Anyone's LO refuse finger foods?

care99

As some of you know, we've had a hard time getting Hayden to put things in his mouth.  Latching issues, bottle issues, puree issues, you name it.  So, now he'll take a bottle just fine, eats purees, but refuses chunky food or finger food.  As in, will not open his mouth for it.  He also won't drink water or drink anything from a sippy cup.  Any suggestions?  It has been a very trying ordeal for me and Colin ate everything, drank from all cups, so this is the first time I've dealt with this kind of problem.  I offer him finger foods at each meal, but he just plays with them (or feeds them to the dog).  I eat them in hopes that he'll mimick me, try to put them in his mouth, but he won't go for it.  I have called my pedi but she was not of much help-she said to just keep trying and to mash up food and give it to him.  Well, that's fine, but he won't open his mouth.  He clamps his lips shut and pushes away the spoon, or sippy cup.  Help! 

Kerrin

Maybe give a time limit.  Offer it to him, and give him 20 minutes.  If he hasn't begun eating or drinking by that time, take it away.  Try again at the next feeding time.  I think if he's hungry or thirsty enough, that he will try it.

I don't have the patience for this kind of stuff.

slwprincess

Gavin was finicky with finger foods for a while too.  I always offered them anyway, but if he didn't eat them, we just moved on to a puree.  Eventually he started going for it.  Daycare helped a lot with this one though...

MrsKLB

I don't really have any other good advice, but I wanted to say I'm sorry you've had so many challenges with eating/drinking with Hayden!  I'm sure it is especially frustrating given that things were so easy with Colin.  I'm sure that if you keep offering it he will eventually reach the point where he starts eating it.  Until then, just keep trying and try not to stress over it too much.  I promise he won't be eating purees when he goes off to college!   

MLvK

page MrsL.  She had the same issue with Colin, at least with finger foods.   For the longest time, he would gag on anything that wasn't a puree.   I don't know how she got past it, but now he eats everything. 

kbowman78

Cason had a bit of an issue when we started chunkier food and finger food. I would say it took him about 2-3 weeks before he actually seemed to start enjoying it. We just very gradually went chunkier and chunkier to get him to where he is now. He used to spit it back out and slap the spoon away, too.

I think a big thing is not acting stressed about it in front of him. You don't want him to think it's stressing you or he will be stressed.  I always tried to make it fun, like a game, and it seemed to help. If all else fails, you can always consult an occupational therapist about it. They can def. help with feeding/texture stuff. Good luck, and I'm sorry it's so stressful!

care99

Thanks! kbowman, that's a good idea on the OT. We did OT for a few months after he was born to help with BFing and taking a bottle. They said he might have issues with solids too. I'll give them a call for some ideas too.

OctoberGal2007

I totally feel you!!!!!!!  Here is my story...My DD turns 1 this week and she refuses to hold her own sippy cup and refuses to put food in her mouth. Granted she is still in the process of getting her first tooth.  However, she will not put a baby mum-mum, puff, cracker, etc in her mouth.  She opens her mouth and wants me to put the food in her mouth.  She's like a little birdie!!  It's annoying because she'll hold the food in her hands but never brings it to her mouth.  She brings nothing to her mouth- no toys, no rattles, never took a paci, etc.  My dog now loves puffs and comes running when I mention the word!

DD also never took a bottle (she had really bad reflux) so she's been EBF.  I got her on the sippy cup after trying several ones.  She started drinking with the Nuby and now drinks from the Playtex sippy but she still refuses to hold a sippy cup.  So I've been enabling her and holding the sippy for her....probably wasn't the best idea but hey it's summer and I did not want her to get dehydrated.  I am presently in the process of weaning her and we've drop one feed but I am worried about dropping another because it's hard enough  to get 4 oz of milk into her let throughout the day let alone 8 oz or more!  DD basically sits back like a princess and opens her mouth when she wants her cup.  But the other afternoon she picked up the cup and threw it at me while grunting and opening her mouth!  This whole cup situation really frustrates me but I don't show to her. 

I offer her a spoon to hold a every meal and she toss it right on the floor.  I offer it 2-3x then stop.  I also have her sippy cup sitting on her tray at every meal and intermittently on the floor throughout the day.  I offer finger food, namly, puffs or yogurt meals or a broken baby mum-mum at each meal.  We see the pedi on Monday for the 1 year appt so I'll bringing up these issues....but I totally know the frustration you speak of and it's driving me crazy too!  I feel like I'll buying jars of babyfood forever!  Grrrrr!

Mrs Manners

Ds was a late starter on all solids. He didn't start any finger foods until like 10 or 11 months because he loved his smooth purees. He didn't eat chunky purees until over a year (was already eating some finger foods by that time). We didn't stress about it and would just offer, take a break if it wasn't well received and then offer again a week later or so.