problems with solids

[A_Z]

We introduced solids when my LO was six months. We did a combo of purees and BLW. She took to both pretty well, and we saw a gradual increase in the amounts she was eating. I know that prior to 12 months the primary source of nutrition should be BM or formula, so we haven't been pushing the solids much.

In the last several weeks, though (starting around 9.5 months, maybe), she's become very difficult about her solids. She refuses spoon-feeding, or spits the puree back at me. Finger foods are promptly dropped over the side of the high chair. I've tried making sure she's hungry at dinner and giving her a bottle beforehand so that she's not uncomfortable at all. Neither makes a difference.

I thought maybe teething was the issue, but apparently she eats fine at daycare and when my mom watches her. It's driving me crazy. At this rate she's still only going to be getting a few Tbl of solids at 12 months.

The only thing that seems to help is letting her play and crawl around while I feed her, but that doesn't work for anything except cheerios, crackers, and a bit of puree. Also, I'd like to encourage her to have her meals in her highchair now, before she gets even more willful.

Anyone else been through this? Any other ideas?

 

[ellie27]

My first thought......

you say she is still having puree? At past 10 months I dont think they should be on puree, rather it should be just normal family meals, mashed or chopped if you want.

What spoonfed foods are you offering?

 

[Scottish mum]

I thinks it's a growth spurt thing. My lo is 10 months and is acting the same! He closes his mouth and turns his head away or grabs the spoon. What I find works is I put Disney channel on tv and as he's glued to it he seems to be happy enough for me to feed him haha. It's just something I'm ok doing just now as I know he will grow out if it. I say try anything that works! X

 

[ellie27]

Oh yes, distraction works here too!!

If my son is being really funny with food I put cars and books on his high chair table, talk to him, sing, etc and he usually will eat!

 

[Scottish mum]

Yep me too. Haha he opens his mouth for a slight second and ill put a bit sandwhich or something in hehe how cruel! He's always been good with food but its since the last week or so he just wants to carry on!

 

[A_Z]

My first thought......

you say she is still having puree? At past 10 months I dont think they should be on puree, rather it should be just normal family meals, mashed or chopped if you want.

What spoonfed foods are you offering?

We hadn't been feeding any of the true purees for a while, but tried them again when she started refusing table foods. Even then, it's usually mixed into oatmeal or yogurt or something along those lines. Sometimes we'll offer some mashed banana. My mom will give soup a quick spin in blender before feeding it to her. The daycare does the same with things like split peas and beans.

When we're feeding her at home we usually work more on finger foods, which until recently she preferred. She really liked feeding herself.

 

[A_Z]

I thinks it's a growth spurt thing. My lo is 10 months and is acting the same! He closes his mouth and turns his head away or grabs the spoon. What I find works is I put Disney channel on tv and as he's glued to it he seems to be happy enough for me to feed him haha. It's just something I'm ok doing just now as I know he will grow out if it. I say try anything that works! X

Yeah, I suspect that TV might distract her enough for me to spoon-feed her, but it's something I'd been hoping to avoid. I do think a lot of the problem, though, is that she's just very active and wants to be entertained. She gets more pleasure out of dropping her food on the floor than she does from eating it, I guess.

I've tried doing other things to keep her occupied (e.g., singing, playing with toys), but it only works for a minute or two.

At this point I'm just so sick of preparing all these different foods for her and having her chuck every last bit on the floor. I end up so frustrated every night.

 

[Magsy]

I hate to say it, but I think this is just a phase they go through. My baby does this occasionally still. There is just too much to do and eating doesn't seem fun! Keep trying and one day she'll resume eating again.

I would encourage meals in the high chair. What worked for me was eating my meal right along with her. This is such a frustrating phase, and I hope it passes soon!

 

[A_Z]

She fights me on a lot of things these days (food, bottle, bedtime) so you might be right that it's just a phase she's going through. I think we're seeing the early stages of toddlerhood. Ugh, I just need to stop getting so frustrated, I guess.

 

[lmp1505768]

When my DD was younger, I had to sit her on her chair and start eating MY food, until she asked(signed?) for food. Then it was her idea and she ate fine. We still need this occasionally at three lol

Worth a shot?

 

[A_Z]

When my DD was younger, I had to sit her on her chair and start eating MY food, until she asked(signed?) for food. Then it was her idea and she ate fine. We still need this occasionally at three lol

Worth a shot?

I think this would probably help, but OH and I usually don't have time to make our own dinner until after she goes to sleep. I do know, though, that when I'm eating something that she thinks she wants she will climb all over me trying to get it. And then eat it all.

So maybe we should try to get together something that we can eat at the same time. Or even start out eating her food.

 

[lmp1505768]

When my DD was younger, I had to sit her on her chair and start eating MY food, until she asked(signed?) for food. Then it was her idea and she ate fine. We still need this occasionally at three lol

Worth a shot?

I think this would probably help, but OH and I usually don't have time to make our own dinner until after she goes to sleep. I do know, though, that when I'm eating something that she thinks she wants she will climb all over me trying to get it. And then eat it all.

So maybe we should try to get together something that we can eat at the same time. Or even start out eating her food.

Just pretend to eat what she is having
We can just hold it casually in our hand now and she asks for it lol

 

[diggory77]

I'm having exactly the same issue with my 8 month old. As soon as I put her in the high chair she normally starts trying to break free and escape, throwing herself around or trying to get away from the food by turning 180 degrees so she puts her back to me. I too have a very active and physically advanced baby and I partly think she's doing this as she'd much prefer to be playing and she's bored. I've also tried nibbling her food too to see if it makes her more interested.
It's either throwing the finger food off the table or mushing it into the high chair, or refusing to open her mouth for purée (lumpy mashed foods). I manage to get in about 5 spoonfuls before she refuses. I try singing, dancing, making weird noises which temporarily works! She will eat if I break bits of finger foods off into bite size portions and put them in her mouth (she opens her mouth voluntarily) again I was hoping to avoid this and do BLW properly, at her own pace. Trouble is she's now reduced her milk intake per the past couple of months (as she was eating quite well until about 3-4 weeks ago) and I'm worried she's just not getting enough. She's never slept well but is gaining weight though.

Sorry I'm no help but I feel your pain! It all started off so well! X

 

[A_Z]

Diggory, it sounds like ours might've been separated at birth! Sorry you're dealing with the same thing. Mine also does the acrobatics in her highchair. She won't even eat the small pieces of finger foods these days, though.

Tonight my OH and I sat down with her while she "had her dinner." We both ate versions of what she was eating, and waited until she seemed interested before giving her portion to her. She immediately tried to feed us, which we indulged for a little while, but once she realized we weren't going to eat more of hers, over the side it went! Not a single bite made it into her mouth.

She's super healthy and getting enough nutrients (ped checked her out), but she's not gaining weight the way she should be. She's still drinking the same amount of milk/formula, but hasn't increased to complement the decrease in solids.

I'm out of ideas at this point. Frankly, I'm thinking of just stopping solids altogether at dinner time for several days just because it's making me so frustrated, and I think she's feeling the same way.