8.5 month old and solids

[mommy2mason]

My LO isn't and has never been a big eater. You'd never know it by his size though! (24lbs.) He averages 20oz. of formula a day and has been like this for months, which is ok because he's growing just fine. I was just wondering...he loves fruit but not so into veggies, which I'm sure is pretty common for LO's. I make my own babyfood but have recently used a few jars too. He'll usually eat carrots and sweet potatoes, but will only eat peas and green beans if I mix applesauce in it. Do you think I should stop mixing applesauce in it so he's not SO into the sweet stuff all the time? I know he won't eat it then, but should I just offer stuff I know he'll eat? Tonight I tried feeding him green beans but he would just push the spoon away. Then he wanted to hold the spoon so I let him and tried feeding with another...then he wanted that spoon too! So I finally added some applesauce to it and he ate it all. I've tried steamed peas and carrots chopped up as finger food as well as chopped up banana but he wants nothing to do with it. Are LO's usually older when they start eating most of their food as finger foods?

[~*Sugar*~]

This is almost exactly what is going in our house.My lo is just 8 months and not a big eater either and also doesnt really like his veggies but i do get a tiny bit of success with finger foods instead of purees.Pureed veggies he wont even try to eat,not even if i mix it with fruit,but pureed fruit by its self is fine.He will eat any kind of fruit,baby cereals,cheerios,breads,gerber puffs,cheese,teething cookies,rusks,yogurts,potato,pasta and meats but not the veggies.I keep offering them hoping he will evenually eat them but he will only eat 2 or 3 bites and thats it.Will be interested to read what others may suggest.

Hugs to you...i feel your concern!!

Christina

[mommy2mason]

Looks like we're in the same boat! My LO will eat the other things you mentioned too. Although now he's starting to not want the puffs and cheerios and only wants the gerber lil' crunchies! I think I have a picky one here! I haven't tried pasta or meat yet. I guess I'm a procrastinator! He used to be ok eating carrots but I tried for lunch today and he would close his mouth and push it away. I ended up adding a tablespoon of applesauce again. It's funny because I have to somehow get him to take a taste because once he does and tastes the applesauce then he'll gobble it down. I tried steamed carrots in the mesh feeder too...that didn't work at all! I kind of felt bad because he gets so excited when I give him the mesh feeder because he loves banana in it. Then he tasted the carrots and just proceeded to squish the juice out everywhere instead. It's kind of hard because I'll thaw the veggies everyday or open a jar but then he'll barely eat any of it and I never know if I should offer fruit after he refuses the veggie because I know he'll eat it?? I think if I do that then he'll expect that every time though?? I think he got my sweet tooth!

Amy

[Freya'sMum]

Babies can be introduced to finger foods from birth, but won't know what to do with them until about 6 months, when they have the observation and motor/oral skills to watch what you do with your finger foods and copy you There is a finger foods for young babies thread in the recipes section of this forum if you would like some other ideas.

Also, it's worth remembering that babies have fluctuations in appetite just like we do - if they are feeling poorly, teething, tired, distracted, bored or just feeling stroppy/grumpy, then it can affect their appetite - my suggestion would be to offer what you offer, and if they don't eat it, don't offer something you know they will definitely eat (whatever that is) because they quickly learn the schema of "hmmm, if I don't eat this stuff I'm not keen on, mum will always feed me that yummy stuff I like" - there's no incentive to eat the less popular stuff!

Also, they quickly pick up on the associated anxiety "mum seems worried if I don't eat much, what's that about?" and can start to make anxious associations about food quantities etc... As milk is the primary source of nutrition until 12 months, I wouldn't worry if your los don't swallow any food for a while, as long as they take their milk (minimum 20oz per day - it's not just their physical growth, babies need babymilk for good neurological development too!) - I would simply continue to offer a variety of foods that you will expect them to eat in their childhood diets, and trust them if they say "no" - babies don't have an eating disorder , they don't starve themselves, they eat when they are hungry!

Do check out the new FAQ - Introducing Solid Foods the BW Way, as well as the Baby-led Weaning and Spoon Refusal FAQs for more reassurance and ideas of how to proceed!

Ax

[~*Sugar*~]

Well i shouldnt say my lo eats a lot of meat either but he has tried bits of chicken and fish.I have not tried others yet because red meat needs more chewing and i would think that would be more difficult with only 2 teeth...lol.I too threw away a lot of food at first but now i dont even buy jars so i just give him bits of what we eat and this way i am not making different things for him.Also i agree with not giving the fruit if he doesnt eat or at least try some of the others...i did that at first but then stopped.Now as long as he eats a few bites of veggie i give the fruit but if he doesnt then no fruit.We have a mesh feeder too and he loves it with cold fruit in it for his teething but since he started eating finger foods he wont eat anything else in it now.

I also have a 14 year old that is an extremely picky eater (always has been) and i used to make 2 meals all the time and sometimes still do so i am determined NOT to make that mistake again with dds 2.

Christina