Baby will not wean...and is now 8m.

[LetsPlayAGame20]

Hoping for some tips.
I'll try not to miss anything out
This is my 3rd baby. My teen I weaned at 4m, my 2nd at 5m.
This one I left till just over 6m as was having issues with dairy allergy which we've finally sorted and found a formula.
Now the issue is he will take the 1st spoonful then after that keep his mouth shut tight and push his tongue out to ensure the spoon won't go in.

I've tried purees I've made. Simple flavours, 1 veg, 2 veg, with or without potatoes. I stood and cooked over 60nlittle pots the other day of variations
Tried veg as cooked sticks, carrot etc.
Chews gags and sick. Everytime.

Things like rice cakes etc. He occasionally will much on but I'd say on average he eats 2 spoons a day. That's it.

I've tried feeding diff times of day.. Before bottle in morning but he screams as so hungry (wakes and wants bottle immediately) tried just after but no luck.. Lowered the oz of formula. So would be getting peckish then try his breakfast soon after. Again same thing.

He also has a suspect wheat intolerance but awaiting tests for allergies.

We have HV booked for next week.
He's definitely gaining weight, I weighed him with me and roughly worked out his weighed and he's around 19lb so roughly 91st centile. Born between 9 and 25th but obviously haven't plot it as he gets weighed next week.

Some just don’t eat much at that age.
I’d go with baby led weaning and ‘food is for fun til the age of one’.

Don’t force or cajole. It can cause feeding issues later. Just put food on the high chair tray and let him play with it. Give him bits of what you’re having.

Gagging is normal. And some babies are sick when they gag.

I wouldn’t worry, just take the pressure right off.

At 8 months I wouldn't use puree at all, just give him whatever you're having. Will he 'pinch' food off your plate? Will he play with food, squishing it between his fingers and so on? At just 8 months I wouldn't be too worried, just put food in front of him several times a day and let him get on. I know quite a few children who weren't weaned (as in 3 meal, 2 snacks a day, milk for bedtime)until they were one.

Yes we do that too but lots of what we have has dairy and wheat in. Also don't want to try egg yet as dd has egg allergy so wanted to wait till he was more established.
But will continue to do so.

Yep food is fun till one and to be honest many kids arent big eaters till a lot later. At that age I always went by the mantra it's my responsibility to provide them with good variety of food, it's their choice whether to eat it.

Thank you he's just so different to the others. By 7m my now toddler would eat a full roast dinner or curry etc. And big portions for a baby ( altho she's not overweight) she is a huge food lover.

I know kids re all different but this is one end of the scale to the other

Tonight ill give him some broccoli, carrots, potato. as we've got bangers and mash, the sausages have wheat in apparently so he can't have those.
And prob cut him some squash too..

My son was interested in food but had a severe gag reflex so brought up even mashed veg! It was a nightmare. However I just kept trying which is what I suggest you do.

Is he interested in food? If not can you make sure he's always seated near you while you eat, then if he reaches out for something or looks interested let him try? I appreciate with his allergies what you are eating may not be suitable but have something you can give him on your plate?

Also have you tried dropping milk slightly?

My first one didnt get it until about 10 months, stressed me right out but she did get it and she now eats everything! I would give up on spoon feeding if I were you, and go down a more baby led weaning root. Just give small amount of whatever you are having at each meal and see what happens. He obviously just wants to explore in his own way and to his own timescale!

If he can't have what you are eating becuase of allergies are there any other finger foods you can keep in the fridge for him? I often have a buffet/ploughmans for lunch and my LO has things like cooked salmon, cold bits of chicken, cheese (you could try dairy free ones), cucumber, pitta bread (free from range) with humous etc.

Just keep offering. He’ll get it one day.

My twins were weaned at 5 months and took to it straight away. DS3 wouldn’t countenance food until he was 7 months - it took him a while to get the swing of things but at 8 (years not months!) he’s a great eater, literally will eat anything.