16 month old still refusing textured foods, any advice from parents?

[NewMummyB]

Hi mum's,
I'm new here. I need advice. I am a first time mum and feel like such a failure. My 16 month old boy still does not eat texture food. Rather he picks it up and throws it on the floor. It makes me sad because I feel like its my fault. He is interested in his food pouches but when it comes to texture he just spits it right out? Has anyone gone through this? When did you child finally start eating?

You aren’t a failure and it’s not your fault. You are doing your very best. It’s so stressful when your child won’t eat a range of foods.

You do need to try to relax and offer what he will eat alongside any finger foods he will accept. He may pick up on your anxiety.
It could just be a phase he’s going through.
If it goes on longer you might want to look at more specialist advice. Any books or advice from Dr Gillian Harris and Dr Liz Shea is highly recommended.
Our daughter saw both of these wonderful Psychologists who helped so much.

Some basic advice here

https://blog.jkp.com/2018/07/food-refusal-avoidant-eating-arfid/

Stop offering pouches and offer real food. Read up on Baby led Weaning which had advice on feeding actual food from 6 months. Fruit is usually popular as it is sweet. They advise offering it when your child has a full tummy with milk to start with so they can play about with the food and aren't cross or frustrated. It starts off being play time for them. This is for little ones but could still work. It takes the pressure off them having to eat.

Are they feeding themselves or are you trying to feed them? They can be better when they have control themselves.

What textures are you offering/ they are rejecting? We did BLW so mine loved most things they could pick up with their hands but didn't like wet textured things in sauces like chilli or casseroles. They are fine now.

Also, keep offering stuff to them that they previously rejected. It can take them trying something 20 times to actually know if they like something. Do they have any sensory issues with clothing or heat or loud noises? If so, they might have sensory issues and need longer to get used to different things or just genuinely have a problem with textures. If not, they will start trying things.

They may just have a preference for the pouches because they are familiar with that texture. Keep trying.

DS is early 20s now but he wouldn’t eat solid food for ages. He’d always had mashed up/moulied real food rather than anything commercial. It was difficult when he left the baby room at nursery and wouldn’t eat the toddler dinner. I’m afraid it was just a slow process of keep trying. He started eating baked potatoes and baked beans, then we got to the point where pasta was ok. He still wouldn’t eat cake at 2. Turned out to be a good eater and not at all fussy in the end and is now a strapping 6’2”.

Is he talking yet?
I would speak to you HV and possibly ask for a referral to the dieticians especially if hi is not talking

Don’t stop the pouches but do offer other food first.
Ive got one child who won’t eat quite a few types of food because of the texture, and will starve rather than eat these foods, had delayed speech and is asd. I’ve another who can be picky if given option but if hungry eats most things.