stopped eating

[dizzy]

Hi, we were going great in the eating department finally but now back to square one. He is nearly nine months. He had a slow start and would only eat pear for ages than we got fruit and veggies established although fruit still favourite. He ate veggies mainly with cheesy sauce and then introduced tomato sauce and seemed ok. He loved yoghurt natural and pots ofbaby yog. He had a cold and nasty cough so we went to yoghurt and fruit only but then he got better and we had a week ok and we introduced a few lumps and started on with a bit of chicken and then we has our first spag Bog, of which he ate 10 spoonsful. He seemed to be coping. Then we had 2 front teeth coming through. Now we will not really eat at all. Sometimes yoghurt and fruit but no savouries. I offer and he tastes and then won't eat. He then won't eat yoghurt or fruit either as thinks they are the other food he tried. He will sometimes eat the baby yoghurts as he recognises the pot but not always. He will not and has never yet eaten finger foods although I put bits of banana or veggies on the tray and have done for a good while. He would suck on rice cake or bread but not now. Seem to be right back at the beginning and we have a lot more teeth to come. If this happens every time will he ever get it? He is only having 20 oz milk max but waking in night now hungry. Last night put DF back in and he drank 5 oz. Thought that was better than feeding when he wakes which has been 4 am. Then can reduce and stop as we did the first time.
Any advice taken.

[RyansMum]

If you think he is teething could you introduce soft teething biscuits or toast?  Perhaps he might suck on them?  Anything cold like lightly cooked carrots?  They all seem to go through a bit of a phase of not eating much but it could just be down to your lo's teeth. I would just keep introducing the food, don't give alternatives of the ones he eats the most as he may just think he can hold out for those.  If he doesn't eat just take it away until next meal/snack. He won't starve himself and I am sure he will start to eat the new things you have put in front of him. This age is a very good time to introduce a lot of new foods.

HTH

[Freya'sMum]

And it's a really good time to start those finger foods in earnest - hugs Dizzy! they all do this for many reasons, just stick to offering him what you want him to eat, trust his appetite, eat together with him so he's reminded that it's a normal, relaxed and enjoyable thing to do, and encourage the milk in the day (add an extra oz to each bottle if he can take another 5 at night!)!

Ax

[dizzy]

so if he won't eat his savoury do i give him fruit and yog or nothing? Sometimes he wants to eat his fruit first and then when he gets going he eats savoury after?
Do I go back to complate puree again? How di you guys introduce lumps and finger foods?

[Freya'sMum]

Just pop some finger foods on his plate/tray and let him play with them there are some ideas for good starter finger foods in the FF for Young Babies thread in the Recipes section, and if he's eating when you eat he'll watch what you do and see how to do it and then copy you, he'll work out thru observing and playing that these 'toys' are edible ones. He'll also relax about eating if he sees that it is a very normal, sociable, relaxed, fun, no pressure thing to do - I really think that will help

Ax