6.5 mo getting getting angry at solids?

[CityDweller]

I'm stumbling my way a bit cluelessly through weaning 6.5 mo DD. I started very slowly about 4 weeks ago and now I tend to offer her solids twice a day, at lunch and dinner. I usually offer something pureed first and then two different finger foods - so a combo of purees and BLW. She'll usually start with gusto, really going for it, but at some point in each meal she'll get really upset and start shouting/ crying. It often seems to coincide with her having swallowed something a bit lumpier (i.e. a big mouthful of puree or something she's chewed off her finger food) as right before she starts crying she'll sit very upright in her chair, kind of stick her arms out to the side, and look a bit strained.. It's hard to tell if that she wants to stop eating, or just a bit alarmed at something that isn't milk going down her throat.

So, this evening, I started her on carrot puree and she ate about a dessertspoon's worth before getting upset. So I took that away and put some pieces of pear and cucumber on her tray and she happily munched on those for a while before again suddenly becoming upset.

I'm a bit confused by what's going on and why she's getting upset. Am I confusing her by giving both purees and finger food at each meal? Is it too overwhelming or stimulating for her? I don't know whether to just offer purees as that'll avoid any lumps. Or just offer finger food as then she can completely control what she's taking in. I'm really losing my confidence in offering solids and worried that she's going to start associating food with stress. Help!

[BonaDea]

When starting out it is recommended that the baby isn't either tired or hungry when feeding solids. So I will always bf DS (7 mo) just before giving solids and feed him after a nap.

Could either of these factors be in play?

[CityDweller]

Yes, quite possibly both! I've been tending to give solids and then bf after as I thought if I bf first she'd be not interested in solids. And lunch tends to be just before lunchtime nap and tea is late afternoon, when she tends to be tired as she's recently dropped the late afternoon nap. Hmm, not sure it's possible to fit in solids at a time when she's neither tired nor hungry! We tried offering at breakfast a few times but she showed no interest at that time of day

[hettienne]

Usually advice is to offer solids about an hour after milk, so you aren't reducing their milk intake too quickly.

If she's over 6 months maybe forget purees and just mash foods a bit if you want to spoonfeed, so she gets to expect food a bit lumpier?

[BonaDea]

City, remember you don't have to do three meals a day yet, nor do you have to stick to traditional meal times.

So with my DS he has breakfast at our breakfast time and then another meal after his 'lunchtime' nap around 2. It works so much better when he isn't tired.

[Jackanory1978]

My 6.5 month old ds is exactly the same!

Starts out enthusiastically then gets upset. Took a while to realise but I know now that it happens when he's tired. If I give him solids after he's slept he enjoys food much more.

I don't purée just mash things a bit but he can manage baked beans etc as they are.

Trouble is trying to find a time when he's not tired but is hungry & I'm not frantically rushing cos we have to go out somewhere!

[CityDweller]

Exactly jack almost impossible to make solids work 1hr post milk but not when tired if I ever want to leave the house.