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Weaning

Why does ds prefer plastic to food? And when will he start eating?

10 replies

MamaChris · 19/08/2008 13:56

Give ds plastic ring/ball/anything, and he will put it straight in his mouth and chew chew chew. Give him food (toast/rice cake/veg/fruit) and he may finger it briefly (or, more likely, ignore it) and go back to trying to eat his high chair.

He's 6.5mo and about the only thing he's swallowed in 3 weeks is a spoon of yoghurt and half a rice cake. He's showing all the "signs" of being ready to wean, and is still bf every 2 hours (every hour or more at night ) and I really really want him to eat some solids so the bf will ease off just a little! We started with blw, but are also trying spoon feeding (he likes the spoon, hates any food on it though). Any ideas?

I know you'll say, well, 3 weeks is a very short time in his life so far, give him time. But all the babies his age I know are eating, and he's just not at all interested. He's a big baby, not worried about his weight, but was hoping (despite advice not to) that weaning would mean better sleep. Has anyone's baby been totally uninterested in food and then picked up the idea later? If so, when?

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Greedygirl · 19/08/2008 21:56

Yes this could have been me a couple of months ago - my DS was definately a plastic addict and seemed quite horrified when we started giving him things that actually tasted of something and broke up in his mouth! We were all excited about his first solid food moment (banana - how original) and he just grimaced and politely put it down. He also loved his breast milk and still fed every 2 hours until around the 8 month mark when he finally seemed to get the hang of swallowing food. I know that may seem a long way off for you so lots of sympathy and hugs and hang in there!

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Aitch · 19/08/2008 22:02

if you're bfing, from what i've read other people saying on here and other places, there's every chance he'll just prefer the bm at the mo. which is rather clever of him, really. if you were giving him some gopping fish-tasting formula (such as i gave my dd ) perhaps he'd be more inclined?

feel proud of yourself, you're doing great work, he WILL take to eating soon enough and i'm afraid that it's got bugger all to do with sleeping in any case... which is a real pain for you, i can see that.

what about letting him loose on some spag bol? seriously, what are you and his dad eating? are you all eating together?

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MamaChris · 20/08/2008 19:59

Thanks Greedy, reassuring to know. 8 months is only 5 weeks away, so fingers crossed!

We're all eating together. For example, I've switched to toast at breakfast, but he will not pick up a piece (tried it once, now won't). He'll suck it a little if you can persuade him to hold it, but then even if you put it in his hand, after that first suck it's going nowhere near his mouth. He seems to prefer eating out of my hands (like yesterday I put a bit of cheesy spinach on the end of my finger, he'd suck some off and swallow) or off a spoon (yoghurt).

Not very blw, but I got him weighed yesterday (DP's suggestion) and he'd only gained 100g in the last 4 weeks! He's dropped 91st centile to below 75th. Trying not to worry about that, but does make me want to get him eating some more. Although I know in my head there're more calories in breastmilk than a carrot, etc.

I was a fussy fussy eater as a child, and I so wanted to start ds on a life of loving food! Trying not to worry. Yet.

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Aitch · 20/08/2008 20:15

don't worry, really. if he's happy, he's happy. imo. it's only a big deal if you let it get to be. and you know, i think people are a bit more enlightened about 'fussy' eaters now, they recognise that the parents have a role to play and also that some children are much more sensitive to texture etc than others. he may have inherited that sensitive nature from you, in which case the advice must surely be not to stress him about food and just to let things take their course.

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nappyaddict · 20/08/2008 20:16

don't fret. my ds didn't eat until he was 8/9 months.

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Aitch · 20/08/2008 20:17

oh, and i should also be at pains to say that if it also makes YOU happy to know that he's eating yog from a spoon or your fingers or wherever then absolutely go for it. it's a family affair, weaning. imo.

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nappyaddict · 20/08/2008 20:18

do you pull his highchair up to the table? or have you tried sitting him on your lap and both of you eating together?

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MamaChris · 21/08/2008 08:53

he has a highchair up to the table, and before we started food, he used to sit there happily and play with a toy while we ate. now that we give him food to play with, he wants out pretty quick. He's ate on my lap once (had a suck on an orange I was eating today and didn't hate it), so perhaps I need to try that more often.

this morning he enjoyed holding and chewing a spoon while I sneaked yoghurt onto it (most ended up on his face, but still). Seems kinda deceitful though

think I am stressing about food and he's picking up on it, so not helpful. Am going to try and bf more often, so I'm sure he's getting the calories he needs, then try and just chill on the food, keep offering but try not to fret or push it on him when he doesn't want it.

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purplemonkeydishwasher · 21/08/2008 08:58

some babies (even big babies) just aren't that interested in eating. My DS only picked at food and mostly just wanted to BF until he was 18months. now at nearly 3 he eats and eats and eats and eats...will tell me he's hungry WHILE he's still eating!

my best advice is to not stress about it (though i know it's hard sometimes!!) eventually he will eat! HTH

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MamaChris · 21/08/2008 17:05

glad ds is not the only slow starter with food, and that it doesn't necessarily mean he won't be a good eater when older.

also had a bit more success with pasta and spinach today with him sat on my lap, so thanks for a good tip

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