Baby Led Weaning Support Thread - Part 6!

[huby]

hi thre
Am doing  the offering new foods I mean, but even if she's starving she clamps her mouth shut. Tried weetabix and banana and spricot this morning - no chance. So out came the egg and toast - gobbled it up - and managed to disguise some of te weetabix in there so half of that got eaten too.
Will keep trying but am exhausted making all these purrees and food that gets wasted!

[Mrs Coops]

How old is she? Are you trying to spoon feed her?
 This may sound disgusting but try putting a small bowl of weetabix in front of her and try dipping the toast in it? She might prefer feeding herself, or just give her the spoon!

[huby]

good, point, and no it doesn't sound disguisting, she's been pushing the spoon away, but taking things more readily if they are given by hand or she can pick them up. I did dip the toast in this morning and it worked for a wee while.
I've just made her an organic meat and veg stew....any ideas how i go about that one? I know she'll spit it out. Sigh

[Mrs Coops]

I would just keep it as simple as possible. Put it on her tray and let her watch you eat it, she might enjoy copying you, or at least trying! Keep the food chunky and stick shaped so she can handle it herself. Squishy is fun though so she might just enjoy mashing it!!!

[huby]

just tried her lunch, and she's rejected it point blank. Picked out bits of verrrry soft meat, carrots and potatoes for her to eat herself and she cried herself into a tiss so just got her down from high chair...not sure if it's teething, but she's not eating again

[Mrs Coops]

Have you tried feeding her in your lap? See if she'll grab stuff off your plate? What about fruit, have you tried any?

What about cold food like strips of tomato with the seeds removed(saves mess and less slippery! Or big chunks of cucumber? Harder food might help if she's teething, give her something to gnaw on!

[Whatbit]

DS LOVES tomato and without the seeds it's not as messy as it sounds.  Good luck.  So frustrating when you try so hard and they don't want to eat

[huby]

i know, i do think it may be teething, in which case, should I just mush everything up or purree it, was trying to give her soft lumpy food, but she's not interested. Thing is, she'll happily eat toast. I don't get it?

Also. she's started to wake up hungry at night, so it's obvuously affecting her and we're now on day three of relative mouth clamped closed, tears at food time. She'll eat anything sweet but am reluctant to tread that path too much as she has a VERY sweet tooth.

[Mrs Coops]

All babies have a sweet tooth, it's evolution that's why mummys milk is sweet! You can give sweet stuff as long as it's healthy, like fruit, sweet potato's and so on just to see if she'll eat it! I never fed DD a single puree so can't help with the mushy stages!

They do say that babies go through feast and famine stages, she might be doing that. I would offer her food but stop at the first sign of tears. You don't want a battle, any stress will make her less likely to eat.

If toast is all she is wanting at the moment I would give it too her! Just put other food in front of her as well!

[Whatbit]

Anyone have advice on fish?  I did fiah packets and then flaked it for DS but he has a really hard time picking it up...

[huby]

i think i've found what helps. Cuecumber for teething soothing, and had to mush some of her stuff up to almost a soup - so must be her gums poor thing.

[Mrs Coops]

Excellent, keep giving cold food!

Whatbit, leave it intact or try different fish. DD loves tinned kippers (less bones) and it doesn't crumble too much, but OMG does her poo smell after it!

[huby]

unfortunately, i had to also distract her - put a cartoon on for her so she wasn't concentrating on eating and she simply ate then....is this a phase do you reckon, really hope she doesn't become a fussy eater - food is such a big thing in my DH and my cultures.

[Mrs Coops]

Hopefully yes. It's difficult but try not to make a big deal out of it because she'll pick up on that. Fingers crossed it's a teething issue and she will start tucking in soon!

[Manueli]

huby, our LO also went through a time where he didn't eat much than toast or pasta. I just kept offering other foods (like veggies, fruits, etc.) and didn't fret about it. I agree that you shouldn't worry too much about it, the LO could pick that up and become more picky or eats less. Just keep offering healthy foods, most babies know what and when to eat. In order to get him to eat some veggies with the toast we started putting spreads (like avocado, or even cream cheese) on the toast. For the teething our LO also loved cucumber (we sometimes only gave him the juicy seed part), watermelon, orange slices, and in general everything juicy and cold. Have you tried roasting sweet potatoes, squash, carrots or apples in the oven? It brings out all the sweetness and is still healthy.
I also have to admit that everytime Hayden didn't eat much we resorted to puree or baby cereal, which he would still eat. I don't think it is a bad thing and it gets them to eat some needed nutritions.