Author Topic: High Chair Refusal and other issues  (Read 1371 times)

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Offline marie123

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High Chair Refusal and other issues
« on: July 18, 2012, 12:27:24 pm »
My daughter is 7.5 months old. I started her on solids 1.5 month back. Developmentally, she goes on her fours and moves around...but cant sit unassisted. When i Started her on solids i used the rocker (in stationary mode) to feed her as i hadnt got my high chair out....she happily took to her solids and even now is very keen on what i eat and opens her mouth willingly to experiment. However, 3 weeks ago i got my high chair out (the same one i had used for my 3.5 year old son when he was her age), and she yells when shes put in it...i tried all the levels....went to the lowest level while i squatted on the floor...but she hates being in it...i cushioned it with a cushion on the back and sides for support but no luck.....ive being leaving gaps of a day or two before retrying, but still the yelling happens...even got my son to demonstrate sitting in it but she wasnt interested in copying him (she adores him otherwise and loves being with him).

Am currently feeding her while she sits on my lap and has her hands on the dining table...however its not the best position as shes not facing me and its a challenge to get the spoon in her mouth. Finger feeding is also getting to be a challenge as shes on my lap and not very comfortable for more than maybe 10 minutes before she starts squirming and wants to be lifted....sometimes i lift her in my arms and feed her (while still sitting at the dining table)...which i dont quite like as shes not engaged in her eating then.

My questions:
1) Is there anything i can do to get her to like her highchair?
2) She still prefers pureed food. Im a bit fanatic abt it this time around as my son even at 3.5 yrs is a picky eater and sticks to a single meal format for all meals....im still grappling with his eating...and maybe will post his case separately...however, thats the reason im a little more aggressive with getting her to eat soft pieces of food...she prefers the puree...tho i mash a banana well and then leave a few soft pieces in for her to gum on. Currently she has no teeth but a good jaws...she chews on raw celery sticks and carrot sticks. At her age is pureeing a bit ok...or should i only go with soft pieces of vegs, fruits etc.
3) Ive been breast feeding her largely from birth...with maybe a dozen or so bottle feeds (formula or express) to tide her when i away at school with my son. Right from the begining she had to be coaxed into taking the bottle...but took it sometimes. Today i tried topping up the night feed (post breastfeeding) with a bottle and she chewed on the nipple like a celery stick. however each time she saw the bottle she opened her mouth willingly to take it....sucked a bit and then started chewing again. How can I get her to take a formula bottle again?

Thanks.


Offline amayzie

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Re: High Chair Refusal and other issues
« Reply #1 on: July 19, 2012, 11:04:53 am »
Hm- it sound like you are doing all of the right things as far as getting her used to it! The only thing i can suggest you think of is how comfortable it is compared to the other chair- so a couple of things to consider:

- how are you dressing her- so if you take her top or pants off, then put her in the high chair, is the high chair material cold compared to the other chair? Get what i mean?
- Have you considered how secure she feels? I know you said she's got the pillows- what about her feet? Are they hanging? Do you think she might feel more secure with something under her feet?
- Was there anything that happened the first time she as in it? Loud noise? did you bump her feet or something? This might make her stand offish?
- Have you tried just putting her in there to play? with a favourite toy? rather than at meals? (you may have done this).

Other than this i think you might have to just do as you have been- trying a few different things and giving her a couple of days in beteen. She sounds like she could be a little touchy? Is this how she is generally- or just around meals?

As far as the foods- purees are fine but you do want to be introducing other foods. Some babies (lots of babies) find the lumpy puree consistency funny and don't like it- so the mashed banana with the little lumps, or say yoghurt with fruit bits in it- If you find your LO doesn't like this then that's fine- it's fine to skip this consistency and go straight to finger foods. by offerring her soft cooked finger foods and other finger foods this might be a nice way for her to help herself and have a bit more control?

I haven't got any sugesstions on the bottle but to keep offerring.. she may not be hungry when you are offerring?
Katy, Mummy to Hamish!


Offline marie123

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Re: High Chair Refusal and other issues
« Reply #2 on: July 19, 2012, 14:07:15 pm »
Ah! U may Have hit upon something...the seat of the highchair mayb is not as comfy as her rocker...Let me see if that works:)) and she's not the touchy type at all which is why her yelling at the high chair is confusing. I've put her fav toy in it too...but mayb a combo of the seat and leg support could help...

Yea i agree lumpy purée doesn't work...so I've been pureeing a bit n then throwing in small soft pieces of it so to give it a texture. Food still not so easy as she hardly sits 10 minutes on my Lap before squirming and wanting to be lifted...hence I'm hoping she takes to the high chair soon so giving ff is so mch easier.

Today she managed 60 ml on the bottle...so I guess I need to keep trying everyday.

Thanks so much for yr suggestions.

Offline amayzie

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Re: High Chair Refusal and other issues
« Reply #3 on: July 19, 2012, 17:43:42 pm »
Id be interested to hear how it goes! You have covered a lot of things though!
Katy, Mummy to Hamish!


Offline marie123

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Re: High Chair Refusal and other issues
« Reply #4 on: July 27, 2012, 16:26:12 pm »
Hi, baby's in the highchair and has been for a week now! A cushion at the seat, and another at the back and sides made the difference. First day I held her in the highchair while she jus sat and ate.,,next day I strapped her in and gradually removed my hands..,she turned in one day. Thanks for the tip of the seat cushion! She's now sitting at the same level as I would on a normal chair. Thanks again!

Offline amayzie

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Re: High Chair Refusal and other issues
« Reply #5 on: July 27, 2012, 21:14:53 pm »
Great news!! Do you work in education, or allied health or something? YOu have some excellent skills at working out how to grade her experiences- could be good mummy skills without the extra training!
Katy, Mummy to Hamish!