twelve months. Though it’s extremely rare for this to cause a problem, honey can cause a potentially deadly type of the food poisoning called botulism. This is because honey can carry botulinum spores. These…

Jo is 15 months old and was turning into a great eater. However, the last couple of days he’s been running a temperature, and now he’s refusing lots of foods, including some he normally loves, like mince. I give him the food as usual, but he spits it out. But then he’s happy to munch on breadsticks and hummus. Shall I just go with it and give him things I know he’ll eat? Or does this sound like he’s starting to get fussy? Do you find the appetite gets better once the illness is over? It’s always worrying when little ones are unwell, and we also get concerned when they’re…

Hannah has been at nursery for four weeks now and predictably has been ill most of that time with a persistent cold and now a cough and sore throat. She is just over one but I haven’t yet made the switch from formula to cows’ milk, although she does have it in cooking and on cereal. Is it best to delay introducing cows’ milk to drink until she is better? Is it a problem that she continues with formula for a bit longer? It is recommended that babies make the change from formula to cows’ milk at about the age of one. This is not because of any particular nutrient…

My toddler has suddenly taken a real dislike to his milk. My toddler has suddenly taken a real dislike to his milk and is now taking a lot less than 350ml (12oz) a day. Some nights he flatly refuses his bedtime drink. I’m worried he’s not getting the right nutrition – what should I do? Babies and young toddlers are not capable of distinguishing the difference between hunger and thirst, so it would be wise to make sure that your toddler is not eating too much solid food at mealtimes, which would have a knock-on effect on the amount of milk he is drinking. For several days, keep a note…

My 1-year-old daughter refuses milk from a beaker at breakfast. My daughter won’t take milk from a beaker in the morning. She still takes 250ml cow’s milk from a bottle in evening. She drinks lots of water from a beaker throughout the day. How do I get her to take milk from a beaker as I will have to drop the bottle at night as well and she still needs her milk intake? At present she is offered milk at breakfast with toast, porridge with fruit and yoghurt or scrambled eggs on toast. She takes a full protein meal at lunch followed by yoghurt or a banana and a vegetarian…

How do we divide my daughter’s daily milk intake when she reaches 1year of age? At 11mths of age we have cut down my daughter’s milk feeds but when she’s one and weaned onto cow’s milk would we give her 5oz at breakfast and 7oz after her bath? Or should we give her 5oz breakfast, 2 oz with her tea and five after her bath at bedtime with a story. I have read your books but could do with a little more guidance. At present she drinks 5ozs of formula from a cup at 7.15am and 7ozs of formula from a cup at 6.45pm. If your daughter seems content with…