Solids

[CharmaineOlivier]

Hi all. This is my very first post.

I wanted to know if anyone else there feels overwhelmed with introducing solids? It feels like it's just me and that it comes naturally to others.

It took me a long time to get started, and eventually I got the hang of making bulk mashed vegetables for the freezer. My now 9 month old was eating well and I managed to get to 3 x per day, but suddenly he doesn't like my food and I find myself once again overwhelmed and I don't know where to go from here.

Do I go back to one type of vegetable instead of mixes, do I go back to purity, do I try rice cereal (I haven't even tried this as his stools are already so hard that I'm scared it could make it worse). Do I try more finger foods (he hasn't got teeth yet)? I find finger foods even more overwhelming as I don't make vegetables every day (more salads, bought soups, previously frozen meals, frozen chicken and veg / chips) and sometimes I go through all the effort and he just throws in on the ground continuously and barely gets it in - so it feels like I make no progress.

Sorry for the long message. I probably just over think the entire process and then I get frustrated. Can someone simplify feeding solids and how to progress over time - additionally, how to get in the good stuff and variety without it becoming a huge mission.

Thanks!

I haven't got any advice, but just to say that I am in the same boat with my nearly 9 month old. She just isn't all that interested in solids. Like you, I try really hard to make nutritious, tasty food and it often just ends up on the floor, or she'll have a few mouthfuls and decide she's finished and then have a huge milk feed shortly afterwards.

I also feel like I am surrounded by mums whose babies eat heartily. It has certainly made me feel quite anxious at times.

Easier said than done, but try not to worry - their tastes and what they do/don't eat changes all the time and constantly evolves.

I found finger foods so much easier and my son just preferred it massively. You don't have to overprepare, just give them some of what you are having (providing it is soft enough), teeth don't matter - their gums are just as effective. I also found the Ella's kitchen or supermarket own brand spaghetti Bolognese etc. really good.

Their main nutrition for a while is milk so the foods are really for exploring textures and flavours rather than nutrition so try not to get too stressed over how much he is eating.

You'll honestly look back in a year and wonder how all your money is going on food for a toddler! :) x

He maybe teething - this makes them not want to eat. In which case try anbesol liquid 20 mins before food and just keep offering food but don’t comment on if they eat it or not. Let him take food from your plate.