My 7 Mo. Old Won't Eat Solids- Sooo Annoying! HELP!

My son (6 months) gets really frustrated with solid foods too. He expects the food to dispense food like a bottle-
I found this really cool bottle/spoon thing that does just that!
Nuby NT Silicone Travel Infa-Feeder
http://www.diapers.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?product...

I am really lazy on starting solid foods... my baby just prefers a bottle... Usually I'll try one solid food meal a day before he's ravenously hungry. (cereal mixed with pears and a little water....) Then he gets 4 ounce bottle...

Good luck!

My youngest didn't eat solids until she was 9 months. I would ocassionally offer and she had NO intrest. I would just take a break and try again in a couple of weeks.

try getting her to laugh, or do the "airplane" with the spoon. When her mouth is open, pop the spoon in. She may push it back out with her tongue at first, not because she dislikes it, but because she needs to learn how to use her tongue to get the food to the back of her mouth to swallow it. She'll develop a taste for "food" in no time and will open her mouth when she sees that spoon coming.

She's not ready.
Wait.
Don't compare her to other babies.

For the 1st year of life, breastmilk/formula is the PRIMARY source of nutrition for a baby, not solids, not other liquids. Per our Pediatrician.
its okay... she is just not ready to "eat" yet.
you do not want to start "food" battles and conflicts, now or ever.
She will eat, when she is ready.
And, if her tongue thrust reflex is still there, then well, she isn't ready.

And at this age, be careful what foods you introduce first. Ask your Ped. for what food(s) to start with. When she is ready.

All the best,
Susan

Has she show any of the signs of being ready for food? Meaning, has she doubled her birth weight, holding her head you on her own, noticed that you are eating & shown intrest in what you are doing by opening her mouth or moving her mouth when you are chowing? You are right all kids are different & she just might not be ready yet.

My 5 yr old didn't start till she was about 8 months old, my 4 yr old was about 6 months old & my 2 1/2 yr old was only 4 months old (with doctors approval - he we born 8# and 18# by 4 months & was super interested in me eating) when we started them on spoon feeding.

We started the kids on oatmeal cereal first... it was really runny to begin with. It was hard to keep on a soon because of how runny it was, but I don't agree with cereal in bottles so we used the spoon. Once they started to use the spoon we thickened it up a little & started adding apples to it about 5 days later. Then we tried pears about 5 days after that. We let them try rice ceral before starting the yellows then greens foods. We always waited about 5 days in between starting a new food (they say to wait a min of 3-4 days to watch for allergy reactions). My 4 yr old broke out twice from peaches - so we stopped feeding him them... now he loves peaches - go figure.

All I can suggest is to watch her signs... see if she is watching you eat and opening/moving her mouth as you eat. Have her sit at the table when you eat so she can see you eating & see it's something normal to do. Maybe try feeding her when you eat, yes it can make having dinner a bit harder, but you will be doing this in a few months anyways once she has started eating more "normal" foods not just baby food. Our kids also like mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, soups and other small soft stuff off mom's plate - sometimes it was easier to get them to eat if I put the baby food on my plate cause they thought it was mine - lol. Guess sometimes we have to "trick" them into eating & trying new things... but kids are more likely to follow what we do, not what we say.

Maybe give it a day or two break & try again. She will pick up this very hard skill soon! Take care!!

My first thought is why is it such a big deal? She's doing well breastfeeding right? Gaining weight? Happy and healthy? Then don't stress! My exclusively breastfed baby girl would not touch solids till she was 9 months old! Babies know what they need and what they don't and it sounds like in this case, like with my daughter, she's telling you loud and clear that she isn't ready for solids. My daughter is a sassy 20 month old now that eats lots of different things and is perfectly healthy. Wait a couple of weeks and try again. Also, make sure she is at the table with you guys when you eat. it's great socialization and a learning experience for her.

And please, please, please do not give her food in a bottle. She is telling you she doesn't want to eat so the last thing you want to do is force feed her. That does not instill good eating habits or make for a positive start for a healthy relationship with food. Even though they continue to sell them they are not recommended any longer.

Your daughter isn't ready for solids yet. Forcing her isn't working, because she doesn't want to eat them yet. You are just upsetting yourself by continuing to try and force her to eat. She will eventually want them.

Is she showing any interest in what you are eating? If so, then that is the time to try it. If not, then wait a bit longer.

I don't know if others are telling you that she must be eating solids or if this is your personal opinion, but as you know, they aren't needed at her age.

have you tried the baby food bottles that you can buy at target? I used them at first so they could suck the food out and get used to the textures and flavors, then moved on to spoon feeding.

My daughter loves her breast milk also. What works sometimes for us is to feed her food first then breastfeed. She was getting too full with milk and didn't care to try food.

Don't sweat it. My nine-month-old has days where he doesn't eat either. He's eaten up to one jar (a mini jar) of baby food at one sitting, and that's it. Sometimes he'll only eat half of that, sometimes none. He's breastfeeding, and because my daughter, now 3, did the same thing, it doesn't bother me. He's getting what he wants and what he needs.
So quit being frustrated; she doesn't NEED food yet. Seriously, not until around 14 months did my daughter really start chowing down, and that was only occasionally and when she really liked something. Even now at 3 there are days when she doesn't eat much. I refuse to cook more than one dinner for the family, so if there is something for dinner that she doesn't like, she can have carrots and hummus or something else that we have lying around that doesn't require additional effort on my part.
So relax and don't spaz out. If she doesn't want to eat, that's fine. She's fine. Let her get to food at her own pace.

Just wait until she wants to eat. Have her sit with you at the table when you eat your dinner. Put some different sauces on her table and just wait and see. Maybe she will stick her finger in it and taste her finger. She will let you know when she is ready. Don't force it. She is obviously not ready for it. Don't worry about it now. Maybe start in another month with applesauce or something tasty. Sometimes the taste can be a bit too sweet, so you may have to mix it with rice cereal or something. This isn't something you can force or should force.

Im really confused about why so much energy, focus and frustration is being placed on something that should happen naturally on it's own. You already know that everyone develops at their own rate and that it is TOTALLY NOT necessary at this age, yet you are still 'sooooo annoyed'?Why? I would definately try my best to take a breath and really try to let her be herself and develop at her own pace....otherwise you may not realize it but you will be pressuring her to do all sorts of things throughout her life at a certain rate or on a certain timetable simply because you know someone else that has a child that did it then. She will learn to talk, crawl, walk, potty train, read, etc all when she is ready, not by a book, friends kids or timeline.

Another important thing is that if she is not interested in solids right now, her GI tract is probably not developed yet to tolerate the foods. Her linings may simply be not ready and pushing the foods may result in a lifetime of digestive troubles because of it. As hard as it may be to let go of the control...she will tell you when she is ready for solids, as well as anything else that happens naturally. Accept that she may eat when you try again in a month or she may not be interested or developmentally ready for over a year. Both mine were over 12 months while friends kids were eating meals at 7 months.... She will be eating by the time she moves out for college, dont worry :-)

I recommend Dr Sears books.....they are really good advice and reminders about our little ones :-)

Solids, especially in a breastfed baby should be held off for as long as possible. Nature meant for infants to be exclusively breastfed for the first year... it's best to hold off solids until at least 9-10 months when the gastrointestinal tract is fully matured. Just because she watches you eat, watches the food - doesn't mean she actually wants it.

Calm down, stop offering, just let her be an infant.

A breastfed 7 month old should not be on solids anyway. If they are really hungry and want them fine but they do not need them. If you think your child has an issue with food then have an evaluation with a good speech and language pathologist or an OT who deals with sensory issues. It's never too young to have intervention before things get out of hand and bad habits become really bad habits. So many children have trouble processing sensory information wheter it be in their mouth or bodies. The mouth is the most organizing thing on our body and it modulates the rest of the body so if that is disturbed then other issues will follow. Get it checked out but don't sit and wait with no answers. If she is not interested in another month I would seek help.

Take a deep breathe- she is not ready!
Smile, really decide it isn't a problem, and enjoy nursing-
these times are gone quick enough.
Ok, that is what I'd advise, since you asked.
Blink your eyes and she'll be a teenager, and then
wonder where these times went.
best,k

L.,
I have an 8 month old that did the same thing at first. Just keep offering it to her everyday, maybe multiple times a day. Eventually, she will eat. She may not be ready, which is okay. But offer it & try not to get frustrated. She will sense your frustration & this will only make it more difficult.
Good luck!
BTW, my son eats like a champ now. It just took some time.
H.

Have you talked to your Dr.? It sounds as though she is getting enough nutrition from your breastmilk and doesn't need the solids.(good for you!) Maybe waiting till she acts like she wants more than milk?

Good luck and God bless,
M.

Have you tried giving her utensils. Most babies love using utensils and it can also be a nice distraction so you can get her to try some foods. Do you try cheerios, puffs, things like that or just foods. She may not be comfortable with the textures right now so maybe giving her utensils will help. Just holding utensils and letting them play with the food is okay, just try not to show your frustration you do not want to make eating become a battle. I am sure she is full even 45 minutes after nursing so that is probably a factor . If she is not hungry and is thriving it is really not necessary for her to eat solids. I am not sure how often you are nursing, my children were formula fed and at 9 months old probably had were down to 4 bottles a day. I can give you what their schedule was if maybe that will help. I gave them a bottle when they woke in the morning around 6:30 and then breakfast at 8 or so which was cereal, or a pancake, or waffle,or french toast, and fruit. Nap at around 9. Another bottle around 10:30 and then lunch around 12 which was usually 1/2jar veggie 1/2fruit They would nap after lunch and then another bottle around 2:30 they would have dinner around 6 which was whatever we were eating mushed up. Or a meat and veggie. Another bottle before bed and that was it. They usually went to sleep around 7:30 until 6:30. Hope this helps. Good luck!!

You seem to know that solid foods not important at this age and you are breastfeeding (congrats!) but why are you so overly concerned about this? It sounds like you are really worked up and I don't understand why you would "spaz out"? Leave her alone and use solid food as a fun adventure. What is going on now is NOT FUN. She doesn't sound ready. Is there another issue? Like her not gaining weight? Or is it just that you feel that your friends have babies that are ahead of her?

My advice is to stop and wait 6 months. Starting solids at 6 months (while the current norm) is MASSIVELY early for most babies... and you'll notice the huge number of requests of 6-9 mo having digestive problems (pain, gas, sleep disturbance, colic that wasn't there before, etc).

It wasn't until the formula age that anything beyond TASTING happened before a year... and the tasting was typically your own food at a meal. Prior to formula (and all the problems associated with it... note, I'm not knocking formula, it's life saving for babies w/out a nursing mom for whatever reason... just history here), it was recommended that babies be started on solids at about a year. My grandparents were extremely well known doctors... and while the did advocate 6mo for formula babies, they were baffled as to why anyone NOT on formula would start an infant on solids before a year.

Here's something else to consider... a 1 DAY old can also eat solids... and did before the advent of formula and in places in the world without formula. Some of the things given to newborns are: marrowbones, *chewed* meats (the enzymes in the chewer's saliva are actually quite important), veggies that have been boiled to purees with fats and water added to them (think soup stock). VERY high fat, and extremely soft foods are the kinds that babies can actually put to good use. It's not the best... but it's possible. Cereals on the other hand are high in sugar (carbs are pure sugar), and don't add much if anything nutritionally speaking. They ARE filling, and they expand within the stomach an intestines... which makes them feel full, and the more fibrous.. like oatmeal & grains... the longer it takes to digest (and more likely it is that there will be digestion problems) but that full feeling deprives them of needed nutrition.

So it's definitely not the worst thing in the world that your wee one isn't interested right now. In fact, with that 6mo growth spurt coming, it's all to the best.

My sister in law had the same problem with her son. He was exclusively breastfed and was not interested in solids at all. In fact, he didn't start eating solid foods until 14 months old. I remember her being extremely frustrated too. But, he was just fine and eventually did it on his own. Don't worry too much. It's not necessary for him to eat at 7 months but I do understand your frustration. You are not alone :)
My advice is to keep trying to feed her at different times of the day. She will eventually come around. Good luck!

Babies that age don't need solids, and if it is such a stressful issue then you should really ask yourself if it is worth it to push solids so much? Just give her a few weeks/months and try offering them again.

For the record, my 15 month old didn't start solids until 9 months old and she loooves food now.

I have been there. Please don't be concerned. Your lo is so lucky to have you as a momma and that you have bfed thus far. my lo -- also bfed at that age -- and did not take to solids til about 8-9 months. the important thing is just to present to her so she sees the option. in her own time, she will eat. as long as she is still bfeeding and she is still growing according to her pace, please just enjoy her.

My 3rd child NEVER, EVER, EVER ate baby food. Ever. So I figured he wasn't ready after trying several times. Then he was sitting there hanging out in the high chair, watching me eat a muffin. So I gave him a teeny, tiny crumb and he LOVED it! From then on, I just fed him teeny bits of whatever I was eating

She obviously isn't ready for any solids. Give her a good vitamin supplement and don't rush the issue. It only frustrates you.
One suggestion is to sit down next to her and eat the same food. Make MMMM, yummy sounds and she may take interest. But at 7 months, she's still a bit young.
Best wishes, momma

Start with infant cereal & mix it with breast milk. My friend had the same issue, and that's what she did. Her son ate it up! GL