6m3w not interested in food at all

[hemmed1980]

Hi all

My lo was 2 weeks premature. He's always been pretty small (between 2nd-9th percentile) From the start my ds has been fairly disinterested in food. He would take 1-2 oz at a time. Now, finally at 6 months, I'm getting him to drink 4x7/8 oz per day. Still not a lot, I know. For the last month I have been trying weaning. He is completely disiniterested in puree. I've started trying a bit of BLW, but its still with non existent success.

Should I be worried, or just give him some more time? I'm a fairly chilled mama, but I obviously don't want him to be on milk forever!

[NorthEasterlyGale]

It's very early days to be honest. Just give him lots of opportunity to play with food, different textures and tastes and he'll get the idea at his own pace.

Stuff that's easy to hold like soft broccoli, baby carrots, toast fingers, mini shredded wheat etc can be good for them to play with in my experience. He'll get there; food's more of an interesting toy than nutrition for quite a while!

My DS1 got to grips with food very quickly but did get teeth early, which I think makes a difference, while my DS2 (just 9 months now) has been a bit slower off the mark but is getting better now he's got his two top teeth as well as the two bottom ones - those four teeth make a big difference for him when he's attacking a slice of toast; he can bite it now instead of gumming it to a fine paste

Don't worry, he won't be on milk forever; sometimes it feels like it but before you know it he'll be just turned 2 and eating your left over chicken vindaloo and naan bread for breakfast (DS1, I'm looking at you... ).

Disclaimer - as a rule, my boys don't live on last night's takeaway for breakfast, just in case there are any welfare concerns . Toast or porridge is more normal.

[cantmakecarrotcake]

6-7 months is still v early in the weaning process. It sounds as though your DS, like my DD, just doesn't have a huge appetite. It took my DD until a year to eat anything like 3 meals a day and even then not portions the size of her peers'.

Teeth can make a difference too as the pp said. DD didn't get her first tooth until a year.

You say you're a chilled Mum. Please stay that way and don't fret about weaning - you can tie yourself in knots - and no amount of worrying/cajoling will make a child eat more than they want or need to. Be led by your DS and trust he's getting what he needs.

[pyrrah]

A paediatrician friend of mine told me 'food before one, is just for fun' when I was worried about DD not eating.

[tostaky]

My now 4.5 years old did not eat a solid food before he turned 8 months! The only thing he would open his mouth for was the foam of my cappuccino. nothing else, not even crisps or chocolate etc...
we had him on a high chair, with bits of food from his older brother on his tray. he played with him, sometimes tasted them. I took him to the GP and then got a referral to a private paed who said not to worry. I talked to all the mums, looked everywhere for advice. My mum tried her way. Nothing worked. and then one day he had d&v. At the end of it he must have felt hungry as he ate a bit of toast. The rest is history. He is now a happy little boy in reception. Still on the skinny side (slim not too skinny) and a bit picky about food but i have seen much worse. Be patient

[NothingNothingTraLaLa]

My dd (also 3 weeks early) was small started on 0.4 centile and made it to somewhere between 2nd and 9th by 6 month stage and at that point she was completely uninterested in food, I tried her on a smooth purée about once a week and she finally started to show interest around 7.5 to 8 months and then caught up quickly with all first tastes etc. so stay with chilled vibe they get there in the end!