BLW and the floor

[Tweakster]

So trying to get Finn to eat is proving to be one of my biggest challenges as a mother.  First with reflux and bottles - ugh.  Now solids.  He has no interest in spoon or purees.  No real interest in food.  Doesn't care what I'm eating or if I am eating at all, never tried to grab anything from my plate. 

In the past week took a slight interest in things like Farley's, rice cakes, veg sticks - he is really just mushing them around in his mouth and pushing them back out but it's a start.

However, the past two days he is just throwing stuff on the floor.  I go back, pick it up, give it back and down it goes on to the floor again.  Should I continue to offer or take a sign that he's not interested??

Man I thought feeding a baby would be one of the easier things I had to do!

[Mimi 2]

Hi Wendy, I would offer a few more times and if the food still ends up on the floor, then the meal is over.  Do you think he is teething?  Is he sleeping well?  Is his milk intake adequate?

[caz2107]

My LO was the same around this age so I took to offering it 'X' amount of times then if still went on floor, finished the meal, but I was never sure if he was just experimenting with cause and affect rather than realising he should be eating it 

Man I thought feeding a baby would be one of the easier things I had to do!

With you on that!!!

x

[Lolly]

DS was the same (also refluxer), we gave a few chances then took it away. When I gave him BLW style food he would pick it up, play with it but it very seldom went near his mouth, give him a toy and straight in . DD on the other hand is desperate to get big people food and any chunks/ finger food she gets go straight there!

Laura

[knackered]

I had terrible trouble with DS2 when it came to feeding solid food. He didn't really eat properly til he was 10 months. Then he took to it with gusto! So you're doing the right thing - letting him explore with textures and tastes but don't sweat it!!!

With you on the thinking that feeding would be easy - -it was with DS1 - but DS2 had other ideas!

Anna xxx

[Mimi 2]

I was never sure if he was just experimenting with cause and affect rather than realising he should be eating it 

Yup!  It is our los trying to be scientists.  Testing the theories of gravity, stickiness, pigmentation absorbency, splatters effect, mommy's patience, etc, etc.  The phase do pass.  Like anything else, be consistent and they will get the hint.

[Tweakster]

Thanks everyone, yes this is the thing, I want him to play and explore the textures etc.  If it doesn't make it to his mouth I don't mind so much.  But I don't know if the floor throwing is his way of saying he's had enough.  He's not great at providing cues.

I'll keep offering but try to limit the amount of times I pick it up off the floor.

Mimi - yes he's always teething lol.  He's got several tops coming through, he was better last week but this week has gone to pot again so far so I guess he's back to being bothered by it.  I gave him some pain meds yesterday.  It isn't bad enough to make him go off his feeds like he normally does.

He's a crappy day sleeper but nights are typically good.  I managed to get him doing 2x 1.5 hour naps by using set naps and 11 hours at night, and then DST messed us up.  We are clawing back from that slowly.

He's never been a great eater because of reflux but he takes ~20 - 24 oz a day of formula with rice cereal - 3 bottles, AM bottle on waking (sometimes a split feed around his A since he's not always interested), lunch bottle around 12:30 or 1 and then bedtime bottle around 6.  We were about to attempt weaning some of the rice cereal to see if it would help the solid intake but with his recent mood swings I am not keen to try it.  It scares me to think of going back to bad bottle feeds again and add that to the issues with solids.

[Mimi 2]

It will pass, don't worry.  Both of mine (one was a very poor eater until 11 mos and the other was an eating machine) went through all the phases of pickiness, dumping food on ground, stuffed into diaper, ear, nose, etc etc.  l

Having read a lot of threads on refluxers (dd included) solids seem to be a problem for most to get it early on.  As long as the milk intake is still steady, no overall behaviour problems and weight is good then you are doing a great job. 

Hugs.

[greenteamomma]

We have that problem too. He likes to flick food up and watch it fall.  He also likes to "wipe" the tray.  I usually tell him that food is for eating and offer another piece myself in his mouth, of course without forcing him.  I don't know if this is BLW really but I am trying to teach him that food is food.  I also put my hand on his hand when he wipes and say  no food is for eating.  Sometimes he stops and sometimes he doesn't but it has been less.  I think exploring all the theories is ok but with "limits" that is why I tell what to do and show  him by putting a piece in his mouth.