Eating help.

Boo0512

I've mentioned for months that DD won't take a bottle. She will only take one or two sips from a sippy cup and for the last month and a half she has refused ALL solids.

Up until this week I wasn't that worried but now things have changed. I was planning to go back to work at the end of May when DD was 1. However, my dad's assistant broke her ankle to the point that she will require at least one surgery to fix it. This means I'm needed sooner.

I planned to put DD in daycare but now I am starting to freak out that she still will be EBFing when May 1st rolls around.

I've tried multiple bottles/sippy cups. I've tried tons of different foods. I've tried purées, table foods cut into small pieces, puffs, arrow root cookies etc. she will not eat any of it. What else can I try? I have to go back to work so I need to figure this out ASAP.

We've had other people (H and mil) try to feed her and she wouldn't do it for them either.

Any suggestions are welcome. TIA.

Boo0512

@allydncr my plan was to do 2-3 four hour days just to ease her into it. Since she's refused a bottle since 4 months, she's barely ever been with a babysitter.

coffeeandbooks

I think beaubecca is right...it can't hurt to see a specialist.

My non-expert advice is making a game out of it...I sing "the chew chew train is coming...say ah ah...chew chew...(like a Julie Andrews movie)

Also, could she have anxiety about where you are feeding her?  On some fussy nights, I will spoon feed LO in my Ergo carrier, because the high chair is just too much for him...other times we sit on the floor.

Another hint, is that I eat the food first to show him it is ok and kind of wait for him to really want it.

Also, watch the clock...and make sure you are really spacing the feedings out for at least three hours.

Give her her own spoon to play with

And lastly maybe if everyone in the family sits down to a meal she will want to participate...

that is all I got...hope that helps.

Boo0512

Our doc recommended an SLP at 1 year if she's still refusing. I was hoping it would resolve before then. Our insurance plan changed this year (and it sucks) and our new deductible is really high. Seeing a specialist will be really expensive I'm sure so we were hoping to avoid that. If we have to we have to I guess.

My doc didn't want to send her now since she ate solids daily for a month with no issues. This kid is trying to kill me.

Boo0512

@maymomNY‌ I really hope you're right. I'd at least like to make some improvement before sending her. Sigh. Being a parent is hard.

Boo0512

She used to really like sweet potatoes, bananas w/cereal, pears, carrots, and prunes.

ETA: She wasn't too keen on peas but that was right around the time when she started refusing so who knows. She's never eaten puffs or cut up table foods. We only made it to purées and then she quit eating.

JoJo716

I agree with pp's that you might want to see a specialist for peace of mind. Have you tried one of those mesh or silicone feeders? I have not tried them but I know some moms say they are great. I hope you are able to find a solution soon!

MisN

I have a non- eater myself, although in the last month we've seen some improvements. She still won't touch a fruit or veggie purée but this is what has been working for us: - I gave her baby mum mums ever day. Played with them but didn't eat until about three weeks in when she gradually started eating them - breast milk on a spoon, once she was eating that (took a while) then I slowly started adding tiny amounts of rice cereal to the milk gradually increasing the amount - after a few introductions likes soft avocado cubes - likes boiled sweet potato cooked until it is very soft and cut into cubes - also now likes cooked soft carrot, bread pieces, tofu, some cooked meat pieces, quinoa, rice, Cheerios, scrambled egg - Still hates all fruit ?! And is still eats only small quantities Good luck! You also may want to speak with your doctor about iron supplements if she is only really taking breast milk