10 months old refused puree

[rachelgz]

My LO is 10 month old and recently has refused puree or even spoon feed.  I tried to give her different finger food, however, what she eats now is only plain rice, pasta and noodles.  She doesn't eat any veg or meat.  I tried to mix the puree into rice or pasta, but she spilled it out completely.

I am concerned that she is not having enough nutrition.  She is still taking milk, 3 times a day plus once/twice at night.  Do you have any suggestions to improve the situation?

[Me.and.my.two.boys]

What about BLW? Just giving her finger foods, no purée or spoons? Would she eat like that?

Try giving her a broccoli floret and see how she goes? Some babies just eat better when they are in control of what's going in there iykwim? x

[rachelgz]

Thanks Kelly.  I have been doing BLW along with puree.  Tried broccoli, cauliflower, green bean, etc.   She is not keen on those at all.   However, she eats rice, bread, pasta, etc when I give to her as finger food, but no luck with veg, meat and fruit.  She sometimes just push all the food on the tray away. 

Today, I managed to get a few spoonful puree into her.

[*Kara*]

I would just refuse to offer the things she will eat for a few days.. sometimes they need a good reason to try something new

[Lindsay27]

Maybe trying to expand on what she does like will help?  If she likes pasta then maybe you could make a tomato meat sauce with some cut up veggies in it (I make this for my DS which he loves!) and mix it with the noddles - I use whole wheat elbow macaroni because it is really soft and easy for him to pick up.  If she's picking up the pasta she's bound to get a piece of meat or veg in there, even if by mistake. 

Will she take anything spread on the bread?  I've done mashed avocado (you can also mix with cottage cheese), hummus, or even just spreading the puree over it?

[rachelgz]

A month later, we are still in the same situation.  She is nearly one year old now.

In the past month, I had some success for feeding LO with pure/lumpy food mixed with rice, noodles, etc.  However, that didn't last long and we are back to square one again.   LO picks up toasts with cream cheese or peanut butter, cheerios, plain rice, noodle & pasta from her tray.  I have offered different kinds of fruits, meat and veggies, she just played with it or doesn't even touch it.   I have tried to make cheese sauce, tomato sause with pasta & veg, she tried a little bit and spilt it out straight away.   

I am a bit stressed about it as it has last for a while and I don't know how long this will continue like this.  I wonder whether I should stop feeding her if she refused to eat, e.g, if she refused lunch, then that's it, she need to wait for dinner.  At the moment, I always offer alternative so that she can at least eat something.

Please help.

[Lemonthyme]

Ok.  Stop stressing.  Some kids literally eat no variety.  What she is eating isn't hugely varied but it's ok.

What I'd do and bear in mind I don't know your child at all so you have to see if this makes sense for you!  I'd plan out meals with a 'safe' breakfast, an experimental lunch and a 'safe' tea.  I'd plan a pudding as well on lunch and tea which is no added sugar or sweeteners or low sugar so you don't feel bad giving it if she has no main.  I'd offer variety in each meal and even in the 'safe' tea (which includes something you know she will eat) I would offer one thing she's not had before or refused.  Like cucumber sticks on the side.

Some kids get really mad about foods touching.  You can get segregated toddler trays specifically for that.  It might be worth a go.  This is the kind of thing I mean:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gruffalo-Melamine-Single-Divided-Plate/dp/B0050BGQCA/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1366438999&sr=1-2&keywords=toddler+plates

I'd also try cutting up the meats and vegetables in a different way.  My son will sometimes refuse green beans but accept them if I slice them into 1cm lengths.  He went through a stage of refusing halved grapes but accepting them sliced!

My other tip is to eat together and eat the same things, especially for your 'new' meal at lunch time.  And yes, for that lunch meal I wouldn't offer an alternative.

Also make sure she gets baby vitamins.  Yes it's not as good as having it from the food source but kids need vitamins anyway nowadays as vitamin D deficiency is really common.

[rachelgz]

Thanks Lemonthyme.  I will definitely give it a go.  I also checked out your blog.  Love the food ideas for babies and toddles.  I have been running out of ideas as to what to feed DD as she is so fussy atm.  I will try to make some finger foods from your blog for my DD.

[Lemonthyme]

Thank you!  If you do like, I've been shortlisted for an award, please vote if you want to!

On this website please click vote for the 2013 Bibs now (I'm in the food category!) http://www.britmums.com/2013/04/bibs-shortlists-are-here/

Or follow this link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/B82J3SN

[weaver]

Brilliant advice! 

I would add - have you tried grating things?  My LO2 loves grated cheese, apple etc. And she is crazy about eating whatever I'm having so definitely a good idea to sit with her and eat the same thing.

[Lemonthyme]

Yep, grated worked for my son for carrot for a while, good thinking!

[weaver]

Just voted for your blog! Best of luck!

[*Kara*]

I voted too LT   LOVE your blog!

My LO was much the same as Lemonthyme's... won't eat whole green beans, but smaller ones are fine... I have divided plates - this is huge!

I have also seen ice cube trays used to provide little bits of various things to create interest

[Lemonthyme]

I'd just keep trying different things.  Some kids love variety, for others it's too much and a restricted choice helps.  Sometimes they change. 

(Thanks for the votes btw!)

[*Kara*]

Sometimes they change.

^^  This.

[rachelgz]

We tried pancake today and DD loves it.  I also put some cream cheese on it.   

Tried to cut veg & meat into small pieces and put them in ice cube tray for her to pick up.  However, she is not interested at all and just want to play with the tray. 

[weaver]

Tried to cut veg & meat into small pieces and put them in ice cube tray for her to pick up.  However, she is not interested at all and just want to play with the tray. 

Is this a daft question - if so excuse me! - but have you tried just small pieces and no tray?  My DD loves peas and corn, I think it's the colours. She loves picking them up. 

Great about the pancake.  Have you tried eggy bread/french toast?

[rachelgz]

have you tried just small pieces and no tray?

Yes, I did.  I tried both with a tray and without a tray.  DD loves peas too and she picks them.  I tried baby corns before and she wasn't interested.  I cut chicken, green beans, carrots and baby corns into small pieces yesterday, she wasn't interested.  I thought that's a good variety of food and colour.

Have you tried eggy bread/french toast?

Haven't tried eggy bread yet. DD loves toast and bread.  My concern is how to get veg and meat into her as she has no problems to eat carbohydrates.

[weaver]

I look at eggy bread as a sneaky way of getting lots of egg in but I have two toast monsters so I know what you mean!

I've had good luck with corn kernels, haven't tried baby corns.  Also baked beans!

[weaver]

It just occurs to me that the classic BLW thing is to cut everything into chip shapes, so plenty of space for grabbing and chomping. Could it be that she isn't all that interested in small bits?  Just a thought.

[rachelgz]

She doesn't seem to mind small bits as she happily picks up peas, cheerios, cheese cubes & raisins.

I have tried to cut carrots, cucumbers and peppers into sticks in the past.  Will give them a go again. I am trying new things almost every day and hope one day we will get it right.  It's very frustrating.

[Lemonthyme]

I suggest cutting cucumber etc into small cubes.  Sometimes it's the shape which puts them off!

[*Kara*]

agree - my DD will not touch a strip of red/yellow/orange pepper but will eat loads of them bite-sized

[rachelgz]

My DD currently has a tendency of grabbing her food in hand and tried to squeeze them into small pieces, then throw it to the floor.   Is it a normal behaviour?

Thanks for all the advices. Really appreciated it.  I will keep trying..

[weaver]

My DD currently has a tendency of grabbing her food in hand and tried to squeeze them into small pieces, then throw it to the floor.   Is it a normal behaviour?

Yes,  'squeeze with an expression of great glee then hang over the side of the high-chair to look at them on the floor' is my DD's usual trick. 

She had great fun with cous-cous yesterday.  Throwing it like confetti.  Also eating some of it...

[rachelgz]

Yup, that's exactly what my DD does. 

[*Kara*]

It still happens here at 2.5 yrs of age

Life is much easier if you accept that they will play with food for a few years - this is one that goes in the "adults don't often play..... [fill in the blank]" category...

[Lindsay27]

Yes,  'squeeze with an expression of great glee then hang over the side of the high-chair to look at them on the floor' is my DD's usual trick.

This drives me absolutely bonkers!  I know it's completely normal, but I actually despise it.  It's probably because I go through SO much effort to make him a good meal, and he throws half of it on the floor.  The dogs however think this is just fantastic LOL   I swear they've gained 5lbs each since Ben started eating solid food.  Beside the high chair also happens to be the dirtiest place in my house.  Oh, and how about throwing the sippy cup overboard and having his milk dribble out the spout.  This the dogs don't find nearly as amusing because they've gotten clocked in the head a few times 

[rachelgz]

DD threw her cup today and milk ended up on our carpet!

I feel frustrated that we are wasting so much food as I put effort and time to prepare the food.  If she throw half away and eating the other half, I think it's not too bad.  However, at the moment, DD doesn't put food into her mouth except the ones that she normally eats.

[We Three]

With the eggy bread/french toast...after you cook it in the pan, you can then try popping it into the toaster or toaster oven to make it crispier and more lke the much loved toast that she is used to. I use really hearty wheat bread with 4 grams of fiber per slice....I can get one slice to soak up almost the whole egg. I toss in a dash of vanilla and cinnamon too. 

Have you ever tried a baby-safe feeder? I know she is a year old, and they are aimed at younger los.....but I am wondering if she'd fancy that....she can suck all the juice out of fruits, but not have to deal as much with the texture. If she likes it, then take the top off, and let her figure out how to get the pieces out all on her own. 
 http://www.babysafefeeder.com/

Always look at what she WIL eat, and try to expand along similar lines. Toast is similar to waffles, kwim? If she likes pasta, maybe ravioli or tortellini would go over well?
And no matter what, just keep offering, offering, offering. Just seeing it is good for her. Just touching it is good for her. A child wil never eat what they won't touch....so any experimentation is a step in the right direction!

[*Kara*]

Absolutely what was said above... a baby/toddler/child generally has to be exposed to a new food 25-30 times before they will decide if they like it...

[weaver]

I feel frustrated that we are wasting so much food as I put effort and time to prepare the food.

Totally understand, but that's the deal at this age and, indeed, later.  It's good to remember that all you can (ever) do is offer a nutritious meal, you can't make 'em eat it!

[*Kara*]

Anne is spot on!

It's your job to offer a balance of things to eat, it's his job to decide what, how much, and when to eat (if at all).

And yes, we still waste a fair bit at 2.5 yrs.

[rachelgz]

We have a baby feeder. When I tried it in the past, she wasn't keen.  I will take it out and give it another try and see whether DD changes her mind now.

I totally agree and I keep reminding myself that it's my job to offer and her job to eat.  We tried waffles and chips the other day, she refused it.  We then tried french toast today and she ate a little of it.  She is not taking it as keen as normal bread.  However, I see it as an improvement to get some egg in her. 

She loves dry fruits. I have been giving her apricots, prunes and raisins, etc.  Those go down very well.