My DD is 10 months old and she's still not eating solid food, the health visitor has referred her to a dietician because she says she should be having 3 good meals a day and snacks, she's not putting on weight well at all, but she had always been slow to gain.
She was 6lb at birth, dropped to 5lb 2oz a week after and is now 14lb 10 oz.
She's breastfed and has a lot of milk, it's her go to over anything and the first thing she looks for.
I offer her a meal 3 times a day, either purée or finger foods the same as us,
She is put to the table with the family with her food and I've tried letting her eat from my plate and have tried spoon feeding her puréed foods too.
She picks food (and everything else!) up and puts it in her mouth, but hen she just spits it straight out, I can't even get calpol or medicine into her, she has to have suppositories.
she has 2 teeth and has had an ongoing battle with oral thrush wish I think we've sorted now. She's also had a bout of tonsillitis and a few ear infections.
When we first started weaning her she ate well, toast, roast dinner, pasta etc but that was only for a few weeks, now she's surviving on milk and very, very rarely she'll take some yoghurt from a spoon.
She's developing well in all other areas, she is taking the first few steps, she can cruise, crawl say a few sounds and words, she can clap, wave and is generally a bright and happy girl.
She just won't eat!
I'm determined not to make a big deal of it and let it become an issue but the HV said she won't develop her speech and swallowing muscles properly and she's already so tiny that my milk can't sustain her and I won't be able to sustain my supply and my health at the rate she's feeding.
Does anyone have any tips?
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baby will not eat solids - hv worried.
Titsalinabumsquash · 19/02/2016 16:53
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Food before 1 is just for fun 
is she gaining weight steadily or dropping off centiles?? Seeing a paed dietician can't hurt either way 
You need to leave it an hour or two after milk to offer food so that she can feel hunger, eat and learn that it satisfies the hunger. I know the saying food is for fun before one but it doesn't happen over night so at 10 months I would have thought some food would be good.
How about things that are quite milky such as porridge?
Definitely do the toddler group thing- they do tend to just "fall in" with other kids!!
I'm sure the dietician will be able to help.
Your description sounds just like my DS, who's now 4. He never really ate solids till 12-13 months. He also had to have suppositories as could never get Calpol in him even with a 40 degree fever.
He was an unusual baby because he never put anything in his mouth, not toys or objects or anything. So I always thought the eating thing was related and probably a developmental glitch.
Needless to say he's now 4 and will happily shove fish fingers in his face like they're going out of fashion. Still a fussy eater but we make progress all the time. The only issue we still have is a strong gag reflex but GP attributes that to a humungous set of tonsils.
Basically what I'm saying is don't worry about your DD. The HV is being alarmist and over reacting.
She's still really little and fine on milk for now.
Also, read "My Child Won't Eat" by Carlos Gonzalez. Nothing mind blowing in it but it will make you worry a whole lot less.
Good luck
but the HV said she won't develop her speech and swallowing muscles properly and she's already so tiny that my milk can't sustain her and I won't be able to sustain my supply and my health at the rate she's feeding.
Really? The HV said all that? And what evidence does she have for these statements?
Her speech and facial muscles will develop beautifully by Bfing. Why does she think that offering her a few more purées would help in this respect?
Also, there is very little she can eat that will be as calorific as your milk so stuffing her with solids could actually make her weight gain slow down.
As for your body not being able to sustain Bfing. Who's body does she think sustained this little life for the 9 months you carried her and the 10 months you've fed her?
I can see why she is concerned about her drifting down the centiles but there is a lot more to monitoring babies than watching the scales.
Is she bright and alert at times? Is she meeting her milestones? Does she seem satisfied after a feed?
If a baby has slow weight gain your HV should be suggesting that you talk to a BFC and get them to observe a complete feed or work with a Lactation Consultant.
This on improving weight gain might help and this on Bfing and offering solids too.
Don't forget to that offering solids is just that, you offer and it really doesn't matter if she doesn't eat any of it. The BM should be her primary source of nutrition and the solids should just be supplementary. According to this on Kellymom solids should be a quarter of her nutritional intake by 12 months. If you haven't come across Kellymom before, it's all evidence based.
Your HV doesn't seem to be giving out advice that fits with the NHS guidelines either. According to the NHS you should move to 3 meals a day gradually between 8 and 9 months so God knows why she thinks your baby should be on 3 meals plus snacks a month later.
Like I said though, I'd seek the support of a BFC or Lactation Consultant. I'm just some untrained nutter on t'internet 
I'd report her btw.
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