She won't eat! 7 months and still no solids

[bethann]

Alright, I've been trying now for like 1.5 months to get DD to eat solids.  She hates it. She's just about 7 months and still spits it out faster than anything.  Do some babies just take longer to like solids?  I give her rice cereal w/ water. I don't have enough extra bm, or I'd use that. She doesn't really like formula.  She kind of ate squash, but that's about it.  she spits out every fruit or veggie and rice.  any suggestions- or should I wait it out???

help!

[momtoelise]

I think some babies really do take longer to be ready for solids.  I started DD on solids at 6 months & went very slowly.  She took longer than others to get used to finger food/table food type things & would spit them out.  I asked the pedi & was told it was totally normal. 

Have you tried different amounts of water in with the cereal - to get a different consistency?
How about oatmeal cereal instead of the rice cereal?  My DD liked that better, and I know that's pretty common....

At this point, she's getting all she needs from the breastmilk, so try not to feel too rushed or worried.  I know - easier said than done!  Just keep trying - in your same consistent routine & it will come!   

[*Natasha*]

My advise is to keep trying and if she doesn't eat it don't make a fuss just take it away. I agree with pp have you tried different consistancies? What food have you tried?

[Ami ~ 3 girls' mom]

FWIW, Savannah wouldn't touch solids until 7-1/2 months of age.

[simran]

Hi there,

My DD is 7months and has just taken to solids now, we are still at stage 1 and I have only introduced 3fruits & 2 veggies.  I just kept trying everyday not making a huge issue of it and one day she just took to it.  She is still fussy & does spit it out sometimes.  I find that my DD likes her food runny compared to chunky.  The other thing I did was to position her high chair looking outside where she happily watches the birds in the garden & the dog, this I find takes her mind of the 'eating' and as she is babbling away she happily opens her mouth & eats.  I don't make a huge fuss over feeding times and just make it a relaxed time.  I find that if I eat or have a drink too my DD watches me chew and copies me this is where I offer her some food & she happily accepts, swallowing.  I also offer her water in a sippy cup after a few bites and she finds this amusing and is happy to drink often mimicking me.  We are slow too but we will get there, keep persisting.

[Nikki~]

My dd was closer to 8mths before she really ate anything that I would call close to a meal.  Her problem was trying to drink the food off the spoon, so I found if I made it really liquidy in texture she slurped it off for a few weeks and then gradually got the hang of eating it off the spoon. She also very quickly went onto finger foods and completely skipped the lumpy mash stage.

DS didn't like rice cereal at all, so I only did fruit and vege combo's with him.

I found with DS in particular, he took about 10 'tastings' before accepting a new flavour. I would just offer it every day, but not make a big deal of it and one day he thought it was ok. What you can also do, if she likes pumpkin, use that as your base and add new things to it even while doing your "allergy" testing and then reduce the amount of pumpkin gradually and you have a new food to then use as your base for trying a new food. Pear was used as our base for most foods (even what sounded like disgusting combo's went down well).

[bethann]

Well, she seems to like squash- but only the real stuff, nothing from a jar.  and knows the difference!- also tried oatmeal- nope.  I tried putting rice and oatmeal together. nope.  I tried putting rice a bottle, ew- she said.  (well- that's the look she gave me anyway) 

So- I'm gonna make her some food from real veggies and see how she takes to it.  Oh- and I found that she loves those Gerber graduates finger foods (that melt in her mouth and taste like bananas or carrots.)  thanks for all the help!  I just assumed that all babies love all food- like you see on the commercials where the babies keep opening their mouths and can't wait for more food.  lol. 

[binxyboo]

Zander's Mummy posted a great link a while back on babyled weaning. I will send her a pm to see if she will post it again as I can't find it. It is a wonderful natural approach to introducing solids. I think it would appeal to you. Riley wasn't eating a lot of solids at that age, he is just staring to take more interest now that we have weaned from nursing. It hasn't affected his growth though. At his 14 month check he was 2ft 10 ins and weighed 31 lbs!

[Selena1975]

I would also really be interested in that post on baby led weening.  It sounds interesting.  My dd is 7 1/2 months and I am in no rush to fill her full of solids.  She has solids here and there and doesn't really eat a lot of what I give her (except yams...she looooves those ).  She is doing find developmentally also.  I have read that solids during the first year are more to get baby used to tastes and textures.

Thanks! 

[MackMum]

I'm in very much the same boat with a 7mo who just doesn't seem at ALL interested in eating solids. He'll take a couple of spoonfuls of whatever I offer him and doesnt spit it out but then stops opening his mouth or showing any interest. I'd be very interested in that article on babyled weaning - does anyone have the link?

[bethann]

http://www.borstvoeding.com/voedselintroductie/vast_voedsel/rapley_guidelines.html

here's the link.

I would just hang in there and be patient.  my dd finally gave in and would eat for me. however, yesterday, nothing.  i tried breakfast and lunch and dinner.  she was only interested in nursing.  I'm just going with her, if she wants to eat, fine, if not- i do what I can to make her happy.  one thing- she really likes to eat what she sees me eating.  it talks about that in the article.  anyway, good luck!

bethann