Food battles at 7 months

[Beatrice]

Started weaning DD at 19 weeks (on advice of HV and GP - I didn't think she was ready) and have now had 3 months of preparing two meals a day and then tipping them down the sink. Occassionally I get her to take a mouthful or two, but she has never seemed to enjoy eating. Now she absolutely refuses to take anything on a spoon from me and wants to feed herself, which she obviously can't do at 7 months. She's keen on finger food, but only because she can pick it up, mash it into her hair then throw it on the carpet - nothing actually gets eaten. Up to now the HVs have been saying not to worry, she'll eat when she's ready, but the latest one I spoke to said it WAS a problem if she's not eating at 7 months and I need to "do something". She suggested finger food, but that's not working. I don't want to create problems for the future by force feeding her and making meal times a battle, but surely she needs some solid food by now? Any ideas?

did you start her off on baby rice mixed in with her milk? will she take fruit juice? have you tried on her on jars or just home made?

Can you give her a piece of toast to eat/ play with, whilst you shovel the food in - if you see what I mean!

what's her milk regime - could she be getting so much milk that she's not hungry enough for solids? What kinds of solid foods are you trying and how many mealtimes? I had to go back to basics a few times at about this age - single fruit purees etc. Also found that breakfast and teatime were the best intake times so concentrated on these - at 17 months ds is still hit and miss about lunchtimes.

Agree with trying the distraction technique as well - something in her hand to play with - spoon, lid, toast, while you shovel. There's also Minadex tonic (vits A + D + iron) which is supposed to stimulate appetite - might be worth a go.

Good luck - I was so anxious about weaning and we had some trying times, but in general he's not a bad eater now - I'm sure she will improve - it's still early days.

It's not a problem. You were told crap before and sadly you're being told crap again. I read from aloha that babies in the 20's and 30's werent given solids until 9/10 months. My dd started on solids just after 6 months and took some time to get into them. She eats very well now at 11 months.

It's true! Milk only until 8 or 9 months was standard not so long ago. Yet I don't think a whole generation of 20s babies grew up unable to eat in adulthood . Relax. Keep offering simple bits and bobs, keep the milk up and she'll get the hang of eating in the end - we all do - some of us rather too well

My brothers baby didn't eat baby (ie mashed or blended) food at all. She didn't seem interested. She started eating noodles when she was about 10 months but up til then just boob jobs.

She lives in Japan - apparently its not that uncommon over there. She always looked very healthy. Her mum (Japanese) was laughing at me trying to spoon feed 6 month old.

Yes, it sounds like you've gotten a lot of odd advice. It all sounds like unneeded misery.

But 7 months is by no means too early for feeding herself. DD is 6 months, has only been weaning for 4 days, and succeeded in feeding herself a piece of cereal yesterday. Which constitutes about a quarter of her entire non-breastmilk food intake in her life!

I'm no expert, but all the experts I've read suggest that fighting is way more of a problem than anything else at this age. Put her at the table with you, offer her some minimal amount of finger food made out of what you're eating, and she'll eat it when she's ready. Which may not be for a couple more months, and she'll be fine.

Thanks everyone. Very reassuring, especially the bit about no food until 8 or 9 months. I think I should get my HVs to have a look at Mumsnet! DD and I shared a piece of toast this morning. A bit stressful as I was afraid she'd choke, but she seemed to enjoy it. It doesn't work as a distraction technique though - she won't let me spoon anything in at all. Phatcat, I've tried cutting down on the milk a bit, but as soon as she gets hungry she screams until she gets milk and won't take any solids. She seems to think food is just a fun game where you get to throw things on the floor, she doesn't associate it with hunger at all.

Hi Beatrice, definitely finger foods are good for someone who doesn't like spoons (like my ds!). I used to squish soft sultanas between my fingers before giving to ds and they didn't cause him to choke. Does she have any teeth? Can she take bites out of something? Give her a strawberry or peeled grape to bite or well stewed apple that isn't quite falling apart. Dry toast is excellent, plus the odd rusk/baby biscuit (may contain alot of sugar/salt so give sparingly) which melt in the mouth once they get wet. Also chopped dried apricot.

My ds wanted (still wants!) to have two spoons each meal time and I had a third. I leave him a few mins at the beginning and then join in halfway with the third spoon. I found he loved orange foods and would shut up shop if it was any other colour (ie, carrot in every dish!). Also, a recent suggestion was to offer the sweet fruit first and then the savoury, but I haven't had any results with that yet..

Also, does she fancy anything off your plate?
Good luck

PS, my ds is now 14mo

Thanks Karen99 - I'll try the grapes and strawberries idea. Sometimes she seems to fancy things off my plate, but what she really fancies is the plate itself - great for banging on the table then flinging across the room. Why bother with food when you can have so much fun with the utensils?