I’m not sure where to turn for help.

[MinnieMin]

My daughter is 10.5 months and doesn’t seem to have an appetite. She used to have reflux and so milk was always a struggle to drink. Now we’re over that, but I feel like she’s never interested in food, and more importantly her gag reflex is still there for even thicker textures (mushy weetabix.)

I’ve been offering her finger foods since she was 6 months, and bless her, she does bring it to her mouth but spits it out when she realises it’s a lump. I’ve chewed like a cow 🐮 😂 in the hope she’ll pick chewing and swallowing up And have been making food time really fun but I’m beginning to lose hope.

The health visitors say stick with it, but I don’t know what to do as she’s beginning to go off milk even more and she’ll be a year soon.

Has anyone else had this or can offer any advice? I’m scared that when she’ll be one and we can’t provide milk, she’ll not be eating. And feel like a bit of a failure for not preparing her enough.

[picklemepopcorn]

She may well suddenly get the hang of it. Under one food's just for fun, so you've got time.

Some things will start dry then turn to mush, so she could have a toast finger to suck until it turns mushy- eventually she'll est it before it's mush. That works with breadsticks, biscuits etc. Does she like applesauce? Use a breadstick as a spoon for apple sauce, and eventually it will be mushy enough to eat. Same principle as the toast.

Other things that start as a lump then turn to mush would be worth a try- those baby crisps, a white chocolate button...

I'm reluctant to mention 'unhealthy' foods, but if it's very tiny amounts then it may be worth it to stimulate her interest in food.

[MinnieMin]

Thank you, I’ve tried those however I have found she gets bored and throws them on the floor. She straight away tries to bite things rather than suck - but have noticed she does this with breadsticks so will try that.

She’s not a fan of anything textured or wet, broccoli or tomatoes, anything that’s not dry isn’t even looked at again.

Will keep trying 😅😫

[farmmumtomillie]

I would scrap all purées etc and feeding her yourself and switch to Baby Led Weaning. If she's beginning to refuse lumps etc, that's the last thing you want
Just feed her exactly what your having (just cook without salt)
You can pre-load spoons for her to feed herself with or just cut it up so she can pick it up and relax. The name is baby les for a reason and she will get there in her own time!

Throwing on the floor is totally normal and unfortunately unavoidable, if she just sits and plays with it, licks it, spits it out. Thats okay! She's learning, she needs too. Let her lead the way and she will get there

Good luck

[picklemepopcorn]

Oh that sounds promising then! At this age they do throw more on the floor than they eat. Keep offering, she'll get there.

[Ohnoherewego62]

Pasta shells, roasted veg in oven done in strips, little strips of meat, salmon seems to be a hit with my little one, try some baby puffs like the organix ones.

Also put mushy food on her tray to let her touch and play with. Sauces, water or just different textures things that are edible!

Mines seems to have started brilliantly and now has some thing going on with touching food that she knows well

[GemmeFatale]

You’ve already had great advice but I just wanted to chip in to say there’s no rule that you have to stop milk at one. If that’s where she’s getting her nutrition from it’s fine to keep going with it.

[Inthemoment38]

Another one here saying she can have milk long past one! My dd 20 months has 2 bottles of formula a day still (nap time and bedtime) and I have no intention of cutting it out as it's lots of fluid and nutrients intake.

[farmmumtomillie]

22 1/2 months and we still have 'milk' here . We use KoKo coconut milk ad we have a dairy allergy but yeah. Still have 3 1/2 size bottles a day

[MinnieMin]

Thank you so much for all of the support. I spent the weekend with my family, and I was able to speak to them about my worries and came back to these messages and feel better. Will continue to try, also it was mentioned that she doesn’t have her top teeth yet so may be holding her back. I’m not sure if there’s any truth in that, but I’m going to keep at it so she can continue to explore foods.

I do blw but hadn’t preloaded the spoons for breakfast. I tend to make her food or give her what we’re eating, and it’s mostly thrown on floor (which I know is normal) but I realise she has to learn in her own time.

Also she’s mainly on milk, so is reassuring that I won’t have to totally wean her off this when she is a year old.

[QueenoftheFarts]

It was a looong time ago, but my youngest was tube fed which makes it really problematic when they get onto eating actual foods. We were told we might never lose the tube even though the original issue had been resolved with surgery.

We did a lot of bite and dissolve foods. The nutritionist advised some really random food like skips crisps (!)... we looked like the worst parents in the world and most of what we put out for him would end up in his hair, ears or nostrils..... everywhere we met there was a critic. People love to judge.

But we carried on, laying weird foods and textures out, then cleaning him and the floor up and starting again a few hours later... it went on FOREVER..but after a while stuff did start to go in... and he did get adventurous.... he's 18 now and eats absolutely ANYTHING!

I just wanted to let you know it gets better so persevere and I am thinking of you. I feel your pain, but I promise it will get better...

[MinnieMin]

I’m so happy that your little one (not so little now 😂) overcame this. We have given her many ‘melt’ type finger foods too - on recommendation from health visitor - and I feel a little awkward when out if I get looks too for feeding her random food. Especially when she chucks them all on the floor 😂

[Elbbob]

My now 21 month old had very little appetite until she was around one, then a small appetite.... and has only actually started actually eating 3 meals a day rather than throwing it all on the floor!
Anyway at 10 months the HV told me I was giving her too much milk which was why she wasn't eating so I had to cut it down to 3 x 150ml bottles a day by age one. Then she started to eat a bit more. Also starting nursery and seeing other babies eat helped a little.
She is only little though, still on 2 bottles of milk a day but steady weight gain.
What is your daughters weight like? Don't worry too much, she'll start eating eventually. Ella's kitchen do good melty sticks.

[TiceCream]

Mine was a year old before he could manage lumps. The usual advice about finger foods for weaning was useless because he needed purée. Your DD will get the hang of it in her own time. Just keep giving her stuff she can eat, and keep giving milk (mine still gets milk aged two).

[MinnieMin]

Thanks Elbbob, her weight is on the lower percentile and so I do worry it will begin to fall especially as she now has started becoming a speedy little crawler. I’m continuing to try and have reduced the milk a while ago. She’ll be hungry and stuff the food I put out for her into her mouth, realise it’s solid and then spit it out. 😫 Then she begins to cry as she’s hungry. I’ve given her lots of snack / melty type of finger food - will keep going and fingers crossed she’ll pick it up x x

[MinnieMin]

Thank you TiceCream. Do you give formula milk or is it the cows / other milk? It’s reassuring hearing your experience, thank you 🙏🏼

[NeedAnExpert]

Do you eat together? I found there was nothing more attractive to DD than whatever was on my plate........ we BLWed from the start but she preferred helping herself from a shared plate to what I gave her.

She should copy you if you eat (rather than pretending to chew).

[Elbbob]

@MinnieMin yes I was also worried about that as my daughter is 2nd centile but she didn't lose weight. I think the more energy she burned eventually she started to eat more. I found it so worrying at the time and would anxiously watch her eat to see if anything was actually swallowed! Have you tried picnic style on the floor while she is playing and you both snack? Sometimes a distraction helps.

[MinnieMin]

Ah I do eat next to her with every meal, and I eat what she eats - I prep some for myself too. So when I say I chew - it’s the food I’m eating. She observes me as I eat, and I agree she does imitate and hence I’m eating the same food while I sit next to her. In the evenings me and my husband join her together. So she’s interested a which is a great development - It’s just if it goes into her mouth and there’s a lump/solid - she spits it straight back out x

[MinnieMin]

@NeedAnExpert I replied above but forgot to tag 🙈

[MinnieMin]

@Elbbob thank you, it’s very worrying I know. I’ve tried it picnic style - and I’m doing this more often as I give her snacks. I also give her snacks while we are out which she eats (Ella’s puffs) so I’m hopeful she’ll get there soon. Fingers crossed 🙏🏼🤞🏼

[WaddIelikeapenguin]

Mine were BLW (or brother lead weaned for the youngest as he just handed her a carrot 🤣) & one didn’t eat solids until over 11months. He wasn’t & still isn’t food motivated but is very fit & healthy.

Milk has much more calories than a carrot so try not to worry about her intake too much. Food’s just for fun at that age.