Thomas won't open his mouth!

[roxie78]

Well we've been trying to wean Thomas for about a month now. Started with baby rice which he hated but have also tried sweet potato, butternut squash, fruity cereal and carrot.

Once the food is actually inside his mouth most of the time it stays in and he swallows it etc but sometimes he kind of blows rasberries with the food.

Anyway I am finding it REALLY hard to feed him cos he just won't open his mouth for the spoon! Some meals he won't even have 2 spoonfuls!

I have read that baby led weaning might be the way forward but before I attempt that, anyone else got any tips on getting him to open his mouth? He just clamps it shut when the spoon goes near and sometimes turns his head away. I can only get it in if he happens to be laughing and his mouth is open!

I've tried being all silly with him, singing, playing aeroplanes with the spoon, putting a bit of the food on his lips first so he can get a taste etc etc but to no avail. Do I just continue as I am at the moment and hope he eventually decides to open his mouth??? lol

 

[rach321]

Have you tried giving him his own spoon - my LO is a little sod for doing this but giving him his own spoon to wave around and dip in the food seemed to help. What if you abandon the spoon and let him use his hands (very messy I know!) just let him get a feel for it and no doubt some of it will end up in his mouth anyway. My HV suggested this when I was having real trouble with my LO - also throw a bit of finger food in as well for good measure sometimes they will eat the food off a piece of pepper but not a spoon?!! I've giving up trying to understand babies now - I'm just going with whatever works!

 

[charliebear]

OMG, I could have wrote that!

We've been (trying) to wean from 5 months, he was ready.
I made my own, have loads in the freezer, AJ wont touch it. (Honest my cooking isnt that bad )
Tried the BLW route, he will play and eat some but he cant seem to get enough to fill himself, IYKWIM?
I've tried cereals, porridge, our food, just letting him get on with it, he wouldnt even open his mouth for a yogurt!

I was given a couple of jars of food on Tues, he was playing with a spoon at lunch and I put a bit of fruit (jar) on and he was licking it off. Tues night, wouldnt touch anything, got the jar out and he practically inhailed it!

This is not the way I wanted to feed my baby, but if thats what he is going to eat...poor thing was starving

I hope you find some answers soon, the above is just my experience.

 

[Pyrrhic]

I would give BLW a go, only because you've not really got anything to lose at this point and have tried 'conventional' weaning. From about 6-7 months, babies who follow BLW will suck, play and nibble food but a lot of them won't really start eating loads until about 8 months and until then they are fine on milk and a little food. The beginning stages are all about exploring, playing and learning about food.

I would cut up some toast slices for him, and see how he gets on.You may be surprised Just make sure they are long enough for him to hold and eat at the same time. It may not even be toast he likes. I cut up lots of things like cucumber, toast, pear and steamed carrots and let Niamh pick what she fancies eating.

I think you do sound really stressed atm, and I think that if you've tried this route BLW might take a bit of weight off. Weaning should be fun, not stressful

 

[ryder]

I would just continue with purees... it is something new and it takes them awhile to learn what its all about... Youcan try some finger foods too, but until they are 7-8 months they dont have the fine motor skills to eat enough to consitute a meal... plus there is the danger of choking.

 

[mommyof3co]

We had the same problems with Hayden, we were told not to push it. We would try every couple days if he refused that was it, wait and try again. He didn't really eat until 9mo, but was very healthy. He now eats tons. I would try not to stress over it, just give him a bit of time and try again, it could take awhile, but if you make a big deal over it it will probably stress him out as well and just make it all around a bad situation for both of you

 

[XKatX]

I would give BLW a go, only because you've not really got anything to lose at this point and have tried 'conventional' weaning. From about 6-7 months, babies who follow BLW will suck, play and nibble food but a lot of them won't really start eating loads until about 8 months and until then they are fine on milk and a little food. The beginning stages are all about exploring, playing and learning about food.

I would cut up some toast slices for him, and see how he gets on.You may be surprised Just make sure they are long enough for him to hold and eat at the same time. It may not even be toast he likes. I cut up lots of things like cucumber, toast, pear and steamed carrots and let Niamh pick what she fancies eating.

I think you do sound really stressed atm, and I think that if you've tried this route BLW might take a bit of weight off. Weaning should be fun, not stressful

I second this! If you keep pushing the purees, he will just get really stressed. Try and let him explore tonnes of finger foods and he may surprise you! It takes a while, but it's fun getting there.
And don't stress about choking. I know it's hard, but they push food from the back of their mouth and spit it out. They don't bother about it, just carry on eating as if nothing has happened. It is rare that a baby will properly choke, but if he does, do the back slap. 9 times out of 10, it will come flying out!
See if they have this book in the library:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Baby-led-W...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244978924&sr=8-1
It has an EXCELLENT section in it about choking and dispells all the myths about it! Even if you don't choose BLW, it's worth a read, just for that section.

 

[alice&bump]

i'd give BLW a try too! we had that problem with katie, she was fine with purees for ages then started refusing them. spoke to HV and she suggested trying BLW and omg the improvement is huge! at first it is a bit hit and miss, but now she shovels food in like there's no tomorrow!! and she accepts purees aswell now, HV said they can sometimes need to feel the texture in their hands, before they'll eat food. i'd give it a go, cos you aint got nothing to lose!!xx

 

[roxie78]

Thanks for all the replies, it looks like I'll be getting that BLW book soon then! Nice to know this problem is quite common then! Don't feel so bad now.

We have been giving Thomas his own spoon to hold but he waves it everywhere and I'm frightened he is going to poke his eye out lol!

We gave him pear today but that was about as sucessful as everything else!

 

[XKatX]

Thanks for all the replies, it looks like I'll be getting that BLW book soon then! Nice to know this problem is quite common then! Don't feel so bad now.

We have been giving Thomas his own spoon to hold but he waves it everywhere and I'm frightened he is going to poke his eye out lol!

We gave him pear today but that was about as sucessful as everything else!

Hun, BLW takes quite a while and takes a lot of wasted food!! (unless you have my husband living with you, then he will trough anything!) Just keep at it, then bit by bit it will go towards his mouth, then he'll taste a bit, then swallow abit - this process takes AGES. When he finally realises that food fulfills his hunger, trust me, there will be NO stopping him!

 

[Pyrrhic]

I posed some pics of Niamh eating in the photo gallery if you want to have a look Shows the size I cut things up for her.

 

[roxie78]

I posed some pics of Niamh eating in the photo gallery if you want to have a look Shows the size I cut things up for her.

ooh thanks I'll take a look!