10M old baby wants milk only

[marie98]

Hi everyone. I’m here to discuss about my lo poor diet. He’s 10 months old and still wants milk all the time. I’ve tried so many different solid foods but he never eats. Only two bites and then crying and fighting. I’m very stressed because of him. I’m afraid that he’s not having essential nutrients. Even there are days when he just drinks milk not even a spoon of any food. My health visitor suggested to cut down his bottles. I tried it but still no luck. He refused to eat and been crying all day because of empty stomach. Please advice something.
Thanks

My dd was like this until over 12 months, possibly worse because she was breastfed and we couldn’t get her to drink from anything else, she just let it run out her mouth. It was very very stressful. We saw a dietitian and there is no magic solution, it’s just perseverance, offering food for him to touch and play with, eating what he has with him so he can see you eating. The dietician also said not to worry too much about the nutritional content of the food but just to get her in the habit of eating something. It did gradually get better and surprisingly given that she had tried very few tastes before one her diet is not particularly limited and she’s no more fussy than any other toddler. No health issues and not small for her age. The only notable thing is that she will stop eating in new situations ie. starting nursery, going on holiday etc. I feel for you though because it was hard.

OP, I just wanted to offer you some solidarity and support. My DS has just turned 14 months old. At 10 months he was exactly like your DS- wouldn't eat food no matter how much I tried with all different methods. He also wouldn't drink cows milk, or water or from anything other than his bottle. Literally a week ago something suddenly clicked and he has started drinking water (albeit from a bottle), cows milk and eating a whole range of food in different amounts. I honestly can't explain what clicked, but he's gone from 0-60 overnight on the eating front. It was so stressful for me before Christmas- I'd been to the health visitors regularly as he was losing weight and they just said to limit him to 8oz of formula a day to get him to eat, which I refused to do as just like your child mine just got hungry and very distressed and still refused to eat.

I know it can feel very worrying and stressful, but please use my experience as a sign that things are likely to change for you- and 10 months is still below the "food before one is just for fun" school of thought. Xx

I don't know what you have tried, but we are having some success with the following:

No added sugar ready brek run through a sieve and served with apple puree (ready brek is fortified with vitamins) and we all have it for breakfast, in the morning, which is when my LO is most relaxed and happy. (The sieve isn't necessary, but my LO finds lumps offputting at the moment).

Serving a mix of purees and solids on the same plate (my LO gets some puree on her fingers and sucks it).

Making purees as smooth as possible to start, if you struggle with this try Ella's kitchen first foods. My LO particularly likes the pureed carrot (she isn't as enthused when I make it ).

Lots of praise, make it fun. Don't put pressure on, keep it light and happy, very smiley and 'oooh, isn't this yummy?'

Try a small amount of lots of different foods, I aim for a baby-sized handful of each and between three and five different types. Make note of what baby seemed to like and serve again next time. Revisit disliked foods a few days/weeks down the line - tastes change!

I haven't tried this myself yet, but when they're very good at sitting up unaided, as I imagine yours is, someone on here once suggested putting them on a clean shower curtain on the floor and just giving them finger foods as toys to make it fun.

Good luck!