Struggling to wean baby onto solids

[Broken24]

My baby is 7 months. I started introducing solids at 6 months. She is interested and wants to eat but will not let me feed her: she just grabs the spoon (two spoons doesn’t work, she grabs the one I’m feeding her with if you see what I mean.)

I know a lot of people do baby led weaning but that doesn’t really seem to be working either, she just throws it around. I know she’s frustrated but I don’t know how to help her. I’m also struggling with what to feed her since I can’t feed her purées but she can’t manage ‘normal’ food. Can anyone help?

Just let her play with food for now. Things like toast crusts she can hold and suck might be good. My mum used to make double baked rusks for my kids. Or just mashed up food that you’re eating that she can stick her fingers in as long as it’s not too salty or spicy. Be prepared for mess!
The majority of babies in the world manage without purées so I wouldn’t get too obsessed with them.

Just keep offering food. A mix of purée and a mix of real foods. Do batons of the same foods that you puree and the use those as edible spoons for the purée. Carrot batons dipped into carrot puree for example
My daughter didn't engage with weaning until 13 months! I really wouldn't be stressing about it at 7 months. Just stay off any SM weaning it is often unrealistic and demoralising!

I have but she’s just getting angry.

So - I would welcome any advice because I really am struggling.

She doesn’t let me spoon feed her but she can’t feed herself. If you give her finger food she just drops it. What should I do?

Very little food went into my DS before he got his first 2 teeth at 9 months. I think at this stage it's just about exposure. Keep offering, stay positive, keep up the milk feeds.

I know it's stressful when you see other babies placidly accepting spoonfuls of puree but I really wouldn't stress. Eventually your baby will eat food, as all do. The solid starts app is helpful for BLW.

I know it's stressful when you see other babies placidly accepting spoonfuls of puree but I really wouldn't stress this is totally what it is.

This is quite normal, she is learning a new skill and she will get frustrated but that will drive her on to do it, the same as with crawling and eventually walking. Sit and eat at the same time as she is, model eating. at breakfast pop a toast finger on her highchair tray for her to suck and gum on etc whisk you eat breakfast, if she drops have a second finger ready to pop on the tray. Don’t expect that she will eat loads at the moment, playing with it is part of her learning, her main nutrition will still be her milk.

Oh and there will always be people showing how amazing their baby is at eating, some babies do take to it easily, others take longer the same as anything else. My eldest was a he eat eater but didn’t walk until nearly 18 months. Swings and roundabouts.

Keep trying. She'll get there.

Mine was quick to accept spoon feeding but it took him a while to get the hang of finger food, he didn't start to even taste it for a good month but then from there it went fast and he just didn't look back.

It can take many, many weeks before baby will actually eat anything.

First it gets played with and squished and dropped.

Then it gets licked and sucked.

Then it gets tasted.

Then it gets eaten.

Just keep offering finger food from your own plate and baby will get there.

Can you let her hold the spoon but help her guiding it? Give her 2 spoons and feed with the 3rd?

Sit her on a wipeable mat on the floor instead of in a high chair. If she drops the food she can pick it up again. Sit next to her and eat your food (same as hers if possible). Babies learn by example. Make sure the food is in good big, baton sized pieces, easy to grasp and not too slippery. Eg, spread ripe fruit onto crackers or bread instead of giving pieces of banana, avocado or mango.

Some foods are excellent for beginners, like broccoli, cauliflower, melon slices, cucumber batons, pasta tubes, strips of chicken and meat, my dc had a whale of a time with egg noodles, small savoury pancakes, little sandwiches with soft fillings, breadsticks, that kind of thing.

I started ds on solid foods at 7 months, mashed egg, mashed peas, mashed carrots, puréed apple, buttered toast. He just played with it at first. Put it in his mouth, spat it out, gummed the toast fingers.
He was determined to do it himself so I just covered the floor in newspaper and let him get on with it.
I never used pouches - have you tasted them 🙁expensive, too much plastic packaging and easy to make much better at home.