Long term consequences of a baby not eating

[lavenderandwisteria]

I can’t get ds (8 months) to wean. I have arranged for the HV to see him but I’m not hugely confident she’ll be able to tell me anything I don’t already know.

What are the consequences if this continues?

Natural baby led weaning starts from about 5 months. With them beginning to pick up food off your plate and putting in mouth to taste without actually swallowing at 5 - 6 months and starting to ingest at 6 ish months (but not much), the point at which any baby naturally gets the majority of nutrition from anything but milk is much much later.

As with all baby milestones, these are very vague timings, so 8 months isn't particularly late or abnormal.

I'd suggest reading a baby led weaning book, sitting with him on you lap when eating and let him pick up and play with your food. At some point he will start actually swallowing some (you'll know when he does - trust me!!).

Just relax.

Thank you and I promise I’m not being rude but that’s not what I meant

If he just doesn’t eat, just has milk, what are the consequences of this?

He's 8 months, it's only 2 months after the NHS recommends first starting ANY solids. It is fine. He will get there in his own time.

Well, everything online suggests otherwise so I would appreciate knowing what the consequences are if he doesn’t.

Dc2(now10) was like this, we tried from 4 months (on the advice of his paed as he was premature & had god awful reflux) he finally seemed to get the idea at around 9 months. Dc5(4) wasn't keen either but did pick it up quicker. I don't think you really have to worry until they're closer to 1. It's good that you've arranged to see the hv though

From a nutritional perspective, my understanding is that it’s only iron that breast or formula milk cannot provide.

If he absolutely won’t eat anything at all then he will be missing out on learning to chew, manage different textures etc. I’m assuming you’ve tried both purée and finger food without any luck?

Yes, that’s what worries me. I get that food is for fun before they are one but if that was really true we just wouldn’t feed them before one? Plus shouldn’t we be trying to wean him off bottles then?

It may depend on if you are breastfeeding or formula feeding also.
If breastfeeding, I was advised that food is fun until they're 1. DD1 didn't really start eating until 10 months and preferred feeding herself.
All my kids preferred feeding themselves than spoon fed purées or mashed foods. I just put them in the high chair and offered them what we were having, or cooked, finger cut vegetables and fruit.

A review done by Naylor & Morrow (2001) concluded, “These clinical reports indicate that the majority of normal full term infants are not developmentally ready for the transition from suckling to sucking or for managing semi-solids and solid foods in addition to liquids until between six and eight months of age.”

From Kelly mom website which is an evidenced based infant feeding (predominantly centred around breastfeeding) website.

Like any other baby milestones most will fall within that window, but there will be perfectly normal outlayers either side. Same as babies who walk at 9 months or ones that walk at 18 months.

I do not think you should worry - all children are different. And he certainly will not miss out on learning to chew or manage different textures. He will simply do these things when he is ready. If you get suitable advice you could add vitamins and iron to his milk.

The internet is a powerful guilt-inducing tool. Your child will progress at his own rate. If he senses anxiety around trying to wean he will clam up.

Please do not worry.

You need to ask your HV for a referral - probably to speech and language rather than a dietitian but maybe both.

Everyone above is correct that nutrients isn't really the issue - but the first 6months are about learning so that they are ready WHEN the nutrients becomes the issue.

Does he put anything in his mouth at all? Toys etc? I'm sure you've tried all these things because you're clearly a worried and great mum but just some ideas.... food in a totally different place i.e. outside, on the playmat, in the car seat. Coating toys in food like yoghurt, syringing some tastes into his mouth, giving him whole foods like a whole peeled peach as if it was a toy, somebody other than you trying to feed him...

Oh I know - I don’t have anything to do with it now - I make the food but I don’t feed him, but he won’t eat for anybody so it is a worry.

I mean I do know what you mean, I am not being difficult. But at what point do you worry? Nine, ten, eleven months? He’s mobile and trying to pull himself up. When he’s toddling and burning calories - then do we worry?

I’m not being difficult honestly. Just feel so worried.

I think the phrase used to be 'fun til one' - don't worry if he just toys with food until he's 12mo. Does he have vitamin drops?

If his weight, health and nappies are ok then I wouldn't worry.

He does put things in his mouth but not food, just drops them.

Can I ask, why speech and language? Do you think there’s an issue?

My prem baby was given a liquid iron supplement, so I wonder if that's possible, if it's right that milk contains everything but the iron. That would take the pressure off, I would think. I imagine it's highly unlikely that your little one will still be showing no interest in food at a year.
I'm sure the HV will be able to help. Best of luck

It’s formula milk, so I thought that had added iron. Not really sure. The HV is sweet but I think a lot of the advice will work on the assumption he will eat, just not much. I don’t think anyone really understands he doesn’t eat.

.Assume your baby will start to eat if you keep offering her/him food. And follow the guidrlines. If you really need to know about consequences of not weaning see a doctor and ask if there has been any medical studies on those cases. And they will probably offer tests to see if there is a medical problem. Try to stop worrying about consequences at this very early stage.

My DS didn't wean until 9months ish and even then all he date was wotsits and yoghurt. He was taking baby vitamins and kept up with the full 6 bottlesuntil about 11 months. He just wasn't interested until he was

Health visitor wasn't concerned and just said give him food at each meal time and if he tried great if he didn't then try again next meal.

He's now 12 and eats pretty much everything.

My friends child had a food aversion and would not swallow anything but milk until well after 1 (closer to 2 IIRC). The doctor referred to a specialist, and they gave a special type of formula to ensure there were no deficiencies etc while they worked on getting the child to eat.

I couldn't tell you for sure at which age they referred to the specialist, but I think it was about one. Is it worth getting an appointment with the GP to discuss?

@lavenderandwisteria

It’s formula milk, so I thought that had added iron. Not really sure. The HV is sweet but I think a lot of the advice will work on the assumption he will eat, just not much. I don’t think anyone really understands he doesn’t eat.

((Hugs)) We do understand. The reason nobody is showing concern is that it's not unusual at this stage. Easier said than done, but try not to worry about something that hasn't happened yet. It's highly unlikely that he'll be showing no interest at a year.

I’m hoping the HV may be able to help with this. It is a huge worry for me - he wakes constantly in the night and I do think he’s hungry.

A friend of mine had this. He son just wasn't interested in food until about 9 months.

For now, he is getting all he needs from his milk.

For more advice, what is he doing when you try to give food? What is he doing at your meal times? How are you weaning (traditional, BLW?)

A baby won't starve themselves, they don't have that actual ability, as in they can't think to themselves 'I won't eat'. They will eat what they need.

Some babies just take longer to get into food

He will keep waking up at night if he isn't getting enough calories in the day. And eventually he will run out of stores of vitamins etc from being in you, and then his growth would be impacted. And he needs to learn to bite and chew as part of speech development.
However this is very early days. One of my prem babies didn't start weaning really until 1year old, he just didn't have the physical coordination for it. Then suddenly he was off and away.
I would just continue offering him things to put in his mouth and let him be with you when you are eating and try your food. Also you can offer sweeter things to prompt his interest, even though people will insist on only offering bland dull food, babies do have taste buds too. Just be sensible.

I understand why you are worried, it is very easy for us to all say don’t worry but when it’s your baby it is always different! I am sure you have tried everything you can think of to encourage him. Is he happy to chew on toys etc?

He does chew on toys and so on.

I tried to do wean in 15 and then when they didn’t work tried pouches … tried offering finger foods, purées … not sure what else to do really. Well, I don’t think there is anything else which is why I’m so concerned.