Grrr.... won't eat purees (really need to vent)

[GG]

I think ds has finally convinced me that he doesn't like eating purees.  I let him grab the spoon, even though he makes a huge mess, but it doesn't make a difference.  He's now decided he doesn't want the fruit purees, either.

What's odd is that he will eat cereal - he seems to like that - so I don't think it's the spoon that he's opposed to.  The good thing is that, if you add up the calories of 1 entire serving, it runs up to about 100 calories - if he'd eat it all like he did yesterday.  I did wonder afterwards if that filled him up for the next few hours so that he wouldn't eat more solids, he just accepted bm.

So the doctor had recommended that I boil food like carrots and broccoli heads and fruit that hasn't rippened, cut it into pieces that he can pick up on his own, and let him eat that.  He seems more likely to eat that, though he won't pick them up on his own yet, but seriously, how many calories are in that?!

And he still won't drink even 4 oz of formula a day.  Sippy cups only help to an extent (and they leak and cause a mess and I'm already frustrated just trying to get a few sips into this kid!).

My mother thinks that the only way to do it is practically force it down his throat.  Bounce him, sing to him and have the tv on... do everything to distract him so that he may open his mouth even a tiny bit and she can shove the food in.  I don't agree with her (and it drives her mad).  What kind of life is that, doing that for a few hours every day (2-3 meals) just to get 20 calories into his body?  She also thinks I should withhold bm so that he will be hungry.  I agree with that... to a point.  If he simply refuses to eat and it's almost his naptime, I need to get some calories in him, don't I?  This kid is still waking up several times at night to eat so if he doesn't get the calories from bm, I don't need him waking up every single hour just to eat!

Grrrr!! :evil:  :evil:  I need to get some food into this kid!!!

[Erin M]

Georgia-
Just one thought, and probably something you've already tried, but have you tried mixing your fruits and veggies with the cereal?  It was the only way I could get Katie to eat them in the beginning.  From your post, it also sounds like it's not just a recent thing.  Katie was totally off solids for about a week while she had a cold, just outright refused anything and everything.  Now she's back to eating.  What about more interesting foods than fruit and veggie purees?  One of the women on our March/April '05 babies thread feeds her DS all sorts of ground up meat - seasoned and everything and he seems to love it.  Good luck and sorry I couldn't be of more help.

[tylersmommy]

Georgia-

As soon as I read the subject line of your post, I thought "hmmm, must be around 9 mo old." Totally normal behavior, but aggravating as heck. Sounds like the start of spoon refusal, which happens around 9-12 mo. For us, Tyler refused everything but yogurt, then one day, he wouldn't eat that either. I recommend you do what your dr suggested and move on to finger food. Put some on the tray so DS can practice and learn, but you'll end up feeding him most of it from your fingers for awhile until he gets used to it. I doubt that withholding food will help at all because this is a normal developmental milestone...he isn't refusing to eat because he's being stubborn, he's just trying to tell you that he's ready to move beyond mush. Using distractions or force feeding will breed a whole new set of issues and turn mealtime into a power struggle. You don't want to go there!

Like Erin said, you can mix just about anything into cereal, so that might help for now. You'd be surprised how many more calories are in finger food vs puree. Purees are mostly water, whereas an actual piece of fruit or veggie is concentrated nutrients.

Have you tried offering the sippy cup in your lap like a bottle?

[OrlaB]

Something to watch out for is gagging though. Aimee took to finger foods really well at 8 months, but Joe was still struggling with the concept of chewing at that age. He wanted to hold the food, but didn't think to chew it :roll: I think it's a boy thing.

Try distracting him with steamed carrots while your shovel in the pureed stuff. He'll be so made up at being in control of that one bit of carrot that chances are he won't notice the food.

You'd better get yourself something to catch everything, and a camera, as this is where it gets nice and messy!

[GG]

From your post, it also sounds like it's not just a recent thing.

He started solids about 3-4 weeks ago.  He has been resisting them for little over a week now.  His gums have been puffy for almost 2 weeks now so I'm wondering if a tooth is coming at some point.

I usually add fruit purees to the oatmeal.  I boiled some carrots 2 days ago but he's yet to eat any of it.  He picked them up and just threw them on the floor.  He's definitely good at creating messes!!  I don't know if he's frustrated that he can't figure out how to put them in his mouth or what.  He won't accept them from my hand.  He refused yogurt (I got a small bit in his mouth, he made a face, and that was the end of that).

Yesterday I remembered a sippy cup I used to use with a straw on the inside of the container (the outside is a thick plastic piece that he can suck on).  He loves to suck the milk from that.  Yaay!  (the pessimist in me says, "Let's see how long that'll work.")  Anyway, he got 2 oz in him this morning.  Small steps but at least we're heading in the right direction.

Today's plan:  put his meals out with mine.  Steamed, squishy veggies chopped up for him.  I'll eat and encourage him to eat on his own while trying to feed him.  Tomorrow he is being babysat by grandma (the one that likes to stuff the food in his mouth), so he should enjoy his 'freedom' today.  *LOL*

[Arwyn's mom]

GG... I am currently experiencing a serious "solid food via a spoon" refusal too. Maddening, I tell ya. I have a freezer full of cubes and a baby who won't eat it. Sometimes we have success if I mix fruit with cereal or mix two veggies together but not often

Yesterday, I gave her spiral noodles and she gobbled them down. It is frustrating because my intent was not to introduce wheat until 1 year and lo and behold, Cheerios, Arrowroot, pasta... all have wheat in them. Oh well  :roll:

What I tried this morning was finger foods only. I gave her Cheerios (about 25 of them) and I steamed wedges of apple, immediately stuck them in the fridge to cool them down and gave her some. Well... she at least stuck it in her mouth. Fruit is not her favourite thing so she made a face but chewed/gummed it for about 10 minutes.

I'm going to try peas tonight. One of the moms on the March/April 05 thread thought maybe I have an independent kinda gal who wants to feed herself. I'll give it a try... probably for as long as I can stand the mess.

DD also loves to drink independently. Only when drinking water is she allowed to do this. She drinks EBM from a cup with handles and I assist her. She loves to drink from the cup and only in the last couple of days, I have had success with a sippy cup (no valve type).

Good luck to you. BTW, I also try to sneak food in when DD's mouth is partially open... really es her off. DH has stuck food in when she opens it to cry :shock: and I get a little concerned about choking when he does that.

[GG]

Good luck to you. BTW, I also try to sneak food in when DD's mouth is partially open... really !@!@ her off. DH has stuck food in when she opens it to cry :shock: and I get a little concerned about choking when he does that.

*LOL*  I did that with yogurt today.  He opened his mouth to put something in there and I snuck a little bit of yogurt.  He made his icky face, of course.  I may do that at random during the day, too.  Maybe he'll start liking the food.  *shrug*  Who knows?

He likes eating fruit, too.  He'll suck on the fruit that I am eating and now, if I cut the fruit into wedges, he'll hold it and suck on it (yet he won't eat little pieces that I cut for him!!).  The problem is he tends to bite out pieces that are too big and I have to be careful he doesn't choke on them.  He seriously scared my sister today with a pear.