Grunts, whines and cries the whole time

[maevamena]

Help please.

Without fail my 9 mo DD grunts, whines or cries at each meal. She's been on solids for two months and has done this the whole time. She eats enough (though is still a lightweight - 5th percentile) but even as she's taking a spoonful she's complaining. In fact, she starts complaining the minute we put her into the highchair.

We tried giving her a spoon of her own to hold, which helped for about a day until she realized how much fun it is to watch it drop to the floor. I let her feed herself mashed fruits or pasta, which calms her down a little. But even as she's trying to shovel fruit bits into her mouth she's grunting. The only time it subsides is when she's distracted by company or the dog or people talking. As soon as I take her out of her chair, it stops and she's her happy little self again.

Is this an independence thing? Is she already starting tantrums? I tried looking away from her while she does it: lo and behold the whining stopped...until I turned around and it started again. Is she playing me?! Already!? Or is she trying to tell me something that I can't understand?

If anyone has experience with this, I could use some help. It breaks my heart to feed her while she's crying.

Thanks,

Maeve

[¤ Efka ¤]

This may sound very stupid question, but will she cry also when you feed her on you lap? I understood that she still eats , but starts crying the minute you put her in high chair?

[maevamena]

I haven't tried that! We'll try her next meal with her sitting on my lap. I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks for the idea!

[maevamena]

Okay so we tried feeding her while she was on my lap. She wriggled so much that it was useless. So I sat her on the ground where she could wriggle happily and she ate with no grunts.

It made me think about how she breastfeeds. She's always wriggling; one leg is constantly on the move. Maybe the chair is too restrictive? But surely we can't keep feeding her on the floor. How will that work in restaurants?! We'll have to stick to the chair but somehow keep her distracted enough so she has no time to grunt.

[¤ Efka ¤]

Hmh, really sound as she wont like the chair
But what about when you put her in chair in between feeds? Does she cried then too? OR is it just feeding times? Maybe you can get her used to high chair in between feeding when you put her there and watch books? Or do you have Bumbo chair, maybe for a but you could feed her there? Just throwing here different thoughts, so you could get some more ideas.

[maevamena]

Good idea. I'll try putting her in the chair between meals. I dread it as much as she does now, but maybe if we make it a fun place she won't complain at meal times.

Thanks again for the help!

[¤ Efka ¤]

Yeah, hopefully its just a phase and she grows out of this and starts to like her chair better.

[jennie marie]

I can relate my DS does it too.  But not all the time - I think it is when he is especially tired.  He is such an active boy and yeah I think the chair is too restrictive.  Finger food have been a saviour, as he is in a trance with them in his hand and I give them to him first and then sit down to feed and it calms him well then he is ready to eat.  If I don't do this it turns into a full blown tantrum!!!  Give me my food NOW.  Sometimes it is the food that he just doesn't like - so I get some fruit out and do a spoonful of each and he is away again.