Not ready for solids?

SJBride05 · April 2011

We started solids with DS about 2 weeks ago. I knew it would take some time for him to get the idea, but he's still dry heaving with every first bite. I feel so bad for him! If he gets through the first bite we're usually OK. Is he not ready? Should I slow down? (We're doing 2 meals/day.) Or is this pretty standard in the beginning?

kittylove · April 2011

DS did the same thing at about 5.5 months when we first started our pedi suggested we stop, and try again in a few weeks. 4 weeks later he was eating like a champ! If he is gaining weight fine, and healthy, then I don't think a 2-4 week break would hurt him. Just be aware that you might have to work to increase your supply if still BFing (I can't remember if you are or not).

futrkingsley · April 2011

I would take a break from solid food for a bit if my kid was dry heaving at each meal at that stage. DS was not a huge lover of food, and has periodically been a kid who gags a LOT. In the beginning, I went very slowly with food. One "meal" every few days. He didn't tolerate food well --he wasn't overly enthusiastic while eating, hated lots of textures, and his tummy didn't like it that much either, so it was no skin off his nose. I didn't need to "replace" those meals with any extra milk.

Having said that, some kids have overactive gag reflexes and it can last quite a while. I've got myself one and almost three years in I'm used to it, but it freaks other people out.

Mrs.K&C · April 2011

I'd probably just feed him casually for the here and now and see if he's more ready later. We started DS around 4 months, he totally wasn't ready (nor was his little tummy!) so I would just feed him every once in a while and see how it went. He is just now eating 1-2 solid meals a day and is just now more interested in it and able to digest without a whole lot of gas bothering him. DD on the other hand was eating steak at this age (kidding, but she was eating full on finger food meals at this point). THey're all different, he'll let you know when he's ready by chasing the spoon with his mouth open!

TheMutleys · April 2011

We were there a couple of weeks ago. He was showing all the signs of being ready. He could sit up. He was grabbing for anything I was eating. However, he just wasn't ready. He would gag and occasionally throw up. He would look at me like I just put poison in his mouth. It was heart wrenching. I couldn't take it. I decided to say that I have never seen an 18-year-old still breastfeeding and that he will transition to solids in his own time.

Just this past week, he has taken to eating. He still gets a confused look on his face sometimes. But there is no more gagging. He's eating 2 meals/day and seems to enjoy it.

For the in between, I would try it out every couple of days. I tried different textures, tastes, etc. I'd cut up avocado or banana and let him feed himself. Generally, I only tried it out once/day. That had more to do with me than him. Since I never knew if it would make him gag or throw up, I didn't want to go through the emotional uncertainty more than once a day.

(I feel so dramatic seeing it typed out like that. Haha.)

m&m818 · April 2011

When we first started solids we didn't really push it. We offered it, some days she'd eat like a champ, some days she had no interest. Either was fine by us, and if she showed no interest we were done with that meal and moving on with our day. DCP always seemed to get DD to eat more too, so we never took a break per se.

Celyn · April 2011

If he's choking, then I'd assume he's not ready. 6 months isn't a magic number and some kids take longer to adjust to it. Heck, Aaron took two years

You're really only trying to introduce flavors at this point, not make meals, so don't stress over it too much.

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