Crying at mealtimes

[gruffalobore]

Ds is 27 weeks and started weaning about a week ago. We felt he was ready because he grabbed some toast off my plate and tried to eat it. He sits well in his highchair but can't sit completely unsupported yet.
Physically he manages really well with finger foods- fruit, veg, toast etc but our problem is that every mealtime descends into angry crying whenever there isn't something in his mouth.
Because of this I also now do part spoonfeeding of purees, porridge, yogurt which he eats with gusto. I just don't understand why he cries so much as he's eating. I'm finding it quite stressful as I'm also trying to give my 2 year old her meals at the same time.
I thought he might be tired as it's normally towards the end of his wake time but purposefully made him have a late afternoon nap before dinner yesterday and he still cried through the meal. Also wondered if it was sore gums so tried some teething gel, powder and pain relief beforehand and again still had the same problem!
Just to say he's still having all his milk feeds around an hour before he eats so it's not like he's too hungry.
Any thoughts or is it just a 'this too will pass phase'?
Thanks.

[gruffalobore]

Also to say I'm still not giving him all those different foods in one meal- he has two different finger foods and one spoonfed type food at each meal. He's pooing fine since weaning started.

[ImogensMumJess]

I can't help but sympathise as my buba is 7 months and cries a lot during mealtimes. It's very hard work!!

[gruffalobore]

Thanks Imogen for responding although it's unfortunate for you it's nice to know it's not just ds that does this!
Have you ever found any cause at all? Has it improved in any way since you started weaning?
It hasn't got any better here but I've adapted the way I do things to reduce the crying as much as possible:
-make sure all his food is prepared and ready for me to give him on the table including cutlery, cloth etc
-don't try to eat my meal at the same time

• spoonfeed almost entirely at start of meal (a lot more than I originally intended)

Have you any other coping mechanisms?

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Sounds like he might be frustrated with not being able to feed himself fast enough. Think you are doing the right thing in offering some finger food along with some mashed or puréed food

[Cydonia]

My DS does this too and he's 10 months! It's only when I spoon feed him something, which made me wonder if connected to teething. Today in particular was bad, he got quite angry and kept snatching the spoon off me and chucking it on the floor! But he's fine with finger foods. He also screeches if I get up to get something or turn away, maybe it is just greed/impatience.

[gruffalobore]

Thanks Jilted - things have now improved since I've started spoonfeeding more, so I do think it is frustration with the self feeding.

[gruffalobore]

Cydonia - by the sounds of it this situation may last longer than I expected then! You would have thought finger food would be harder on the gums than spoonfed food, perhaps your lo just hates being fed and wants to do it himself. These impatient little boys are hard work!

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Yeah my dd screamed the house down if we ever tried to spoon feed her. They all present their preferences in the most interesting of ways don't they [busmile]