7mo has NO interest in food, what to do?

[sambababy]

We started giving solids to DD at 6mo by giving her finger foods to play with and mashing things here and there like fruits and giving those on a spoon. She plays with the fingers foods but hasn't once gone to put anything near her mouth. She looks at them like they might be poisoned. With the spoon feeding I've managed to get the odd minuscule amount in, but she's not interested and now keeps her mouth closed and turns away. I think she's even beginning to associate being in her high chair with someone trying to make her eat and it's not long before she's fussing to get out. My DH wants to be insistent as he's getting worried but we can't literally force feed her. It's causing big arguments between us.

Does anyone have any experience of a baby not wanting food at this age? What did you do? I'm trying not to worry but everyone is telling me she should be eating already and everything I read says my milk alone is no longer enough. I do think she is breastfeeding more too so she must be more hungry.

[Innocuoususername]

If you're at the stage where going in the high chair is starting to be a problem, I would just back off TBH and go back to letting her play with finger foods. I disagree completely with your DH re being insistent, all you will do is make food a traumatic battle ground. This stage is about learning to eat, not about feeding. It's about experimenting with different tastes and textures. And your breast milk is still nutritious and beneficial, it doesn't stop being so at 6 months (despite what the terrible follow on formula ads imply). IME weaning doesn't really click until around 9 months ish when babies have both the dexterity to manage the food better, and the beginning of an understanding that eating satisfies hunger.

You could try:
Making sure you space solid foods in between milk feeds so she's not ravenous but not full either;
Always eating with her (and preferably eating the same thing) so she's got someone to copy;
Giving a variety of textures and tastes at the same meal so she has a choice.

Good luck, she will get there'

[Innocuoususername]

Another thought, did she have reflux at all as a younger baby? That can sometimes make babies reluctant weaners (theycan associate food with pain ) and is all the more reason to go slowly.

[TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams]

Try her with some Weetabix and warm milk for breakfast before a milk feed when she is hungry.
Are you making lots of encouraging noises and OTT clapping when she eats? That helps with reluctant girls in my experience. Think American cheerleader and you'll be hitting the right spot

[seasaltbaby]

Hi OP
We've just started weaning our 6 month old & he's very much the same. Turns his head away from a spoon & all finger foods end up on the floor! It is frustrating but we had a difficult time with our now 3 year old DD who, turns out, is still a very fussy eater. I think my anxiety in the process has definitely been a factor in this. So, this time I'm trying to be very laid back about it all but it's not easy! I tell myself it's as much to do with the process rather than the outcome at this stage, making food fun & enjoyable.
Just keep going & offer foods-she will get there in the end!!

[CMOTDibbler]

How about sitting her on your lap and letting her eat off your plate with you - that way she may copy you more. Being insistent with food is not the way forward

[sambababy]

That's the thing. I'd be happy to be laid back about it a bit longer if it weren't for DH going on about it all the time as though her brain isn't going to develop properly or something. When he's not here I can be, but he comes back for lunch most days.

I didn't mention that she has suspected CMPA and unfortunately I've not been able to express, so I've not been able to give her milky things. They don't really have cow's milk substitutes available here. I tried making porridge with water once, having never made porridge in my life, and it looked like wallpaper paste

[seasaltbaby]

I'm not sure what CMPA is, sorry. But can you give her a vitamin supplement, that way maybe your DH will worry less about her development knowing she's getting all the essential stuff? I really hope your DH can find a way to be more laid back about it, off all the parenting issues this really isn't the one to stress or worry overly about. Of course we would all really love our children to always have three healthy meals a day, but they have other ideas! Your DD is only tiny & has a long way to go with it. All you can do is offer the food & gently encourage, but ultimately she will eat when she's ready. I say this as someone who has stressed so much about food with no avail & I'm really trying to follow my own advice now!!

[Littlef00t]

I'd speak to a health visitor or similar, not because it's an issue at her age really, but because it might be in a month or two and it would be good get advice before you try something you regret that makes things worse.

[Littlef00t]

Sounds mad, but have you tried putting a mat down, taking away all her normal toys, sitting her on the floor with loads of different finger foods and seeing what she does? Completely not at meal time?

You could sit on the floor and eat some too.

[MehsMum]

I and one who refused to eat solids, back in the days when you were advised to start solids at 4mo. I held off till 6 mo and was assured I had missed the boat and caused the problem by 'leaving things too long'.

It was exhausting. She was HUGE and hungry and waking me at night again to bf, chucking her finger foods on the floor and pursing her mouth at the idea of anything like yoghurt. I fretted at the HV, who told me she wasn't worried about DD, she was worried about me as I looked so tired and frazzled. 'What would you like me to do?' asked the HV. My reply: 'Take this child away and bring her back in a week eating properly.' Well, that didn't happen...

She was 8/9mo old before she took solids - and that was only because one mealtime I offered a her spoon of rice pudding from my own bowl. She liked it, and ate some more. Then she found that - guess what! - solids filled her up and that felt good. She never looked back (teenager now, eats well, v healthy).

So all I can suggest is to just keep on trying new foods, and don't panic. She WILL learn to eat, at her own pace. But it is a nightmare: I really do sympathise.

[MehsMum]

I had one.
Pressed post and saw the typo.

[ItIsSmallerOnTheOutside]

I haven't reached this stage with my own dd yet but I know from my dm that I did not start solids until 8 or 9 months so only had breast milk until then. I grew up with a very healthy appetite and no issues around food.

My health visitor has said when I get to starting solids for my dd at 6 months, to take it slowly, and if she refuses to wait a week before trying again and if she still refuses, wait another week. I think some babies are just ready before others.

[BertieBotts]

Make porridge with fruity jar food (CMPA: Basically a dairy allergy)

Does she show interest in food you're eating? Maybe let her sneak a bit off someone else's plate to begin with?

[TooMuchCantBreathe]

Definitely stop trying. Have food around she can grab, let her see you eat, let her try things off your plate, but stop trying to feed her and forget the high chair.. Tell dh he either keeps out of it altogether (including comments, sighs, eye rolling) or eats elsewhere. There is no need to force eating, they figure it out eventually. I've definitely never met an adult who is ebf so clearly it's a non issue if you let it be.

[zoemaguire]

Dairy allergy makes for difficult weaning! Dd1 was like this. Didnt really eat full meals until nearer a year. I wish I hadn't stressed about it so much though. She's now 6 and eats like a horse. Still can't eat dairy though!

[zoemaguire]

The turning point for me came when I realised that my job wasn't to feed her. My job was to put the food in front of her and hers was either to eat, or nor to eat, as she saw fit. Taking the pressure off really helped both of us, as mealtimes were in danger of becoming a power struggle.

[mrsmugoo]

Yes, I posted a few threads almost exactly like yours!

Mine is 9 months and food just seemed to "click" about 2 weeks ago and now he eats loads!

[sambababy]

Thanks everyone so much for your replies!

She does show interest in our food but just to play with. I think in time she'll work it out so I will now turn my attention to husband management ;)

I like the floor mat idea. And LOL at ebf adult!!!!

[sambababy]

Oh and vitamin drops too, good shout. Thanks again!