Food for under 1 year

[Jennys]

Our six month old is very reluctant to try solid food at all - we've been trying on and off for about eight weeks on rice, parsnip, pear, banana, carrot, sweet potato, baby organix jars (warmed/not warmed/different times of day). On a good day we'll manage to squeeze a couple of spoonfuls through pursed lips, on a bad day she'll just cry and we give up. She also gags alot (and is sometimes sick). She's fully breastfed, but is demanding feeding at least every two hours now, during the day. Its getting exhausting.

Has anyone experienced this or got any advice?

We began solids very slowly with just a few spoons a meal and the rest milk. She liked babyrice or apple to begin with. Have you got someone other than yourself to feed her so that she's not just wanting your milk?

Jenny, we began solids very slowly with just a few spoons a meal and the rest milk. She liked babyrice or apple to begin with. Have you got someone other than yourself to feed her so that she's not just wanting your milk?

Jenny,
Have you tried baby organix banana porridge from a packet ( not jar )? The reason being that my little girl loved this from the start, I mixed it to a runny consistency with my own milk to start with and later, when I had less milk, formula. The HV told me that that breast fed babies tend to go for sweeter tasting food in general, so it was one of the 1st things I tried as it has natural fruit sugars but is still milky, unlike pureed fruit ( which my daughter hated for ages ). They try and panic you by saying that you mustn't get them used to only sweet tasting food, but at this stage just getting her to enjoy solids is the first hurdle. My ( now 15 month old ) daughter started really enjoying different savoury tastes after a month or so on this porridge and has no lingering sweet tooth ( well, only the same as her mother has! ) I'd also advise you not to panic or demand that she eat anything because it'll only make it into a battle, but I sympathise with your constant breast feeding, it really zaps your energy after a while doesn't it?
Good luck...

Jennys - 6 months is OK to start solids so you don't need to be in a hurry. She could be disliking the spoon and is perhaps picking up on your stress. I've been through about a year's worth of picky eating so I know how it is. Why not start all over again and go right back to baby rice and mix it with expressed breast milk. That way she will connect the taste of breast milk with the spoon as well. Then try pear also with expressed milk and rusks too are a good filler and gradually move off the expressed milk - you only need a tiny amount anyway. That is what worked for me. However some babies take months to get really into solids. My son was about 9 months before he took much. Even then he was a small eater right up to 18 months.

You could try finger foods too if she is not keen on the spoon. Also have you tried yoghurt - you didn't mention that. And try not to worry as she will pick up on it and will start to connect the idea of eating solids with you being upset.

(Says I who has thrown dishes and spoons into the sink in anger!!!)

My 11 month old son(12 months next week)went off his food around 9-10 months old and so far has never really found his appitite again. It all seemed to start with an ear infection and I wonder whether the fluid that is apparently still present in his ear is causing pain or whether Tom is just a poor eater. I can certainly appreciate the worry that refusal to eat causes to parents although my doctor just brushes it aside and says that a baby won't starve himself. I still breastfeed so fall back on that but think that that might actually be exacerbating the problem as Tom seems only to want to bf some days and simply fills up on milk and therfore has no need to eat solids. However this can't go on indefinitely can it? Has anyone had any similar experience?

Thanks for all the advice. I will go back to basics, with the milky rice etc - and I've got some of the banana porridge to try. I'll let you know how it goes. I'm sure she'll get there in the end, just disappointed its going to be mostly when I'm back at work!

i have a 4 month old son,he is my first born,and i do not have my family here to help me . i have been a quite observer in your sessions and i think this is just amazing ..........some of the tips were of a great help.
i breast feed aswell as bottle feed my son.i started the bottle when he was 2 month old.
i feel he is ready to start weaning...or may be im getting paranoid.......i do not know but he seems to be still hungry after a feed!
i would like to know what all equipments, like a blender etc......... i need to buy so that i dont buy unnecessary stuff and alsowhat is the best thing to start with solids or juices.

Hi Guddy,
4 months is fine to start weaning, especially if you think he is ready (mother's instinct and all!) I would begin with a little bit ( just a spoonful )of plain baby rice mixed in with either your own milk or formula. It's up to you as you may want to start on some pureed fruit like apple or banana, but baby rice gets them used to the solid texture without tasting too different to the milk they have been used to. It's up to you wwhat time of day you give this,I started with the evening, just after her breast feed but I think they recommended lunch time as a rule. You can keep increasing the amount after a week or so, depending on whether your baby's interested in it (mine started wolfing it down straight away!) Be warned that once you start it does escalate to three meals a day quicker than you'd imagine, at least it did in my case! If you are planning on pureeing most of his food then maybe you should invest in a blender, but I never used one myself as most things can be mashed up easy enough with a fork. I have heard those hand held ones are meant to be quick and easy though. If you're wondering which baby rice, I think they're all much the same but I did like buying Baby Organix, just from the health point of view - they do a good 'vegetable rice' which my daughter had as her first taste of savoury food after a couple of weeks on plain rice... Once you've got a bit of a routine going after a week or so start offering a beaker with some previously boiled water in it to get him used to a beaker ( I swear by the Heinz baby basics soft spout beaker, from 4 months )I personally wouldn't start with juice at all because water is the best drink they can have and they might take a real liking to it therefore saving you loads of money on cordial in the future!.....Good luck and I hope that helps you!

The current advice for introducing solids to a young baby is now 6 mths. The World Health Organistion states that breast or formula milk is the only food required for the first six months. Introducing foods earlier means the baby runs the risk of developing food allergies and intolerances.

Breast and formula milk are far richer in calories than any solids, so in order to satisfy a baby at 4 mths it is better to offer the breast or formula feeds more frequently. Some babies even lose weight when introduced to solids, because their total calorie intake is less than with milk alone. Later weaning also means you can avoid some of that messy 'gloopy' stage!

The NCT have a helpline staffed by Breastfeeding Counsellors, who can give you lots of information so you can decide what to do for the best. They are very approachable. Their number is 0870 444 8708

Guddy, I liked the Annabel Karmel book for advice on weaning. (There is a discussion about her elsewhere!)

I bought a small Braun blender, little blade that was ideal, especially for meats etc in early days. I got fed up endlessly shoving things through sieves!

Get some ice cube trays to freeze batches of froxen fruits and vegetables, so that you have various 'meals' available and can try different mixes.

Agree with Lizzer with regards to the Heinz 'soft' cup and spoons range. And avoid juices. Water is much much better.

Some babies don't like baby rice, so dont panic if yours isn't interested. Avoid bought foods with GLUTEN in until about 6 months. Baby Organix range was our favourite.

Double check with your health visitor though before you start, just so she can double check babe and advise as to whether he is ready or not.

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thanks for all the advice.i have started baby rice he seems to be enjoying it.......lets hope he continues too!