Starting solids - Problems

[samanthakw]

Hi,

My first post on this forum. 

My DS is just coming up to 6 months and weaning is a bit of a problem.

We first started trying him on baby rice about 6 weeks ago. For a week, he was fine but then started clamping his mouth shut and turning his head every time we tried to feed him.
The same week, he cut his first teeth so we put it down to this and stopped for a few days.

After that, he never seemed interested so we kept leaving it a few days and trying again.

Finally, about 10 days ago, he started taking some pureed apple. We kept him on that for a few days and then started to try other foods.

Problem one is, he has refused every type of veggie we have tried (and thats most of them)

Problem two is that his feeding patten is still very hit and miss. One days he'll take 2-3 desert spoonfuls 2 or 3 times a day. Then the next, he'll barely eat at all. The one thing he seems to enjoy is Petit Filou, but I dont want to get him into the habit of refusing savoury so we offer sweet.

He has always refused a bottle and a dummy and seems to hate having anything put into his mouth.

He is still brestfeeding well.

Should I worry or just keep on trying?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[tylersmommy]

Welcome to the boards!

It's totally normal for it to take awhile for babies to get into the swing of eating solids, so don't worry! Keep trying, but respect his appetite and readiness. If he's refusing, that's okay. Formula and/or breastmilk will continue to be his main sources of nutrition for several more months, so it's okay if he isn't quite ready for other foods yet. I started solids with Tyler at 6 mo, and it took 4-6 wks before he'd consistently open his mouth and eat even one spoonful. As long as your DS's breast/bottle intake is still fine, then there's nothing to worry about...it will come in time.

I'm not sure what Petit Filou is, but you did mention that he's eating spoonfuls of dessert and nothing else. I don't advise feeding him desserts for quite some time, if at all. You run the risk of cultivating a sweet tooth, and desserts won't provide him with any nutrition. Keep gently trying to introduce vegetables and fruits, and when he's ready, he'll try them! Also, it often takes many, many exposures to a new food for a baby to accept it. I've read that babies sometimes have to smell or taste a new food 10-15 times before they decide to take that second bite!

[TracyW]

It does take a while.  Be patient.  I remember thinking my daughter will never eat anything, and now I can't believe how much she eats (she's 10 months).
As for the veggies, have you tried butterbut squash?  That was the first vegtable Penelope would eat.  I think it's because it's sweet and very liquidy - more like fruit.
Best of luck!  He'll get there.

[Erin (redstarfalling)]

My dd didn't start eating ANYTHING consistently until about 10 months!  So I wouldn't worry too much!  :wink: Solids are really just for practice during the first year.  Just keep offering and accept whatever your lo will try!

[annamum]

Some babies are not too interested in solids and that is fine as long as they get their nutrition from breastmilk or formula. Just for your information, my dd wasn't actually eating much of any solids with an exception for mashed bananas till she was 10.5 months old. At 12 months, she basically started to eat everything in big quantities, I didn't need to prepare her food seperately anymore, she just ate with us. This continues, she is a great eater, I am lucky not to have a "picky toddler" and I think, it is because I never forced her to have "just one more spoon" of mashed whatever  :lol: .