Feeding solids and getting nowhere...

[halloweenmommy]

My dd is 6.5 months old.  She is breastfed and has reflux (which is being treated with Zantac).  We started solids at about 5 months because she was losing weight.  She still hasn't gained very much weight.  I am making all my own food.  Our schedule looks like this:

7:00 a.m. - breastfeed (usually around 15 minutes) and 4-6 tbsp of at cereal and maybe 1 tsp of banana or other fruit or veg
9:00 a.m. - nap (1 1/2 hours - 2 hours)
11:00 a.m. - breastfeed
1:00 p.m. - nap (1 1/2 - 2 hours)
3:00 p.m. - breastfeed
5:30 p.m. - breastfeed and 4-6 tbsp of oat cereal and 1 tsp or so of fruit or veg

Our issues:

• She has a cow's milk intolerance/allergy and can't have anything with formula or skim milk powder etc in it (this includes Baby Mum Mum cookies, which was recommended to us since she seems to like to feed herself)
• She seems to have an allergy/intolerance to squash (butternut) and apples - she got a terrible diaper rash after eating both
• She HATES sweet potatoes, avocado, pears and yellow beans (in other words, every food that I have tried up until this point!!)

My questions:

• I am currently giving her solids right after she breastfeeds.  She eats her cereal well, but nothing else well. Should I wait awhile after breastfeeding her to feed her her solids?
• How do you get them to eat and like solids?  She seems to hate everything new that I try...
• Should I be feeding her lunch?  When do you start adding lunch into the mix and what should I be feeding her for lunch?  More cereal?

I am getting frustrated.  I know that she needs the added nutrients from solid foods that she is no longer getting from me, btu she won't eat.  I have to wait at least three days between new foods since we seem to be getting some allergic reactions to some foods.  I don't know what to do...

Thanks in advance,

[Sarah O]

Hi!

Sorry you're feeling frustrated.  It is VERY annoying when we go to such lengths to make our own food and everything gets rejected.  I've been going through this with my DS and you might take this as good news or bad news but we've FINALLY got him eating and he turns 10 months tomorrow!!!  So I thought I'd share some of our strategies and what has and hasn't worked for us...

My DS also has (had) reflux and cow's milk protein allergy.  Question: have you tried any milk products recently?  With mine, by 6.5 months the allergy was gone which I only discovered by accident after feeding him some milk products unknowingly with no reaction.  Just a thought, since they do usually outgrow the allergy sometime in the first year I believe.

In your routine you say that she takes a tsp or so of fruit/veg at dinner....could you start with whatever that 'successful' food is and start serving that as a base for everything?  For instance, for four months my DS has only eaten banana  .  So today I mixed banana with SPINACH and he gobbled it up!!!  Also, you might experiment (if the milk allergy is indeed gone) with yogurt, since it seems to agree with most babies and you can put ANYTHING in it.  If you still can't do milk products what about Soy Yogurt?  Something else I tried recently that DS loved was maple syrup (the pure stuff, not sugary junk) mixed into his food.

My opinion is that maybe you could try feeding her lunch and see if that time of day makes a difference...who knows, maybe that's when she's most hungry?  Also, yes you might try waiting an hour after you BF so that she's not so full.

This whole weaning thing requires SO much patience for those of us with LO's who are so...challenging...when it comes to food.  Hats off to you for making your baby food and persevering.  I guess my advice on a personal note would be to try not to get too upset about it     (I know, I know).  Your baby will come around when she is ready.  We were even sent to a dietician because everyone, including our doc, was so stunned by his refusal to eat.  At least your DD is eating cereal!!  Stay with it...I'd keep cereal and/or yogurt as your base and maybe try mixing in tiny amounts of fruits, veg, etc and see how she does.

PM me anytime if you need to vent or anything!!  Wishing your LO mega-eating-vibes!

Sarah