6 1/2 MO doesn't put anything to her mouth?

[LadyBuzz]

My DD almost 6 1/2 months is showing a massive interest in food when we are eating but just doesn't seem to be interested in eating herself.

We have tried spoon feeding which she isn't taking too well to and still pushes the spoon out with her tongue.

She doesn't put anything to her mouth other than her fists, she has never been one for chewing toys or anything else, we have given her bits of what we eat on her tray and she gets stuck in with her hands but nothing makes it to her mouth.

If you hold something to her mouth she will mouth it but won't put it there herself.

I'm not really sure what to try next, i know she is still quite young but i realise she will need to get the hang of this fairly soon.

Any advice or experience would be greatly welcomed!

[Tconvert]

I could have written your post! My son was the same...stared at our mouths but had absolutely no interest in food.

I really wanted to do BLW and I was so worried/anxious/neurotic, that I even emailed Gilly Rapley, author of the BLW book to say he wasn't interested, what should I do? Her reply (that day!) was so kind and I think might be helpful for you:

"Many, many babies are not at all interested at six months, and there is not
reason - in terms of nutrition - why they should be. Provided they are
developing normally, i.e. are able to sit up and take toys etc to their
mouth, they should be allowed to take their time. Formula is all a baby of
this age needs - and will probably continue to be enough for at least
another three months, unless the baby indicates otherwise. Forcing such a
baby to accept purees is not nutritionally sound and is more likely to lead
to problems than to prevent them.

The most important thing parents can do at this stage is to be role models
for eating and to provide their baby with the opportunity to copy them. So
continuing to have him sit up at the table with you is a good idea. Putting
food in front of him isn't a bad thing, so long as you aren't going to get
worried or upset if it's ignored or thrown on the floor. However, there's no
need to do this as long as you're sensitive to any gestures he may make that
suggest he wants to have a go.

I think it's generally agreed that the hardest part of baby-led weaning is
learning to trust the baby - if you can hang on in there at this stage it
really will get easier and more rewarding."

**
Anyway I did keep going with BLW and DS is 8 months next week and LOVES food. He's great with it. And his totally got the coordination right, the spoon feeding himself! It was only a matter of weeks before it kicked in, and after a few weeks of hit and miss, days where he still rejected food, he then, over night, got really into it and it's a great experience now. I really wouldn't worry - hard, I know, I took it personally - as it will happen. Just keep going with it. It's so worth it. The best thing I've done with him, I think.

[ShowOfHands]

Babies are ready 'around' or 'about' 6 months. Some will be a bit earlier, some later.

DD was one of the ones who was later. I'd leave it for a while, keep letting your baby join in at mealtimes and it'll happen pretty soon. They watch you do everything at that age and you are interesting to them because they love you and want to know what you're up to. But developmentally they're ready when they're ready and I found dd enjoyed sitting at the table, 'chatting' to us and playing with the food until suddenly it clicked and she was stealing roast dinner from our plates and chewing it enthusiastically.

[LadyBuzz]

thank you both of you, i have 2 DSs who were both super enthusastic about food at this age and she is such a huge change from them it worried me slightly.
DS2 was totally BLW and is a great eater.

Looks like i will continue just as i have been and let her do it when she is ready.

It helps so much to hear from other people who have had the same sort of experiences.