What am I doing wrong with 7 month old?

[BelleEtoile]

I need some wonderful mumsnet advice.

DS is FF, approx. 35 oz (7oz bottles x 5) per day. He is a big baby (around 98 percentile for height and weight) and hasn’t really started to move around much besides the occasional roll.
He is now 7 months + 1week

I started DS on purees (mix of homemade and Ella’s pouches) around 4.5 months on the advice of a paediatrician (had issues with colic and reflux) but I felt he wasn’t able for them as he got constipated and seemed to be very unhappy.

He went back to normal after stopping the purees.
I tried again around 6 months and all was going well for about 3 weeks and then he started to get constipated and again unhappy and went off his bottle. Again I stopped the solids and the last few days he seems to be getting back to normal. He has been teething but thats been going on for months.

I used to give him his bottle first then the solids. In the meantime I’ve presented him with pieces of steamed broccoli, apple and pear (all things he has eaten as a puree) in an attempt at BLW but he just doesn’t seem interested. In fact he looked thoroughly disgusted when I gave him pear this morning.

I’m inclined to think he is just not ready but he will eat whatever I put on the spoon for him.

He also doesn’t have much interest in a sippy cup with water either

I really don’t know what I should do. I’ve trawled the internet and I’m more confused than ever.

1. Go back to purees?
   
2. Stick to BLW, give him a few wedges of steamed fruit or veg?
   
3. Am I doing BLW correctly? How often should I be offering him food and what should I be starting him on. Should I warm the food?
   
4. How can I get him to start using the sippy cup
   
5. Should I be doing something else
   
   Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
   Belle

[Orangebird69]

First - don't panic. Milk should still be his main source of nutrition until he's 1. Food is something for him to explore right now, nothing more.

Wrt constipation, avoid bananas, apples for starters. They can really bung little ones up - an awful lot of purees contain quite a lot of these ingredients, even if it's not the headline flavour. Keep on with pears, prunes, peaches - these help get things moving.

I did puree weaning until about 10 months, with some soft finger foods as ds gagged and vomited at lumps for a long time. It doesn't lead to fussy eating as some BLW evangelists will say (ds loves moules mariniere and moussaka especially), so if he prefers to be spoon fed then do that. My ds managed to put the front door key in the lock, unlock said door and let himself out at about 15 mo, so fine motor skills are not lacking... he's also fab with cutlery and not v messy (a winner for me!)

I used to feed him room temperature food which he was fine with. Fruit based pouches were sucked straight out of the pouch. Annabel karmel recipes are quite good - and most can be served as they are or pureed, so great for either method of feeding.

I ebfd so would always offer a solid meal at breakfast, lunch and dinner but also fed on demand (still do at 2yo 😣). In your case I would do the same but keep up with your bottles instead.

Hope this all makes some sense. I know it's easier said than done but try not to worry too much. I hated the weaning stage but looking back it wasn't that bad. I should've just relaxed.

[Orangebird69]

Sippy cup... which one are you using?

[Sickoffamilydrama]

I agree with Orangebird69 don't panic.

It's a marathon not a race, just do little bit's of food.

What helped me was to think of cavemen or cave babies the babies would have watched the parents eating and become curious then snatched some of their food they wouldn't of been on 3 square meals a day and they would have all done it at different ages some would have been 5 months some 8.

When mine were little I'd sometimes sit them on lap while I ate (pick something they are safe to eat) and they'll often grab something off the plate.
Sitting for meals with other children or as a family regularly helps.

Trust your instincts if you think he's not ready he probably isn't and ignore the people whose children were weaned in the womb

[BelleEtoile]

Thank you so much for the comprehensive replies.
I really appreciate the encouragement.
I didn't realise apples could be a problem wrt constipation.
I've a Tommee Tippee flip top beaker and a Nuk container with a straw type tip. I've also the handles for the Tommee Tippee bottles.

[Orangebird69]

I can highly recommend these two cups - ds took to these immediately, which I was surprised at as he was a dummy refuser and never had a bottle.

[BelleEtoile]

Brilliant!
Thank you so much OrangeBird!!

[Cantchooseaname]

I second the eating with him- which is where the blw helps. Maybe try to share some meals, literally handing him things from your plate. Pop them on his high chair, no fuss/ expectation that he will eat. Leave him to it whilst you tuck in.
Milk should be his main source of nutrition until 1.
My dd was a little bit older once she actually got hang of it. She eats grand now.
I think the key isn't what you feed him- but how much stress is around eating.
There are some great Facebook groups for baby led- don't feel pressured to take on whole philosophy, but some of ideas are well worth it.

[headintheproverbial]

If you want to BLW I suggest you buy or borrow Gillian Rapley's book so that you understand what you're doing and why! The cookbook by her is also excellent for ideas.

[BelleEtoile]

Thanks Cantchooseaname!
Thanks Headintheproverbial!
I'm feeling more confident now about the situation.