Baby Refuses Solids

[spud912]

The baby is mine

She is 7 months old now (breast fed) and refuses to eat solids. She won't open her mouth, turns her head away, makes sour faces, spits, pushes it out with her lower lip, everything! I tried starting at 5 months (per doctor's orders) and I figured she wasn't ready because she was spitting up, so I stopped after 2 weeks of trying. I tried again at 6 months and she was still refusing, so I held off again. For the past couple of weeks I've been at it again but she still won't open her mouth! I try to make her laugh, but she is too smart for that. She even cries with her mouth shut! Lately I've been prying her mouth open with my index finger and then shoving a spoon full in, but I feel so bad doing that! The doctor is adamant that I really get her going on solid foods because she is dropping in weight.

I started with rice cereal and breast milk, then oatmeal and breast milk, then bananas (which she really hates and vomits up!), then squash, now sweet potato (all steamed at home and pureed). Any advice for a stubborn baby?

[Country Kids]

Are you still nursing? This may be the time to quit so she knows its either solid food or nothing. Have you talked to your doctor about this? I would start there and see what he says.

[youretooloud]

I wouldn't stop nursing. But, maybe stop the baby food? She's old enough to put finger foods on her tray and see what she does with it.

I'd start with those baby cookie things that make a huge mess, but are hard to bite off, but sit with her just in case she bites a piece off.

Or those baby food bags that are shaped like a strawberry and put a banana or sweet potato in it. Avocado is a good place to start too.

Let her have the spoons and forks, but don't worry if she doesn't eat anything off of them. But, have her sit at the high chair and have meals with you until she gets the idea. Even if she doesn't eat.

[daysofelijah]

Don't worry about it. My 2nd son didn't want anything to do with solids and refused all baby food. He started with regular table food around 10 months, exclusively bf until then. Solids aren't necessary in the first year if baby is growing and gaining fine on your milk.

http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/solids-how.html#refuse

[daysofelijah]

Sorry I missed the part about her not gaining. There are tips on that kellymom page to try. Try actual soft finger foods, that may help. Some babies just don't like to be spoon fed.

[cheerfuldom]

I wouldn't stop nursing. It may be a texture thing and she might prefer finger foods over purees.

[spud912]

Are you still nursing? This may be the time to quit so she knows its either solid food or nothing. Have you talked to your doctor about this? I would start there and see what he says.

Yes, I talked to the doctor and he said to keep trying and if she is still having problems to call them (although I don't really know what that will accomplish unless they have a magical way to make her like solid food). I won't stop nursing, though, because she still needs that nutrition until she is 12 months old. I can't switch her to formula (and don't want to anyway) because she refuses to take a bottle. She is finicky, to say the least .

I wouldn't stop nursing. But, maybe stop the baby food? She's old enough to put finger foods on her tray and see what she does with it.

I'd start with those baby cookie things that make a huge mess, but are hard to bite off, but sit with her just in case she bites a piece off.

Or those baby food bags that are shaped like a strawberry and put a banana or sweet potato in it. Avocado is a good place to start too.

Let her have the spoons and forks, but don't worry if she doesn't eat anything off of them. But, have her sit at the high chair and have meals with you until she gets the idea. Even if she doesn't eat.

That's a good idea! I know I tried the plain rice cracker ~1 month ago and she gave the most disgusted face and started crying when a small amount disintegrated in her mouth. We do have the baby food bags and I will try that.

Don't worry about it. My 2nd son didn't want anything to do with solids and refused all baby food. He started with regular table food around 10 months, exclusively bf until then. Solids aren't necessary in the first year if baby is growing and gaining fine on your milk.

http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/so...ow.html#refuse

Yes, she is not losing weight, she is just not gaining what they want her to gain. I'm not really a huge fan of the growth charts so I don't like it when they base a child's health status on them. She went from the 50th to 25th percentile, which I think it's about the same time my other daughter started dropping in her weight percentile (and now her older sister is below 5th percentile). I just make petite children
I do remember reading about some children skipping the blended foods altogether. Darn it.....I just made a large quantity of homemade pureed squash (acorn and butternut), sweet potatoes, peaches, applesauce, and pear sauce (all frozen in ice cube trays). If necessary, I'm sure I'll find a use for them somewhere.

[jen2651]

My son was exactly the same way...refused, refused, refused.

My dr. told me to skip the baby food and just mush up stuff on his high chair tray when we were eating. Eventually, he would show an interest. And he did - at almost 10 months. And it was random. We were at a picnic and he was sitting on my lap and I went to take a bite and he almost fell off trying to get my fork in his mouth. That was when I knew it was time.

The only baby food he ever did eat was every time I would try it I would open a jar...and then throw it away.

[PeanutsGalore]

Yes, I talked to the doctor and he said to keep trying and if she is still having problems to call them (although I don't really know what that will accomplish unless they have a magical way to make her like solid food). I won't stop nursing, though, because she still needs that nutrition until she is 12 months old. I can't switch her to formula (and don't want to anyway) because she refuses to take a bottle. She is finicky, to say the least .


That's a good idea! I know I tried the plain rice cracker ~1 month ago and she gave the most disgusted face and started crying when a small amount disintegrated in her mouth. We do have the baby food bags and I will try that.


Yes, she is not losing weight, she is just not gaining what they want her to gain. I'm not really a huge fan of the growth charts so I don't like it when they base a child's health status on them. She went from the 50th to 25th percentile, which I think it's about the same time my other daughter started dropping in her weight percentile (and now her older sister is below 5th percentile). I just make petite children
I do remember reading about some children skipping the blended foods altogether. Darn it.....I just made a large quantity of homemade pureed squash (acorn and butternut), sweet potatoes, peaches, applesauce, and pear sauce (all frozen in ice cube trays). If necessary, I'm sure I'll find a use for them somewhere.

You sound like you have it all under control, mama. My son wasn't really interested in eating any significant quantity of food until he hit about 10 months, and he JUST started seriously weaning down on breastmilk as his primary food and demanding meals at least 3 times a day, and he's 15 months now.

He walked early and needed extra calories just to maintain his weight (small guy/high metabolism), so the way I got them into him was by giving him smoothies in a bottle every day, twice a day. I put lots of healthy fats in the smoothies...avocado, coconut milk, etc. Your daughter won't take a bottle though, so that might not work. Does she take a sippy cup?

If she isn't losing weight though, and you, as the mom, aren't worried, then I should think things are just fine as they are. When she's ready, she'll eat. Until then, throw those pureed foods into a muffin batter and bake away! Or have some sweet potato pancakes or waffles...mmm, mmm good!