9 month old won’t eat

[Landladymews2]

She just keeps food in her mouth 75% of the time and spits it out. She will occasionally swallow but there’s no pattern eg I know some kids only eat sweet stuf, it just seems to be mood dependant. BLW didn’t work as she just plays with the food and doesn’t put it in her mouth so I’m sticking f to purées. Loves her formula. Should I be concerned? Does formula contain enough Iron? My Health Visitor isn’t much use. I might see the GP but I don’t know if this is just something some kids do and eventually just learn to eat. My sister was apparently like this too.

How long are you leaving between milk feeds and offering solids? She may not be hungry enough? You could try giving say a small amount of milk in the morning instead of the full amount,then after half an hour, offer her breakfast?

If she loves her milk, she might be filling up on that.

Don't worry about not BLW, I didn't with my son and it was fine.

Some babies aren't interested in solid food much before one. If she's healthy and gaining weight, it's probably nothing to worry about. Just keep offering something every day - fruit, bread, mushed up veg, yogurt etc. They will eat what they need. If in doubt then no harm in asking the GP.

At 9 months she'll still be getting all her nutrients from milk so I wouldn't worry too much but you could try a few changes. So in the morning instead of offering her a bottle try breakfast first, even a few spoons of porridge will be enough at that age followed by milk. Same after her nap, don't offer her food straight away but no milk either until she's had a couple of bites of lunch.

DD didn't really eat a substantial amount until well over a year old. She refused to be spoon fed so we did BLW and all she did was suck everything.

Just try to take a step back and relax. Milk is their main source of nutrition until 1, so food should be more of a sensory experience, hence the advantages of baby led weaning where they can try lots of different textures as well as tastes. Playing with the food is an important part of investigating how it feels. If you just give her a bit of whatever you're having at meal times, then she'll get a good variety of things to try and you won't be disappointed when she doesn't eat up everything you've specifically made for her.

She will get there in her own time. If you're still concerned in 2 or 3 months, then maybe contact your GP, but I'd just watch and wait for now and keep offering things to try.

Good luck (and relax )

Isnt the point of baby led weaning for them to play with food, try it and learn to eat. I didn’t use this exclusively but my youngest 2 had stuff on their high chair whilst we ate. They didn’t always eat it. Taking the pressure off is a start. If they get formula then they are receiving the calories they need. I’d always give formula after a weaning feed cut it down according to what they’ve eaten. If they are full of milk no they won’t eat. Try little and often, have her eat with you so she can watch the family eat. Let her get on with it herself. She can still have purée/yoghurt etc too. I blended our dinners - I don’t use salt so safe for babies. But it was easy bru add you’re not worrying about how much they have at 9 months it’s practise/trIal and error. They always get formula for calories to back up their weaning diet.

If things persist, speak to another health visitor. If she isn’t any help try your gp. It may be she needs a speech and language assessment or she might just be a slow starter. My 4 all did things at different times, eldest ate anything. Ds2 was breast fed and didn’t wean properly till he was 1 as he just wasn’t really interested. 3 was v picky, had tummy troubles and saw the dietician, no 4 also bf didn’t wean till 10 months. It totally depends on the bath I think. Some are ready. Some are not. The hv/gp are always there if you’re worried still @ a year ( or you have any other worries with weight gain/not meeting milestones)

Do see the GP just to check there’s nothing else going on. Was she a better eater when she started weaning?

Does she have reflux? Is she drinking more milk to make up for not eating solids?

My DS wouldn’t eat at 6 months after oral antibiotics- in the end Ella’s Kitchen pouches saved us, they were a lifesaver. Eating the nice peaches, pears and baby rice ones hasn’t put him off savoury things or vegetables either. Honestly, I’d recommend them to anyone struggling with weaning.