I have 10 days....

[Lucysmom]

I have 10 days to get my dd (7.5 months) really doing well on solids or else I will have to go to an occupational therapist to see if there is something wrong with her.  :cry: I started her on solids at around 6 months, but she never really was interested and so I did not push it.  Well, she has never warmed up to them.  She will eat barley cereal with some pears or apples in it, and she tolerated some carrots, sweet potatotes, and squash in it as well.  Nothing else has tickled her fancy.  Any new food I am mixing with the cereal as the few times I have tried something on its own she gags and flinches.  I can count on one hand the number of times she has actually opened her mouth welcoming the food on the spoon.  My pediatrician is concerned and I am getting increasingly worried.  I know I need to be relaxed about this as I don't want her to feel my stress and thus hate eating even more.  She barely eats any solids at all (3 tablespoons a day).  Has anyone been in a similar situation?  Am I doing something wrong?  I just feel like this is all my fault.   :cry:  :cry:  :cry:

[stasztk]

Are they worried about the gagging?  :? Seems strange that they are that worried.

[Little Bear's Mum]

Melissa, my son (now 9 months) started solids at the same time as your LO and took a long time to warm up to them. For the first month would probably only eat about 1 ice cube of fruit/vege per meal. We are still struggling with dinners but he's good with breakfast. I found mixing everything with apple was good. Things improved when I switched his solids before his bottle at about 8 months.

Good luck.

[Mom2X&F&V]

Once again here. Ok, do not worry. Ximena started at 5 months and just a week ago she actually opened her mouth for more. It can take looooong time for them to accept them. I do not think there is a problem at all. I started with apples and pears and carrot and butternut and for almost 2 months that was about it. Then I mixed carrot with a little spinach and each day I added another teaspoon of the new ingredient. And so I did with bananas and apple and guava and pear and then butternut and beans and apricots with apple and apple with chiken and again butternut with chicken and finally a week ago she ate more than her usual 2 or 3 teaspoons (not tablespoons, those where a miracle).  So... I worried and the more I was concerned the less she ate so I relaxed and gave a teaspoon to taste if she opened her mouth I gave more if not that was it. The key is to try 3 times a day everyday happilly without stressing yourself or forcing her, and that I learned after 2 months. She will eat them when she is ready just keep offering on and on. Try doing it while you are eating or while you and your husband are eating at the table. Give some of what you are eating (mini tiny piece of stewed carrot). Put cereal on her feeding tray for playin or even pureed fruits let her play with her spoon with a little of new ingredient.
Never stress and just another note, I had to switch my ped as he was telling me to force her to eat. Peds are not the ones who deal day by day, hour by hour with theit children they have no idea what it is like they just babble....
Hope it helps.
Please cheer yourself up! And never never blame yourself of what you are just learning.

[kdgqueen]

Daniela - I so agree with you about pediatricians!!!  The ped I saw when my Emma was 4 mos (my regular one was out sick) said that I should have Emma eating solids right away.....4-6 tbs of cereal.  I panicked and started cereal that next day.  Emma looked at me as if I was crazy!  After a week of misery (Emma refused to eat) I stopped and started again at 6 months.  I was SO glad that I waited.  Emma was just not ready.  I succumed to pressure to do what someone told me I should be doing when they did not even know me or my baby.  I should have initially "listened" to my baby who was just not ready. 

I have heard from other friends that pediatricians can be a little pushy and scare you into doing things you and/or your baby may not be ready for.

kathy   

[Lucysmom]

Thanks everyone for your replies and reassurance.  It really helps to know that my dd's behavior regarding food is not that unusual.  My pediatrician was worried because Lucy had not seemed to lose her tongue thrust reflex at all and would not even let her look in her mouth.  But I am happy to say that I think Lucy is doing better with eating.  A few times she has actually opened her mouth!  She is still not eating as much as other babies her age, but I guess that will come with time.  Right now I am doing breakfast first thing before her bottle, and then at 5 I am feeding her dinner (so 2 hours after her 3pm bottle).  Should I be getting rid of a bottle?  I don't know if I can considering how little she is eating.  I have started offering bits of what we are eating, and she typically will eat two tiny bites and then flinch and gag like it is the grossest thing on the planet!  She did this with bread even!!! :shock:

Thanks again ladies.  I was feeling really down and discouraged when I posted but feel better now.  Thanks for listening and caring.  You're all the best!!!!!!!!

[Mom2X&F&V]

Hi! I got rid of a bottle since she was not having it, but if your put in her 3 bottles the same amount as she takes in four then do it, but if she is ok with 4 drinking at least 5 or 6 in each one then leave them until she can have more solids. That is my advice. But of course you need to do what she asks for.

[mickymuscles]

hi we just dropped the 3 pm bottle at 9 months.  That was when I started to notice he wasn't taking a full bottle feed at one of his meals so I dropped the 3 pm one and the others picked up.  It sounds like your lo just has a strong gag reflex.  I wouldn't worry about it too much.  The more you feed her (or can get her to eat :roll:) the sooner the gag reflex will get less and less.