Fussy eater or possibly ill/teething?

[newmum27]

Hi,

My LO is having a lot of trouble adjusting to solids. We have been trying solids now for almost 6 weeks and he still won't take any more than 1-2 tablespoons in total. We have tried to offer him all sorts of different fruits and veges and he just never seems hungry. Most of the time it gets spat back out and he turns his head away or refuses to open his mouth. We have got to the point where as soon as he goes into the feeding chair he starts to squirm and eventually scream.

Is he a fussy eater? Are we doing something wrong? I'm worried that he has started to take less of his formula milk but hasn't increased his solids intake.

Things to keep in mind: he has reflux and is on medication, he is 6 months and he has 2 bottom teeth and possibly the 2 top ones coming.

Our routine:
6-7am wakes up
7am bottle
8:30/9 start nap
10:30 wakes up
11 am bottle
12:30 attempt at solids
1/1:30 nap for 1 hour
2:30 wakes up
3pm bottle
4/4:30 nap 45 mins
5pm another battle with solids
6:30 bath etc
7pm bottle
7:30 bed

Your input would be greatly appreciated.

Ruth

[Freya'sMum]

Ruth,

I have been reading your posts on several threads now, and it sounds like you're really stressing about this whole introducing solid foods thing, so my priority is to reassure you that all is well!

I'm going to go back to basics a bit...

...your gorgeous little boy is just 6 months old, you've been trying solid food with him for a couple of months without success (you describe mealtimes as battles ), he's not enjoying himself, you're really stressed about it - what does this tell you? It tells me that he's just not ready to have solid foods yet, simple as that - and that's fine!

If you think about it from a bw perspective, we don't expect our los to all walk at 'x' months old, or talk at 'y' months, and we just accept that it is ok, and that they will do so when they do so, but with solid food somehow this logic goes out window! There seems to be a huge amount of pressure on parents to have their los eating vast quantities of loads of different foods at a very young age, and the bw philosophy that we apply to other things, that our los will do things when they are developmentally ready to do so, is forgotten...

...so, my advice to you is, apply that philosophy!

Your ds doesn't need solid food for nutrition until he is 12 months old, he needs milk, and he needs to learn what solid foods are, what to do with them, and that eating is an enjoyable, pleasurable, relaxed, positive experience between now and then! I would suggest that if he is creating this much of a fuss about it, he probably isn't developmentally ready to be spoon-fed purees, and that he definitely isn't making positive associations with the activity of eating!

You can relax in the knowledge that at 6 months old, if ds doesn't eat a single mouthful of solid food, it doesn't matter, and rather than focus on trying to get him to do so, focus on making those positive associations. Whether you want to adopt a spoon-feeding or self-feeding approach to introducing solid foods, you can still sit together at mealtimes as a family so that you can model to him the experience of eating - he'll watch and learn how you do it, and how much you enjoy it! You've got at 6 months for him to get the hang of it - there's no rush - and he'll learn better if he's doing it alongside you, rather than feeling pressured by you anxiously staring down at him spoon poised!

Trust his instincts when it comes to wanting to eat or not, if he squirms or turns his head or chucks his spoon/bowl on the floor, don't continually push him to have just one more mouthful, let him say when enough is enough - you now know that it is ok if he doesn't actually swallow anything!

About your other concern, his decrease in milk, this could well be to do with illness or teething, and it does make it even more important to prioritise those milk feeds!

I hope this helps to reassure you - ds is doing fine, and so are you - just relax!

Ax

[Mama2boys]

Hi Ruth,

Just thought I'd add in a bit to what Alison has already written for you. My DS similar to yours suffered from reflux, was on medication etc and did not start enjoying food/solids immediately. But as Alison has pointed out its only about getting used to and experiencing solids at present and there is nothing to be concerned about.

My DS has grown to like his food and enjoys his solids now, so don't worry and enjoy his tasting solids, the more you relax the more fun your little one and you will have at mealtimes.

DS also goes son a hunger strike at times when he is teething, its quite common, and nothing to worry about as soon as the teething pain is gone the LO will go back to drinking milk as usual.

Hang in there!
Mukta

[Freya'sMum]

Hello Mukta, long time no hear glad things have all settled now, and that you can look back and say "it was tricky at the time, but we survived!",

Ax

[Mama2boys]

Hi Alison,

Things have certainly gotten better or should I say slight shift of focus...the feeding is sorted so now working on sleep training..the saga never ends.

Hope you have been well as have your lo's.
Take care
Mukta