Baby isn't enjoying weaning what should I do?

[AC14MUZ]

Hi All

My DS2 is 7 months and I am trying to wean him. I'm using baby rice. My DS1 took to it straight away however I started him at 6 months.

I'm worried I've taken too long to introduce food with DS2. He cries when I give him baby rice and it just gets spat back out, he doesn't seem to be enjoying trying to transition to solids at all. Should I carry on breastfeeding? Am I worrying for nothing or have I massively messed up not starting this sooner? He does't seem to like formula either, he only really wants breast milk. Until now I've exclusively breastfed with my DH giving the odd bottle (but again has to be expressed as he doesn't want formula). Has anyone else had experience of this?

Just give him a bit longer. Babies are all different.

Offer him something tastier than baby rice. It's very bland and he might prefer something tastier like apple or carrot.

Does he still have his tongue thrust reflex?

Have you tried something else like purée veg? Or tried to add something to the baby rice like purée fruit or mashed banana. It takes a bit of time sometimes, but if they don’t like one food try something else.

Keep breastfeeding if you want too, or offer formula if that’s what you want to do. There’s no need to stop breastfeeding if you don’t want to though, milk is their main food for the first year so don’t reduce it thinking it will make them eat more: it might do, but they still need milk more than anything :)

Sorry, just to add, you could maybe try offering finger foods: well cooked soft veg etc, or even shop-brought snacks like kiddilicious wafers which are suitable from 6 months and don’t have anything nasty in :)

I didn’t think you weaned using baby rice - I just gave my baby food. I don’t think I’d like baby rice either. Why not try vegetables?

My DC were never very keen on bland food OP so the baby rice might be the issue here, LO just might not like it.

Can baby sit and pick up food by themself? I’d try something like readybrek made with full fat cows milk with some chopped banana added and maybe a bit of fruit, like some raspberries as finger food. At this age I think the guidelines suggest offering solids just twice a day. So for lunch or dinner maybe try Banana-Cado with a bit of grated cheese as a finger food. The Caroline Walker Trust has produced a really good booklet called Eating Well: first year of life which has sone sample menus yiu coukd try. Usually at this age it’s advised to give any solids roughly an hour after baby’s usual milk feed so we did a BF at 7am and breakfast at 8am.

As for continuing to BF, that up to you. Babies do need milk for at least the first year of life but it’s a personal choice whether you continue BFing or gradually move over to ffing. If you do want to stop, you could try adding formula one ounce at a time to the bottles of ebm, gradually increasing the ratio until it’s all formula. It’s best to swap one feed every 2 weeks. This is so that baby gets used to the increased volume of milk they will need to drink and to reduce your risk of Mastitis. If you do want to stop, orcare unsure, I’d give one of the BFing Helplines a call and they can talk you through it. For me though at this age I found it much more easy to just carry on BFing

And don’t forget to take lots of pictures when you offer new foods

Thanks everyone, I just took it as a given DS2 would be like his brother and gobble everything up! Silly question but does the fact no teeth have come through yet have any bearing? DS1 got his first few very early. I feel like I should know all this as it’s my second but sometimes I feel as confused as the first time round

They can still eat and have an appetite without teeth. In my very modest experience of two DC, they can eat pretty much anything from 6 months, with or without teeth

Have you given him anything else to try yet and was he interested?

I tried stewed apple and that was a no, and a rusk and that was also a no. He did seem to be interested in my pizza crust but as it was salty I thought best not let him at that one!

I might give it a rest for now and try in a few weeks??

I might give it a rest for now and try in a few weeks?? I think he’s telling you something different. I think he wants what you’re having. Could you make your own pizza and offer him that and see if he likes it?

If I’d given DD baby rice or rusks I would have had the same reaction too, she just wanted what everyone else had

We were out! but yes I think you are right, he wants what we are having, or at the very least what his brother is having. He has been such an easy baby in comparison to my first so this feeding thing took me by surprise. I will solider on!!

So just give him what his brother is having?

It might get messy though so I’d get some long sleeved bibs and put a cheap shower curtain under the high chair, unless you’ve got a dog to clear up the mess that is

I'd have just given him the pizza. Yes pizza can be salty but he'd be unlikely to actually eat much / any, won't do any harm and at least he might enjoy it.