7 month old will not eat solids ugh! Any tips please?

[Livebythesea]

I am EBF and he won't use a bottle for the last two months. I have tried for the last three weeks to get this child to eat solids with absolutely no success. I've mixed breast milk with rice cereal, avocado, sweet potato, banana. I've tried to feed them alone with no milk mixed in and nothing. I've tried feeding them for several days each, nothing. He shakes his head in disgust and spits the food out. The only thing he has found any interest in is chewing on my piece of apple, my honey nut Cheerio (let him knaw on one out of frustration!) and one day he liked my zucchini with a little butter in it, the next three days he spit the zucchini out. My has been even bought some baby cheese puffs, which I don't want him to start out eating, spit that out too.

I tried the baby led technique to let him eat the cheese puffs but he still had no interest. I am feeding all of this with a baby spoon.


Any tips please? Thank you!

 

[MindUtopia]

I would say just give him finger foods and let him play. The goal really shouldn't be to get them to eat. They'll do it in time and as long as he's getting plenty of BM, he's getting all the nutrients he needs. The goal for now should just be trying things. It's totally normal for them to like something one day and not the next (it's going to probably be happening for the next 18 years actually!). You just need to try a wide variety of things and not focus on the amounts, but on the exploration. Trying new things is great (or trying anything at all), but eating every thing you offer or eating a certain amount just doesn't matter. Sounds like he has an interest in finger foods, so I'd just go with that. It's so much easier and I think it really fosters a love of food and makes mealtimes less stressful than you trying to feed them. If all he wants one day is cheerios, great. He really won't eat cheerios forever. My daughter went through a phase where all she would eat for a month was fruit and yogurt. Then one day she ate a massive slice of quiche and was back to eating everything again. She loves her food (ate, actually fed herself, chili and rice the other day, or curry, or roast chicken or caramelised onion tart, etc.). But the key really is just letting them do it as they please and trying not to stress about it or hover or force it.

 

[ruby09]

It took us weeks and weeks to really get my son into his food. He just really didn't care and enjoyed his bottles more. We had some success when I switched to oatmeal instead of rice cereal. Rice cereal is really disgusting... I tried it and I don't blame him at all for hating it. I started mixing Gerber baby oatmeal with milk and some steamed/pureed fruit and that's when he started eating a few bites at a time. Also, he really like natural applesauce (it comes in a jar, but no added sugar, just apples and water).

Don't worry, at 7 months food is just for practice. It wasn't until 9 months that eating started to become important, and not until 10.5 months that he really got the hang of having food. Now at 15 months he eats like a little piggy. They all get there eventually.

 

[Noo]

Finger foods and don't get stressed. If he eats it great! If not then he is getting familiar with it.

 

[cantwaitforu]

My first DS hated being spoon fed. DH was afraid of blw so we did as best as we could with purées. He never became a good eater and only eats several things at 27 months.

DS 2 is not liking purées so we are doing 90% blw and 10% purées (yogurt and some fruits he likes).

What I learned from both is that routine and consistency is key. We do the same things at the same time everyday and I eat with both of my boys. I give them what I'm eating.

If your DS likes zucchini, pasta, pizza and burgers give it to him. I give my almost 8 month old everything and he now shows an interest in all food.

Don't forget, they grow fast and the idea is to get them what you are eating bc you don't want to have to make several different meals a day.

 

[Livebythesea]

I would say just give him finger foods and let him play. The goal really shouldn't be to get them to eat. They'll do it in time and as long as he's getting plenty of BM, he's getting all the nutrients he needs. The goal for now should just be trying things. It's totally normal for them to like something one day and not the next (it's going to probably be happening for the next 18 years actually!). You just need to try a wide variety of things and not focus on the amounts, but on the exploration. Trying new things is great (or trying anything at all), but eating every thing you offer or eating a certain amount just doesn't matter. Sounds like he has an interest in finger foods, so I'd just go with that. It's so much easier and I think it really fosters a love of food and makes mealtimes less stressful than you trying to feed them. If all he wants one day is cheerios, great. He really won't eat cheerios forever. My daughter went through a phase where all she would eat for a month was fruit and yogurt. Then one day she ate a massive slice of quiche and was back to eating everything again. She loves her food (ate, actually fed herself, chili and rice the other day, or curry, or roast chicken or caramelised onion tart, etc.). But the key really is just letting them do it as they please and trying not to stress about it or hover or force it.

Thank you very much. I am not a picky eater thanks so my parents, so I hope he has some interest one day.

 

[Livebythesea]

It took us weeks and weeks to really get my son into his food. He just really didn't care and enjoyed his bottles more. We had some success when I switched to oatmeal instead of rice cereal. Rice cereal is really disgusting... I tried it and I don't blame him at all for hating it. I started mixing Gerber baby oatmeal with milk and some steamed/pureed fruit and that's when he started eating a few bites at a time. Also, he really like natural applesauce (it comes in a jar, but no added sugar, just apples and water).

Don't worry, at 7 months food is just for practice. It wasn't until 9 months that eating started to become important, and not until 10.5 months that he really got the hang of having food. Now at 15 months he eats like a little piggy. They all get there eventually.

Thank you! I picked up some organic oatmeal with banana and he seemed to think it wasn't totally disgusting! Haha. Yes agreed, I tried the rice cereal - not good!

 

[Rachel_C]

Maybe offer him foods that you like - do you eat rice cereal or veg on it's own? We did BLW so the kids had everything we ate from 6 months but even if you're doing TW there's no need to offer things that aren't part of a normal person's diet, just watch out for salt, whole/big pieces of nut, undercooked eggs etc and DON'T give honey even if it's cooked at it carries a risk of infant botulism, which is rare but serious so best just to avoid before a year old.

I'm a massive fan of putting a plate of food (the same as you're eating) in front of LO and letting them get on with it. If they eat nothing and mash it into their hair, it's still a success as they've engaged with the food, learned about textures and colours etc. Don't even think about what goes in his mouth for at least another 6 months, probably longer!

 

[noon_child]

I agree with the above advice about blw and finger food. There is more to weaning than food in stomach. He'll be learning co-ordination, thumb and forefinger grasping, texture of different food, the volume his mouth will hold, how to spit something out (it is important for him to to do it especially if he's taken too much in, or is gagging), knawing, chewing, savouring.

My LO loved wedges of pear and nectarine and yoghurt (gave her bowl and spoon and let her get on with it) as first foods.

 

[Livebythesea]

Maybe offer him foods that you like - do you eat rice cereal or veg on it's own? We did BLW so the kids had everything we ate from 6 months but even if you're doing TW there's no need to offer things that aren't part of a normal person's diet, just watch out for salt, whole/big pieces of nut, undercooked eggs etc and DON'T give honey even if it's cooked at it carries a risk of infant botulism, which is rare but serious so best just to avoid before a year old.

I'm a massive fan of putting a plate of food (the same as you're eating) in front of LO and letting them get on with it. If they eat nothing and mash it into their hair, it's still a success as they've engaged with the food, learned about textures and colours etc. Don't even think about what goes in his mouth for at least another 6 months, probably longer!

Thank you. I will look into all of these acronyms because I don't know what BLW or TW are

 

[Livebythesea]

I agree with the above advice about blw and finger food. There is more to weaning than food in stomach. He'll be learning co-ordination, thumb and forefinger grasping, texture of different food, the volume his mouth will hold, how to spit something out (it is important for him to to do it especially if he's taken too much in, or is gagging), knawing, chewing, savouring.

My LO loved wedges of pear and nectarine and yoghurt (gave her bowl and spoon and let her get on with it) as first foods.

Do you have to change the baby's clothes after each meal? I tried to let him have at it but it was so messy so quickly I just couldn't do it My husband was concerned when I gave him a wedge of pear the other days. I need to find out what size is appropriate! Thank you

 

[noon_child]

Do you have to change the baby's clothes after each meal? I tried to let him have at it but it was so messy so quickly I just couldn't do it My husband was concerned when I gave him a wedge of pear the other days. I need to find out what size is appropriate! Thank you

I fed my LO in just a vest or nothing at all if it was warm enough. We also bought those bibs that have full sleeves so I'd just peel that off afterwards and chuck it in the wash basket. Tbh I don't think you can avoid the mess whatever you do; my daughter is 3yrs old (and refuses a bib now) and I still often have to change her clothes after a meal or sponge her down.

I preferred larger pieces - about adult finger width to allow for easy grasping but longish. So for pear it would be about a 1/4 or 1/6 depending on size of pear. Then she learnt to bite off what she could handle rather than me decide what size she'd find easiest. Small chunks CAN encourage some babies not to attempt to chew and go straight to swallowing and that often results in gagging and can be a choking risk.