Still not doing well with solids... advice please!

Annie Marie

I'm usually just a lurker, but I'm hoping I can get some help from you all!  (sorry it's long)

We started solids (purees) with DD at 6 months, she's now almost 8 months.  She really hasn't been too interested and even though I offer them twice a day, she barely will take a single bite.  I won't force feed her, so if she's not acting interested, I don't stick a spoon in her mouth... should I?

I've just recently learned more about BLW and have tried giving her sweet potato sticks, apple slices, carrot sticks, but she just throws everything on the floor over & over again and doesn't really try putting them in her mouth much (which is strange since she usually mouths everything). 

Any ideas, advice, tips would be greatly appreciated!  I'm also getting tons of grief from my MIL and don't know what to say.  Thanks!

c4162

IMO, if she is not interested, try again in a couple of weeks. Try to make meal time fun. Praise her a ton when she does take a bite. Maybe try pureeing her food just like you would for a younger baby. Because LOs are very particular when it comes to to texture. First puree, let's say, carrots, then mix them with milk until they are of a very thin consistency. So the big change for her will be just the taste. (As opposed to taste AND texture) then slowly decrease the amount of milk, and only then move up to strained or mashed carrots. I think if she hasn't been interested in purees, then she is definetly not ready for sweet potato sticks or apple slices. She probably doesn't even know what she is suppossed to do with them...one last thing, try the website wholesomebabyfood.com they have a ton of tips and recipes. Best of luck

LouiseB2001

I have no advice except I was about to write this very same post this morning! Our LOs are the same age and we are having exactly the same problem. DH tried to give a bit of oatmeal with pear (once a favorite) this morning and she didn't have one single bit. I am a bit worried when I see/hear about other 8 month olds eating lots of solids but I also think babies are different. We have been doing a mix between BLW and purees because DD wants to feed herself. I often give her the spoon with puree on so she can suck it off and that seems to help a bit. We have sort of a success with bagels: I giver her half each morning split up in 4 pieces. She will chew on it and eat bits and then throw it on the floor when 'done'. Over christmas oddly enough we got her to eat a couple of portions of millet porridge with pear or banana. Have you tried broccoli? This was a hit in the beginning but I haven't tried it in a while. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know you are not the only one, which probably means this is fairly normal :-) Btw when I talked to my BFF who is a doctor, she said this is normal until about 9 months.

Kestrel84

c4162:

I think if she hasn't been interested in purees, then she is definetly not ready for sweet potato sticks or apple slices. She probably doesn't even know what she is suppossed to do with them...

I disagree with this.  If purees aren't working, then finger food (or having them feed themselves the puree) often work better.  OP - I agree with you not forcing the issue.  I don't think you should be worrying yet since your LO is still so young and should be getting most of her nutrition from BM or formula anyway.  Does your family eat at the same time you offer her food?  If not, maybe that will help her to see what is supposed to happen at mealtime?  I know she probably won't catch on overnight but it may help the process a bit.  I think you're doing fine by contininuing to offer her meals and just try to keep a relaxed attitude about it!   

ncbelle

I would keep offering finger foods (although raw apple and carrot are choking hazards unless grated) and not force the issue.  Are you eating with her?  I think that can make a huge difference as at that age they are beginning to imitate everything we do.

lilfluke

I'm having the exact same issues! DS will try one or two bites of something and then refuse to eat any more. He was never a fan of purees so we just moved on to BLW, and that has been VERY slow going He does like to hold a cracker and "gum" on it, but he still isn't eating much. Oh well, I just try to remind myself "it won't be like this for long" and I try to enjoy our time nursing together

Annie Marie

I'm so glad to hear I'm not the only one!  I haven't been very good about feeding her while we're also eating, so I'll work on that.  I think I'm going to lean toward the BLW way.  (The apple slices & carrots are cooked, so they're mushy... that's okay, right?)

Thanks for the encouragement and tips!

MrsAmers

My DS barely did more than suck on the occasional sweet potato fry until he was 10 months old. He just wasn't interested until then. And once he started some nights he ate more than his sister. :-) Every kid is different. It is just like learning to walk or talk, every kid does it in their own time. I also agree about the benefits of eating together. Offering healthy food on a regular basis and modeling how to eat is your job. Deciding what and how much to eat is the child's job!