Baby will only eat crisps

[reallybloodytired]

Really not what I thought would happen when weaning. Six weeks in and he won’t eat anything (he is seven months.)

I have tried purées and non purées, pouches, just putting food in front of him, giving him the spoon (he throws it on the floor!) - he just won’t eat.

But he will eat melty puffs.

Can anyone give me some pointers - I’m really worried.

@reallybloodytired

Thanks, unfortunately we don’t have a table to eat at just at the moment which does make life harder. I’ve got hardly any money (unpaid bit of maternity!) but will see if there’s anything cheap on Facebook marketplace.

Do you have any tables in the house? A desk? Improvise until you can afford a new one

I think its worth remembering OP he actually wasn't 'eating' the cheesy puffs either, they essentially would have melted in this mouth.

There's a book I'd recommend "First Bite: how we learn to eat" by Bee Wilson. I also had a baby with bad reflux, and allergies, and found weaning really tough. I listened to the book as an audio book and found lots of it helpful. The main thing is actually setting up habits around eating, not whether he'll eat. So, if you can, get him used to the high chair: does he have an insert? Is there something you can do to make it a bit more comfy? Then, try and have him eat at times you do, and ideally you and your partner. If he picks food up/throws it/doesnt eat it, ts really fine. I needed to be told that, but it is. Don't focus on giving him what he'll eat, focus on exposing him to lots of new things, and seeing if he'll put some of them in his mouth.

Weaning sounded like such fun - you get to see your baby eating new foods! - and I found it super stressful. But you'll get there. Do contact your HV if needs be. But I agree with others, don't offer him anything with added sugar or salt for now, as it can give them a taste for it and its weirdly worse than them not eating anything.

Dd had reflux, ate relatively little (and kept in even less) than ds at same age but at a year old suddenly helped herself to a wafer from my ice cream in a restaurant! After that she would happily nibble away at whatever was on offer and used cutlery rather than fingers.

With DS the reason why he’s such a great eater and always has been is because we all eat together and he sees us eat the same food he does. I never bothered with spoon feeding but from the start I gave him a mix of purees and proper food to eat himself (god the mess!!!). If he doesn’t eat it then fine - as long as he plays with it and drinks enough milk he is still learning.

I do think if he prefers melty puffs you might be eating them too often (no judgement!). Take this opportunity to sort your own eating habits out. It’s a bit like monkey see, monkey do with babies - so if he sees you eating good food he is likely to do the same.

I would just keep persisting with suitable foods regardless of whether they actually end up being eaten.
Eventually they will be.

I'm 39 and if you give me a plate of melty sticks I'll eat them, those things are the height of bland deliciousness. Don't get me started on pom bears either...

Anyway, less about me. It's honestly not a big deal. DC1 smashed weaning from day 1, amazing eater, could use a spoon and open cup before 1. He now only likes about 15 foods and trying to get him to eat anything new is like pulling teeth. His nursery record is always "lunch: refused". DC2, who I thought would also be good, cannot get the hang of it. Another spoon refuser. Can't seem to work out how the food is meant to go in. He's still having 5-6 big bottles a day so is fine. He'll get there.

The only thing you can do is keep giving him different textures to explore and to taste - crunchy things, soft things, cold things. He will get there - it just takes longer with some than others.

And ime a refluxy baby does need to sit pretty upright to eat well. Can you use pushchair/car seat or ask on freecycle/facebook for a basic seat/table?

Have you tried putting him in the high chair with just some toys and playing throw toy on the floor and Mummy pick it up, or peek a boo, or splash the puddle of water? Maybe getting him happy in the high chair would also help. Also try putting a flannel in the high chair for him to sit on, one of my dc didnt like the slippy plastic sensation of the seat.

I’ve never eaten melty puffs!

It’s really difficult, I guess he’ll learn a bit better at nursery when he sees other children eating.

That’s what I’ve tried finding it’s just they cost of buying the food and the time making it and then it doesn’t get eaten … just makes life so hard.

His reflux seems to have settled now, thank goodness, that wasn’t a lot of fun.

I don't need video evidence 🤣 just my experience of my baby and those around me! Mine just took a bit longer to get it

I see that melty puffs are baby food not crisps - maybe he just likes the feeling of chewing them rather than any flavour so it's more a plaything than 'food' - what about other stuff with similar texture - toast?
Babies I know seem to like cucumber - little fingers of that without peel to start - more the texture than flavour.

OP,
Your last post makes it all make a lot more sense, it seems as if him feeding rather than just weaning has had a lot of associated anxiety and after the small milk feeding/ reflux issues you were hoping solids was going to go abit more smoothly and now that seems to not be simple either. Also don’t worry about the puffs, I would be tempted to put a few puffs in a bowl with a few other things then if he rummages he might try a couple of new things.
Are you able to meet up with other mums outside, maybe outside rolling around picnics on a blanket with other babies with some little snacks dotted around might help him see other babies and make him try and few more things.
I would try that I would also try a bumbo, maybe the height of the high chair is freaking him out.
I would also for myself do a few weeks of having things I can eat from a bowl with him sat on my lap and then eat it myself making lots of yummy noises and lip smacking. Also the Ella pouches my baby used to suck straight out of the pouch, the mango with brown rice and yogurt is delicious.
I am sorry you feel so worried, it is horrible to feel so stressed and it seems like feeding has been a worry since he was born. Try all and any foods with him, opt for things that are as delicious as you can find, don’t worry too much about the right foods try all foods. A good quality ice cream can be full of eggs, and milk and fruit and is not much sweeter than formula or breastmilk.

@reallybloodytired

I’ve never eaten melty puffs!

It’s really difficult, I guess he’ll learn a bit better at nursery when he sees other children eating.

That’s what I’ve tried finding it’s just they cost of buying the food and the time making it and then it doesn’t get eaten … just makes life so hard.

Nursery will help definitely.

Don't spend lots of time and money making lots of food for him. All you need to do is take a suitable bit of what you're having for lunch, or if it's not suitable then steam a couple of bits of veg, do a bit of toast, cut up some fruit, make a one egg omelette, put a bit of hummus on a rice cake, nothing time consuming or complex.

If you make your evening meals something that is suitable for a baby, so low salt and low sugar, then you can save a little portion and offer a bit of that for baby's lunch or dinner the next day.

We have a table, although don't eat at it. However my little one is in her high chair eating her tea whilst we are eating ours and so is still seeing us eat, you don't need a table, but a high chair at least.

At the risk of being flamed , have you tried chips, something he can hold in his hand, and it's crisp shapped (ish)

It could be as he's simply not ready to eat. Those meelty puffs don't taste of much to me, so maybe other food is just too tasty - if that makes sense.

But as others said, don't stress, it will come naturally, and ther will be days in the future when even if he does normally eat, he decides he doesn't want to.
It happens, and yes sometimes I still stress about that as well it's natural to worry and stress.

I used to roast sticks of potato, sweet potato, parsnips and carrot, my babies loved them much more than steamed the steamed ones were just abit too wet and slimy.

Ikea do low tables for kids which might be a good option (cheap, but depends on budget of course) and you can sometimes pick them up on facebook marketplace/freecycle as well.

My son was fussy about the highchair and eating at a table. We had lots of teddy bear picnics on a mat/rug/tablecloth on the floor (you can get cheap paper tablecloths from poundland and just throw them afterwards if he's really messy). Every teddy gets a breadstick/bit of cheese / cut up strawberry, etc. You get a piece. He gets a piece. It's as much a game as it is eating but something might find it's way to his mouth!

Oh, and at 7 months, feed them without clothes on and then do bath time (with games, splashing, etc. not sleepy routine bathtime) straight after the meal. Saves loads of mess.

Six months is a guide not a deadline.
Relax! If you'd only ever eaten sweet milk, veg would seem rather odd to you too!
They are all different. My first did not entertain baby led weaning. Only liked totally smooth tip well over 12 months. Would eat banana and soft things but any kind of sauce with lumps and he would gag.i think in essence he was a lazy chewer!
Second got the hang of chomping with gums and liked to feed herself.
Honestly, just offer a few bits of fruit or a pouch. Spending ages preparing things is pointless until he starts taking an interest.
He'll eat when he is ready

@reallybloodytired

I’ve never eaten melty puffs!

It’s really difficult, I guess he’ll learn a bit better at nursery when he sees other children eating.

That’s what I’ve tried finding it’s just they cost of buying the food and the time making it and then it doesn’t get eaten … just makes life so hard.

I found this part too, mine were ungrateful wretches

Not all babies are ready for weaning at bang on 6 months. Does he show interest in other peoples food? Does he try to grab it from you? Can he sit unaided?

If he can’t / isn’t doing these things, I’d stop trying weaning for a couple of weeks, then try again.

Eating with other babies at nursery may pique his interest too, you may find him more enthusiastic about food after a couple of weeks there. My two certainly benefited from a wide menu there - I can’t abide the smell of lamb or fish cooking, so their only exposure to them is at nursery and they love both.

It’s hard trying to work out the right thing, particularly when other babies are doing it ‘right’. Food is so emotional too, cooking for someone is how I show that I love them, I had to lear to detach a little (a lot). My job was to provide food, theirs to eat it. If they don’t eat it? Well tomorrow is another day.

They all do it in their own time, I’m sure he won’t just be eating melty puffs and milk by the time he goes to school

Have you tried a teddy bears picnic. No pressure on him to eat, but you 'feed' a teddy or something?

Have you tried feeding him solids when he's really hungry?

Other things. Does he reach for your food? What would happen if you say down on the sofa while he was occupied with something and had some toast in fingers that you are eating? Again, no pressure on him to eat, but would he look at your plate?.that was the best bit of weaning advice I was given. They're ready when they try and get at your food. Has that happened?

I'd just put the brakes on it all ATM. Try some playing with food activities, maybe do some sensory play with fresh herbs and sack off mealtimes for him. I'm sure he will get there, just at his time!

Thanks, I know he will. I just worry so much about him, he’s such a lovely baby. If he doesn’t eat well or goes to school fat or underweight or with bad teeth, that’s on me

OP I've just had a read through this thread so far and it is full of such a mixed range of advice that I'm sure your head is spinning! Let him have the puffs, don't let him. Use a highchair, the floor, your lap. Do purees, don't do purees, only offer your food... its a minefield! I can't offer any expert opinion but what I will say is that by adulthood most of us get there in the end with our physical ability to eat regardless of how weaning was approached. I have a 15 month old so am on this journey for the first time too and by this stage have noticed that my friends with similar aged toddlers have all ended up with little ones are eating at a similar skill level as each other despite us all trying quite different approaches: traditional puree stages, purely baby led weaning and (like me) a combination of everything. At his age you could just focus on one meal a day which is an easy way to start. Take a step back from it for a week or 2 and then try again. All you can really do is offer a balanced range of foods to him (in whichever form you feel works best for him) and then he will take it when he is ready. I found my son didn't really start eating much until he was 10 or 11 months, and even now he has days where he barely eats and other days where he can't be filled, plus plenty of fussy phases. But I just keep offering and hoping for the best! I found the Joe Wicks Wean in 15 book and also the What Mummy Makes Instagram page/book REALLY helpful for ideas and up to date weaning advice, but I know there are others. Good luck!

(Also with the highchair - is there anything making it uncomfortable for him? I noticed sometimes the buckle on ours sticks into my sons leg without me noticing and I have to fix it. Another idea could be to put him in it sometimes without feeding him, but put some little table top toys on the tray so he gets used to sitting in there in a positive way)

@reallybloodytired

He doesn’t eat anything, honestly.

I’ve tried but he just spits it back out again. The only thing he has had are the melty puffs (I don’t mean he’s eating packets of them but I’ve resorted to them just to get some solids into him) he will try to grab something like ice cream, but he cries hysterically in his high chair.

I’m really feeling like i keep making an awful mess of everything.

I’ve tried scrambled egg, a variety of fruit and veg, ella’s pouches, yoghurt, letting him play with food, letting him feed himself, feeding him with a spoon, he just seems to get stressed.

I know at this age most of his nutrition is from milk but he isn’t experiencing anything else so it worries me.

That’s what babies do when they’re being weaned. They’re not used to solid foods so they don’t really know how to eat them. Most if not all the food ends up being spat out for the first little while.

You just keep offering it and slowly they get used to it.

It will be okay.

Screaming, crying, not liking his highchair, clamping his lips shut - all perfectly normal.

Babies need time to get used to new things. It’s not usually a matter of everything just falling into place.

I have 7 siblings, 2 children of my own and a background in childcare. I have cared for a lot of babies in my time. It isn’t a tick box exercise, and it doesn’t always go smoothly from start to finish. But it does get better - think about it...how many grown adults do you see who’ll only drink milk and suck on crisps? None. It will resolve itself. But you do need to calm down in order to best help him to learn as the anxiety will not be conducive to a positive learning environment - that’s why people are telling you not to worry so much.

I would suggest that you don’t give him any more of the crisps. There’s really no point - it’s got absolutely no nutrition in it and isn’t helping development of a healthy appetite (I’m not saying that in a judgey way at all, but resorting to them to get solids really does not make sense since they’re arguably a lot worse than no solids). You’ll only be training him to prefer junk food over all else right from the start.

He is only 7 months. Still young in weaning terms. Don’t compare him to other babies. Honestly he’s going at his own pace and he will be just fine.