An 11 mo Picky Eater??

[Lilbutterflie]

My normal experience with babies established on solid foods (9-10 months through about 18 months) has been that they are eager to try and tend to love a wide variety of foods. Babies are excited and curious to try new foods. Sure, sometimes it takes a handful of times of trying a new food to actually like it. But for the most part, I have never truly seen a baby who was a picky eater. Am I right??

Well I have an 11 month old dcb who is transitioning from eating baby food that mom brings (as per my contract; baby food is supplied by parents until they are able to eat most everything on my menu-usually about 10-12 months old). For about 2 months now, he has pretty much refused baby food and will only eat things he can pick up himself. Totally normal for his age IMO.

So I have offered to start feeding him from my menu (with the exception of PB and other allergenic and other foods too hard for him to gum). Mom said she would rather bring the food for now, so that was fine by me. Except that he gets pretty much the same thing every day. Gerber graduates meals. Most of those are pastas (some with veggies); and there are only about 5-6 varieties. Mom admits that is all she gives him b/c she doesn't know what else he can eat. She also admits she won't even give him the veggies included in the meal b/c she can't stand to touch them. She also NEVER sent a veggie baby food to daycare for him other than sweet potatoes. I have assured her that by this age, he can pretty much eat whatever they eat as long as it's fairly soft and he can chew it with his gums. So he has been super limited on what he's been eating; pretty much from the start of solid foods.

Mom is transitioning to my menu this week; and he pretty much won't even try most of what I have given him. He just sits there and cries b/c it's not what he's used to. I have never seen a baby at 11 mo not even want to try a food. He is so picky already! Usually this behavior doesn't set in until at least 18 months for me! I know it's the first week, and I hope in time he gets better. I just am scared that he will be this super picky eater all through toddlerhood; and I don't want that. Any pointers??

[nannyde]

This is a good recipe for bad eating.

They are NOT healthy. Took me a minute to find this:

http://blog.fooducate.com/2010/08/10/gerbers-healthy-meals-for-preschoolers-indeed/

The baby needs to be taken OFF of them completely and given stage two thickness meat, vegetables, and once back on those... fruits.

Bread and starch products need to be reintroduced LAST and the smallest portion in the range of serving size.

He needs

whole vegetables
soft cooked meats or meat substitutes

then fruit

then bread.

He's young enough to start completely over. If he can eat finger food he needs to be given very small bites (pencil eraser size) bites of meats and veggies. If he doesn't eat give him six ounces of his formula or breast milk and try again in three hours.

rinse and repeat.

[Heidi]

This is a good recipe for bad eating.

They are NOT healthy. Took me a minute to find this:

http://blog.fooducate.com/2010/08/10/gerbers-healthy-meals-for-preschoolers-indeed/

The baby needs to be taken OFF of them completely and given stage two thickness meat, vegetables, and once back on those... fruits.

Bread and starch products need to be reintroduced LAST and the smallest portion in the range of serving size.

He needs

whole vegetables
soft cooked meats or meat substitutes

then fruit

then bread.

He's young enough to start completely over. If he can eat finger food he needs to be given very small bites (pencil eraser size) bites of meats and veggies. If he doesn't eat give him six ounces of his formula or breast milk and try again in three hours.

rinse and repeat.

I agree completely with Nan on this one!

[Lilbutterflie]

This is a good recipe for bad eating.

They are NOT healthy. Took me a minute to find this:

http://blog.fooducate.com/2010/08/10/gerbers-healthy-meals-for-preschoolers-indeed/

The baby needs to be taken OFF of them completely and given stage two thickness meat, vegetables, and once back on those... fruits.

Bread and starch products need to be reintroduced LAST and the smallest portion in the range of serving size.

He needs

whole vegetables
soft cooked meats or meat substitutes

then fruit

then bread.

He's young enough to start completely over. If he can eat finger food he needs to be given very small bites (pencil eraser size) bites of meats and veggies. If he doesn't eat give him six ounces of his formula or breast milk and try again in three hours.

rinse and repeat.

Thanks Nan. I do agree. That's exactly what I tried today... slow cooked pot roast (in super tiny bites), with carrots, celery, and potato. He eat the carrots (sweet taste) and then cried. Over a long period of time, I was able to get him to eat a decent amount of roast and potato. But that was only b/c I was feeding him off of my plate of roast! For whatever reason, he takes new foods fairly easily if it's from my plate, my fork (you must have something better than me attitude).

Then comes the next question...is it bad to feed him off of my plate rather than him eating independently? My thought is for now, whatever it takes to get him to eat the new foods. Then, later, we work on him eating it independently off his own tray.

[Heidi]

Thanks Nan. I do agree. That's exactly what I tried today... slow cooked pot roast (in super tiny bites), with carrots, celery, and potato. He eat the carrots (sweet taste) and then cried. Over a long period of time, I was able to get him to eat a decent amount of roast and potato. But that was only b/c I was feeding him off of my plate of roast! For whatever reason, he takes new foods fairly easily if it's from my plate, my fork (you must have something better than me attitude).

Then comes the next question...is it bad to feed him off of my plate rather than him eating independently? My thought is for now, whatever it takes to get him to eat the new foods. Then, later, we work on him eating it independently off his own tray.

Have you tried handing him a toddler fork? For some reason, that was the magic trick with one of my twins, now 14mo. He would not try ANYTHING, and then one day, I handed him a fork...presto! He didn't even use it...but having it made him feel good, while he ate with the other hand

[nannyde]

Thanks Nan. I do agree. That's exactly what I tried today... slow cooked pot roast (in super tiny bites), with carrots, celery, and potato. He eat the carrots (sweet taste) and then cried. Over a long period of time, I was able to get him to eat a decent amount of roast and potato. But that was only b/c I was feeding him off of my plate of roast! For whatever reason, he takes new foods fairly easily if it's from my plate, my fork (you must have something better than me attitude).

Then comes the next question...is it bad to feed him off of my plate rather than him eating independently? My thought is for now, whatever it takes to get him to eat the new foods. Then, later, we work on him eating it independently off his own tray.

I would definitely feed him off of my plate if that's what it took to get him to eat the meat and veggies. I would also make combo bites for him.. a little bread bite with some smashed meat and veggies. Pop a piece on his tray and smile a big when he picks it up and eats it.

Make mealtime sweet and enjoyable.