refuses rice and oat cereal since introducing barley

[lschultz]

My LO was started on rice cereal at 6 months and didn't eat more than a tablespoon at a time for the first two weeks (which was fine with me).  I just assumed that he didn't like the texture and so I was making the cereal quite runny.  My mother suggested thickening it up and it made a world of difference.  In just a few days, the amount that he ate increased tremendously and he was eating 1/4 to 1/3 of a cup of fairly thick rice and oat cereal for about 5 days.  When I introduced the barley he would only take about 5 little spoons and then shut his lips and blow raspberries.  I would then give him rice or oat cereal. I tried to give him barley cereal at three feedings and decided to give up on it for a while.  Unfortunately, since then he is refusing to try any solids (including the cereal that he previously liked).  He doesn't let the spoon past his lips and blows it all back at me if it does manage to get in.  I am afraid that feeding has already given him negative associations and I thought that he needed some time to "forgot" his experience with the barley and didn't try anything for a few days but he still refused the solids.  My husband tried to feed him in case he associated me with the barley but that didn't work either.  It's been two days since I tried to feed him and this morning I took out the spoons and let him play with them and he seemed OK with it going into his mouth...I'm just a little afraid to try again and lose more ground.  Sound I wait longer or should I just keep trying?  Any suggestions?

[Ennypen]

Hi there.

First up try not to worry!

When I was starting out with weaning William we had all sorts of experiences like the ones you are describing and we still do and he is now 10 months old and eating all sorts of things - but we still have hiccups.

Will went through times where he would blow all of his food back at me.. he would spit it out, he would hit the spoon away etc etc but each of these things only lasted a while and passed.

If I were you I would keep persevering with a cereal he liked before, if he wants a spoon to play with and that works thengive him a spoon, he might like you to play aeroplanes or trains with the spoon and make eating more fun ... the phase of him refusing it will pass and he will soon be gobbling it up again.  If you give up he will never get used to it.

If he doesn not each much breakfast for a few days or a couple of weeks don't panic but keep trying. Most of his nutrition should still be coming from his milk so he will be ok.

Good Luck!

Helen xx

[lschultz]

Helen

Thanks for the support.  Things may be looking up....when it was time for his next breastfeeding this afternoon, I decided to try feeding him cereal first and then bf.  Well, he took almost 3 tablespoons of rice cereal (I kept mixing one tablespoon at a time and decided not to push my luck and stopped after threel!  I know that you are supposed to bf first and then feed solids but I think that for tomorrow I will reverse it.  I'll see how that goes and then switch back after he's back on to cereal...I'll keep my fingers crossed.  Thanks again.

Lee-Anne

[Ennypen]

Hi again!

Glad things are looking up for you.

I know there is an idea that you shouldbreast feed / give a bottle to your LO and then have cereal but if I did that then William would never have eaten cereal at all. After a short time of battling he had his cereal first and then he had his milk - of course as you say I had to be careful not to fill him up too much that he refused his milk after the cereal. You just have to do what works for your LO.. and if cereal first then breast feeding works - then go for it that way.

After a while I started making his cereal up with his formula so now he just has breakfast of oatmeal or weetabix which is mixed with the milk and has both things at once! I guess this also could be done with expressed breast milk when your LO is a bit older.

Speaking of which I am off to sort out his breakfast right now!
Good Luck!

Helen x