Crying at mealtime?

[x95stocchier]

For about a week or so, DS (7.5 mo) started crying at mealtime, not whining, all out crying.  I have no idea why.  Then the past few days he has started crying once I try to put him in the high chair.  He's been on solids for about 1 month now, and had a variety, though mostly still very smooth purees.  He just cries and cries.  I can slip food in because his mouth is wide open.  Sometimes he will swallow and sometimes it dribbles back out.  I have no idea what to do, or what is causing it.  he's never been terribly fond of solids, but this has sort of come out of the blue.....and all he wants to do is chew on a toy or a spoon when I have him in the high chair.  Help!  Has anyone experienced this, or have any ideas/advice?
Thanks!

[Tonya]

Is it possible he is teething???  That's what it sounds like to me....

Teething HURTS, and they VERY quickly can associate sitting in that high chair with eating, which causes pain....make sense?

The chewing is also another big sign...If he is teething, relax on the solids and just make sure he's getting enough to drink.  Every couple of days I'd stick him back in the chair and see if he cries.  If he does, I'd take him out...you don't want him to associate eating with an unpleasant time.

It's very common for them to go off of food and just drink for a week or even more, while teething!

[x95stocchier]

thanks for the quick reply.  I wondered about teething, but I've been thinking he's teething for 3 months now, and still not 1 tooth!  Anyway, he's particularly crabby these past few days too, though I don't see/feel anything in the mouth.  Think that's what it might be?  He is also suddenly "comfort nursing" though not necessarily eating a lot when bf.  Actually, he used to bf for 10 min and these days it's more like 30......I'd heard nursing also hurts when teething.  But that doesn't seem to be the case with him.    He's been chewing on everything forever, so that's not a good sign for me.

When he cries while eating (solids) he also often grabs his ears.  I don't think it's an ear infection, b/c no other symptoms.  sound like more teething behaviors?  I thought that was just when they got molars.

[jer-76]

I also heard that they can get quite puzzled with all of the new flavours & textures. Then they get upset about it. They can refuse to eat one day, but clear the plate the next. Hope he settles soon x

[Mum-of-Two]

I am glad to find this post, my daughter is the same age and doing the exact same thing today.  She does have a tooth, it just poked through about 3 days ago, she's actually more cranky now than she was before it came in, I almost wonder if the second tooth is on its way.

I don't know what to do either other than offer the bottle instead, I recently switched to fast flow because I think sucking hard on the slow flow hurt her tooth.  So long as your baby is still nursing everything will be fine.  But I am also a little worried about taking a break from the solids then starting again, I don't want her to have a bad feelilng associated with it.

So, we'll be playing it by ear for now.  Let us know how things turn out for you, OK?
Much appreciated,
Jill

[Wiki]

Exactly the same thing happening here, the only thing Caspar will consistently eat is yoghurt mixed with fruit. Almost any other time I put him in the highchair, even if he is happy and playing with toys, he will start really crying if I offer him food of any other kind.

It is so nice to know I am not alone, although I also have been saying he is teething for 3 months now - but we get the biting, ear-pulling and general misery. Plus green sloppy poos! And no teeth yet at all.

[Tonya]

Pulling the ears is a sign of teething, but can also be a sign of an ear infection.  Remarkably, you don't have to see signs at all for ear infections!!   My ds had a DOUBLE ear infection, and one side was VERY bad...and we had no idea.  No pulling ears, no problems sleeping or eating.  I only took him to the doc cause he had a cough that went away.
Our doc said that many babies can fight them off without having to be dosed on antibiotics...so I may have missed previous ear infections!!   Just putting it out there in case.

And, my ds was a LLLOOOONNNNGGGG teether as well.  And I'm talking EVERY set of teeth seemed to take about 2 months or longer from start to finish.

If you make a doc trip, they can see the teething WELL before I am ever able to.  Might be nice just to get confirmation if you're still worried!

[sophiems]

yeah, I wouldn't push food into him if he's upset. 
Maybe for a day or so could you feed him in your lap to see if that helps?  That way you can tell if it's a high chair thing or an eating thing.  If he doesn't even want to eat with you and it hurts him then you know it's something more physical and not just because he doesn't want to sit or something. 

[Wiki]

If it helps I had some success tonight by feeding him on my lap at the kitchen island. As I sat him down he immediately went for the spoon (which I'd loaded with food  ) and it went in his mouth, as did almost the entire cube of it, followed by a petit filous. So maybe that's the way to go, he wants to be at the table?

[x95stocchier]

Thought I'd update...I'm pretty sure our problem was teeth, because he'd been all around cranky....then he got better, and so did his eating.  Then, he got cranky again, and really ear pulling, chewing on stuff, and crying in high chair again.  Still no teeth, but seem sto be related.  What I've been doing is taking him to the high chair, if he screams like crazy, I forget it.  Otherwise, I proceed unless he gets angry.  I'm really trying to avoid the fight.  I also concentrated on his favorite foods, so that may have helped him get back to liking eating.

The other thing I found, I will throw out, is that he seems to want to feed himself.  maybe he's board with the purees spoon fed by mom.  He always grabs the spoon (mostly to chew on!) and so I started putting gerber fruit puffs on his tray while I feed.  That keeps him busy trying to pick up and put them in his mouth (which he's not very good at!), and I just shovel the purees in while he's busy with that.  He's been opening his mouth for the purees, but I think he likes to be part of the process of feeding.  He won't let me put the puffs in his mouth for him....has to do it himself.  Is he already so independent???  Not even 8 month! 

Anyway, thanks for all your replies about long teething.  Makes me feel I'm not as crazy as I thought!  Maybe it IS teeth off and on for months and months!

Wiki, Jill, let me know how it goes for your guys, how it improves and what you do.  I can see this being off & on problem for a while!

[Wiki]

We had success again with him sitting on my lap. He immediately grabs for the spoon and puts it in his mouth. Going to keep on this way and see how we go. After he "fed" himself the veggies, he was keen for a bit of fruit puree, and I was able to put him on the floor and he let me feed him that no problems.

[mrs_kat]

My daugher started crying in her high chair around 7 months.  Like a few mentioned, I fed her on my lap for a couple days and she ate well.  I also put her in her umbrella stroller a few times and she sat there happily eating.  And 8 months was also about the age when we went primarily to finger foods because she would refuse purees, but at least she was over her hgh chair strike by then.

[holdenlouis]

My ds also has not been taking his solids very well. Not alot of crying but he did get a tooth last week. He just turned 7 months. I think he's getting the one next to it now. Now I'm not sure if I should give him more bottle time. He drinks about 6oz every 4 hrs. Sometimes I can get solids in after a nap if it's short. Not sure what to do.

[x95stocchier]

We're still struggling, and I am only giving finger foods now, since he clamps up tight for the spoon.  But he;s not very skilled at self feeding, so I am certain he's not getting much at all.  <sigh>  But I'm sure he won't starve.  Just frustrating.  I never know when to just give up for the meal and let it go.  Today he had about 3 bites before he started crying and whining to get out.  Doesn't seem to matter where I feed him...high chair, lap, bouncy chair, all serve the same reaction. 

I'm assuming he'll eventually cut some teeth and start eating again, but I have no idea how long that will take!

[holdenlouis]

Holden did not eat breakfast or lunch and only drank 3 oz for morning 5oz  for midmorning and 2oz for late afternoon bottles. I just fed him dinner and he ate ok. Nowwe will have to see how tonight goes. The good news is that he slept for 1 1/2 hrs. this morning and 2 hrs. this afternoon and he's taking a catnap right now that is a first!! Hemight wake tonight to recoup his calories