6 month old's bumpy beginnings

[Anmarnad]

My little girl is 6 months and 2 weeks old and we started solids 2 weeks ago. Even though she seems interested in food and before her first bite she would open her mouth to taste an empty spoon, now she keeps her mouth shut every time I try to offer her anything. We go very slowly, with apple and carrot. I try not to force and keep it fun, but I'm worried that usually she puts everything into her mouth and we can even " dry feed" her, but the moment any food is on her spoon she turns her head and keeps her mouth shut. What should I do? Give it a break? Persevere? Try someting else? (I dint think its the taste - as almost nothing goes into her mouth at all) Is it normal?

I also would like to thank also of you for running this forum. I have to say I spend quite some time here reading the posts and getting lots of great ideas to try.

[<Catherine>]

Hi there

I am bumping this for you, however I would say to persevere but at the same time not to push it too much, and not to worry too much either - solids at this age are all about introducing taste and texture, milk is still her main source of nutrition up until about 12 months. This might be a helpful read What if my baby just isn't interested in solid food?

I also would like to thank also of you for running this forum. I have to say I spend quite some time here reading the posts and getting lots of great ideas to try.

Glad you've found some help here, hope it continues!

[~inbalance~]

I would give it a break and then try again.  I've found that my LOs would sometimes start out interested and then lose interest fast, or even not be interested in purees at all.  My DD is the same age as yours and at first she seemed like she liked solids but then stopped opening her mouth.  It's good to offer but if they don't open then just put the spoon down for that time.  Have you considered baby led weaning?  My DS2 would not let me spoon feed him so we did BLW instead, and now I am going that route with my DD and she is so much happier if she can feed her self.  You can also try putting food on the spoon and then giving your LO the spoon to feed herself.  It's messy, but it's a good way for them to gain experience with eating and enjoy it all at the same time! 

[Anmarnad]

Thank you so much for your help! I have decided to give it a little break - she refused her breakfast yesterday completely and I decided to listen to her. We will try again in a week or so and I will report back then. I hope it will go a bit smoother... In the meantime I will educate myself on BLW and we will see which option she will go for. I'm curious myself!

[Helen25]

Hi there.

I was wondering how you got on with this. Have you started again. For interest, I have twins and one has taken quite well to weaning, but the other does exactly the same as your little one. He sees the spoon and clamps his mouth firmly shut. We started at about the same time too (6 months) and I almost wished I'd delayed it further, but I keep offering. What I'm not so sure about, is whether to start offering a lunch option too. I probably should as the one twin is doing quite well. Anyway, I'll carry on with the breakfast - and would be interested to know whether you had any success when you tried again.

[~inbalance~]

Hi!  I did back off for a few days and started again, and she has a bit more interest again (though still not eating huge amounts).  I also offer finger foods with every meal which she really seems to like.  All you can do is offer, and if he is not interested, then don't make a big deal about it. 

This link might be a little reassuring:  What if my baby just isn't interested in solid food?

[Anmarnad]

Hello! Here is an update from me.
I decided to take a small break from the spoon for 6 days. She did sit with us at all meal times and I tried showing her how my spoon gets into my month. But other than that she had a real spoon ban - no playing with spoons, no chewing on spoons, etc. And after 6 days she decided to cooperate! She ate her carrots like a pro! That was a week ago. And since then we have had some ups and downs. I noticed that she ate her veggies better than fruits, and figured it was the temperature thing - veggies were slightly warmer and fruits at room temperature. So I started warming her apple up a bit in a bottle warmer, and that seemed to have helped. Another thing is timing. If I offer her food  too soon or too late, she wont eat anything. And also her mood. Today she is very grizzly (don't know why) and wont nap well, and she is refusing her meals as well. But on the other hand yesterday she polished 1/4 of a banana at one meal, and 1/2 apple at the other - a very strange thing, as usually she eats half of a tea spoon.  So now I know she can do it, but I need to figure out when and how to offer ( its a game now at our house, when we take bets :-) ) .

Well, I hope some of it will be helpful to you... Good luck!

[~inbalance~]

Sounds like you're figuring out what works!  Great!  I agree my DD seems to like things a little warmer as well.  We are doing pretty good too.