9 month old not eating

[milkyway1304]

My little girl is 9 months this week. Breastfed, bottle refuser, refuses milk from cup but will drink water. Started solids at 26weeks BLW. She has barely eaten anything over the 3 months. Literally a bite a few times a week. She sits in her highchair, plays with food, throws it on the ground. Won't have any fruit at all. I've tried letting her sit on my lap and eat my food but she just plays with it too. Ditto leaving food in her play area. She won't allow a spoon near her. Doesn't matter if I offer solids before breastfeed or after. She would happily breastfeed every 2 hours but I've been trying to cut back on day time feeds in preparation for return to work.

I'm going back to work in 3 weeks (shift work). Does anyone have any ideas?

[OutragedFromLeeds]

You'll probably find that once she's with someone else, with no boob in sight she'll have to give in and either take a bottle or eat some solids.

What childcare are you using? A nanny or childminder should be competent in dealing with this, they'll have come across it before. If she's going to nursery she might be spurred on by the other children eating and have a go.

Ultimately, she's very unlikely to starve herself so something will give. She will eat eventually. Just carry on as you are. Reduce the BF as much as you can because she's more likely to eat if she's hungry. Try different things on a spoon. Try different finger foods. Maybe try different bottles if you don't mind her having formula/bottle (the 'closer to nature' ones are good for bottle refusers). Easier said than done, but try not to worry! Don't get into a pattern of there being stress and upset around food/meal times.

[milkyway1304]

Thanks Outraged. I have left her with her father for 6-7hours and she has refused all milk and solids from him in that time period. I'm starting a whole new job at short notice so her father will be home with her for the first few weeks, following that a childminder. I have no objection at all to some formula but she spits it out. Have tried every brand of bottle, she's refused all since she was 3 weeks old.

I don't have much choice I suppose but to hope that she will realise that food is to fill your tummy if I'm not about! Just feeling bad leaving her with my husband if she's going to be upset.

[milkyway1304]

I haven't let her see any stress, I just assumed she would be eating something by now!

[Christelle2207]

Try a bit of yoghurt? My now 17mo is extremely fussy and this is what got him going to start with.

[milkyway1304]

Christelle I'm afraid she won't have yoghurt. Or any of the Ella's pouches all other babies seem to hoover up. I do know she'll get there eventually but with work looming so close I'm worrying. I'll be working long shifts, nights etc so she she will need to be less dependent on the breast.

[Christelle2207]

If you haven't already worth trying ton see if she'll take fruit etc straight from the pouch. Mine had a several month long spoon strike but seemed to like the novelty of a pouch!