13 month old not interested in food

[LittleSausageFingers]

My 13 month old DD has never been interested in food, from when we started weaning at 6 months (blw due to hatred of spoon), up to now. She'll eat fish fingers, plain veg, fruit and crumpets, and I'm guilty of giving her those things over and over again because when presented with anything new or different (especially anything 'sloppy'/wet) she refuses (I know it takes a while for them to accept/try a new food, she does get multiple goes at 'new' things). She hates us giving her a spoon, and barely eats at nursery either.

I'm so frustrated with things constantly getting chucked on the floor (constantly ), the waste, the worry... It's really affecting my mental health. She's breastfed so I know she's getting calories from milk, and she seems healthy enough, but the lack of variety and potential lack of vitamins/iron is stressing me out. But I can't force feed her!

I feel like it's my fault! Is it? Do they ever eat?!

[Thecomfortador]

Just a voice of solidarity here, my 14 mo is the same. I'm sick of all the waste too and rigmarole of putting him in bib/ high chair then basically cleaning up everything I gave him afterwards.

Yours does seem to eat a bit more than mine, though he will slurp pasta sauce off a piece of pasta and this morning started feeding himself porridge but he doesn't chew or swallow, just pushes it out with his tongue.

It's so frustrating seeing other babies shovelling food into their mouths when we're out. Have you spoken to health visitor for ideas? Ours weren't hugely helpful, but I'm going to go back as he's slipped down the centiles a bit.

We have to administer iron solution three times a day, picked up incidentally when he had an allergy blood test. I just have to get it in when he cries as that's when his mouth isn't clamped shut.So you're definitely not alone, and no, it's not your fault just as those babies with big appetites are not due to fantastic parenting. No-one who has tried (in laws, my family, friends, basically everyone who knows best and is 'great with babies') has been able to make a difference.

[Thecomfortador]

Do you give her a multivitamin? Bassetts and abidec both do liquid ones for babies - might help you feel better about her not becoming malnourished. Though if she does eat some veg, she will be getting something from them.