Screaming at mealtimes - Please Help!

[Karima]

I don't know what's wrong with my little boy.  He eats quite happily for the first five-to-ten minutes, but then starts screaming his little head off and crying (with TEARS).  I don't think it is the food I am giving him as he seems to quite like it - and I have tried a variety of things in case he doesn't (we are following Gina Ford's Contented Baby Feeding Plan).  I thought at first it was because he was full, but once I manage to calm him down, he continues to take some more food for a minute or two before he starts howling again.  Has anyone else experienced anything similar?  What should I do??

Sam's routine is as follows:

6-7.00 wake up
7.20 1/2 breastfeed
8.00 breakfast - oat cerel / wheat cereal / yoghurt with mashed fruit
9.00 other 1/2 breastfeed
9.15 nap
10.45 activity
11.30 lunch - veggies + chicken/tuna + pasta / chicken caserole, or similar
1.30 nap
3.00 breastfeed
5.00 dinner - vegetable soup + rice cakes + yoghurt with mashed fruit
6.30 bath
7.00 breastfeed

Any ideas what I am doing wrong?

[woopster]

How old is he?  Does it happen at every meal, ie, breakfast, lunch, dinner?

[Karima]

Sam is just over seven months.  And, yes - it does seem to happen with every meal.

[lisamichel]

My little girl is doing the same thing!  She is 6 months and she has been eating solids since about 4 1/2 months old.   Just this last 2 weeks she has been just screaming in her highchair and kinda refusing her solid feeds.    We had this problem also with her bottle feeds - she was refusing the bottle when brought to her mouth and turning her head and pushing the bottle away -   Well we finally figured out (by shear frustration and a lot of crying)! that she wanted to hold the bottle herself and did not want us to bring the bottle toward her.   Once we just handed her the bottle the feedings were quite a joy!    So also with her solid foods I discovered she wanted to hold the spoon and touch the food and try and feed herself -   obviously she cant control the spoon    so I just have to get her involved by touching and sometimes helping hold the spoon and she does better,  but I can still see she is frustrated she cant do it herself.      Hopefully this helps!    Thanks    Lisa

[*Natasha*]

I agree with Lisa the other thing it could be is teething, my DD is like this when teething.

[woopster]

What about giving her a rice cake or something similar to hold while you feed her.  Give her some control over what goes into her mouth.