Weaning problems, help!

[finfox]

Hello! My DS is now 7.5months old. I started giving him baby rice mixed in his (formula) milk a month ago. I also introduced him to banana strawberry porridge that I also mixed with his milk. He was happy eating and I thought great this is going well, but when I gave him pureed sweet potato mixed with his milk he ate few spoonfuls and when refused to eat more. Since when he has not eaten any solids at all. All he wants is his milk and refusing putting the spoon in his mouth. His first tooth appeared about the same time, could that have caused refusal? Anyone with any tips?

I haven't had the exact same problem but I found the best way to approach weaning is to relax and keeping trying. Don't force him to take a spoon as it will just upset him but keep gently offering the foods he enjoyed until he's happy with a spoon again.

Could you try offering something on your finger to reintroduce the flavours again?

Also speak to your HV as they will have some tips. And don't worry from a nutritional point of view. I'm pretty sure it's more about building the skill at this age rather than providing nutrition.

And try to stay relaxed, it will help him relax too.

I think its more likely to be a tooth that has put him off rather than your cooking! When DD was first cutting her teeth I gave her raw carrot sticks and cucumber sticks which she enjoyed having in her mouth.

If he likes the sweet tastes of banana and strawwberry in porridge, then you can add fruit to some of his veg purees, so sweet potato and apple as an example.

If you are wary of trying the sppon again for a while then you can just give him some veg and fruit on a plate and let him 'play' wuth it. Get used to it, taste it and most likely eat a bit!

Good luck, and don't worry it passes - we are on the other side now and it does get better (even if that means your DD eats you out of house and home

Oh and just to say DD did this (and still does now) every time she cuts a tooth. Won't have any cutlery in her mouth or eat much, then when it passes goes back to normal and picks up where she left off.

I've done blw with both and dd didn't get her first tooth until 12 months, 27 week old ds is currently teething. DD exhibited the same behaviour as ds is atm. Lots of desire to bf which I assume comforts his sore gums and while he's still happy playing with the rest of what's offered, sticks of cold carrot and cucumber are snatched and gummed to pulp immediately and he's not too interested in much else. He's not interested in his usual porridge shovelling (uses his hands like a scoop) in a morning and has just had cucumber and rice cake for breakfast instead.

Thank you for these tips. I feel less panicky already. I think I will try the finger tasting and will give him for example carrot and cucumber sticks to try and it is possible that he will return back to his content self when his gums aren't too sore. It helps to hear that others have had similar experiences.