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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

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Original poster

Crying during feeding

17 replies

Spoo · 22/08/2005 17:51

Not sure whether anyone can help, but I am struggling at the moment with weaning. Almost everytime my 7 month old eats he ends up crying. When I put him in the chair, he starts moaning which sometimes stops when I start feeding him. After a while (maybe three or four mouthfuls) he might start moaning again and we distract him with finger food and toys and even dancing around the room. He tends to take some food but it can escalate into a full scale crying session. He eats his breakfast (half a weetabix) really well and sometimes I can stop a crying session with a Petit Filous which he seems to love. Please can someone help me as I am not sure where I am going wrong and I am starting to dread mealtimes.

OP posts:

hermykne · 22/08/2005 17:54

spoo, maybe take a day off and see what haoppens, it wont do him anyharm, or maybe his appetite isnt ready for 3 meals a day just two, morn and even?
try and build up his appetite again and maybe his curiousity - maybe out of the high chair and somewhere esle for a for pieces of fruit and leave it at that.

dont worry i had a terrible eater for my dd and eventually she came round - still not great but does work up an appetite

Norash · 22/08/2005 17:58

Spoo, does he do this all the time or onle some of the time? Because if it only part of the time then I am with hermykne.

At what age did you start weaning?

Bellie · 22/08/2005 18:00

spoo - i feel for you so much this happens so frequently in our house!! DD used to do it every feed time - I have posted on here so frequently about it but sorry I am useless at doing links.
The best bits of advice that I have been given on here is - don't get stressed babies will not starve themselves and will feed when they are hungry (this can take up to 4 days with my dd!!)
try water inbetween mouthfuls. And if they don't like something or don't eat it get them out of the highchair before the crying gets too intense and start again next meal time.

HTH and that it is a phase!

Bellie · 22/08/2005 18:00

HTH and that it is a phase!

Bellie · 22/08/2005 18:02

oops obviously no good at posting properly either!!

Original poster

Spoo · 22/08/2005 18:09

I started weaning at 4 months as he was desperate for food. Even now he still wants whats in your hand rather than what is in front of him! I might try just giving him bits not in the high chair, he seems to like snacking on finger food rather than big meals. Bellie - glad to know it is not only me. He gets soo messy too and wiping his face down is a screaming fit. I tend to let him get mucky until the end. i have given up making food as it seems like to much heart ache. I thought I would really enjoy feeding him but it is proving to be the most difficult thing. I am worried I am going to give him some food issues later in life.

OP posts:

Norash · 22/08/2005 18:13

about making a mess, I would just feed him the way he seems to enjoy it. I have taken to feeding my son only in his nappy as he seems to get so messy and seems to enjoy his food better this way.

Oh well you win some you loose some

Norash · 22/08/2005 18:13

about making a mess, I would just feed him the way he seems to enjoy it. I have taken to feeding my son only in his nappy as he seems to get so messy and seems to enjoy his food better this way.

Oh well you win some you loose some

Original poster

Spoo · 22/08/2005 18:24

I don't worry about the mess now. Others think I am very tolerant. It is normally in his hair eyes, ears! I just worry about the crying. Other babies seem to open their mouths like little birds, I have to sneak mine in past the spoon he is playing with.

OP posts:

hermykne · 22/08/2005 19:18

spoo, my dd is a grazer and likes to have something to eat every 1 1/2hr or so, then i dont give her anyhting from 2.30 on so she eats dinner, hard, but otherwise i dont get nutrients into her. shes 3 in oct.
but i would offer little and often and see if that helps. and maybe go back to basic weaning with the tastes and see if that helps.

angie0201 · 22/08/2005 22:38

Hi sorry i haven't read all the thread so sorry if im repeating anything. My dd had exactly the same problem she is also 7 months now, i found that if she was too tired before she eat then she would cry also if she was to hungry before she eat i would have to shovel in the first couple of teaspoons and then she would calm down a bit. i now give dd some fruit and juice at about 3:30-4 then tea at 5 so she is not overly hungry. and for dinner i gave her 4oz of milk at about 1030 and her dinner at 12 and then she wasn't too hungry. she has a nap also in morning and afternoon and this stops her being to sleepy to eat, hope this helps i know how stressful it is i remember the dancing about it was a nitemare i too used to dread mealtimes and found myself not being able to go out with her or anything CAT me if you wanna talk

Original poster

Spoo · 23/08/2005 18:55

THanks guys for your advice. Today has gone a lot better. He has had three meals without tantrums. As soon as I saw any signs I stopped immediately. I think he might be teething at the moment which probably doesn't help. I think also there is a lot of competition amongst my Post Natal group on whose baby can eat the most and I feel he doesn't eat as much as others although he is more developed in other areas. Thanks again. I was at my wits end last night and you all really gave me and my DH a lot of support.

OP posts:

angie0201 · 24/08/2005 10:10

i know the feeling with the competitive nature of a lot of these group, cant yours eat lumps yet, is that all they are eating, there having a lot of milk i used to get really upset with it all but know i go with the flow and i am a lot more relaxed, i dont know why everyone is like that, but congrates with the feeding sure it will all be fine

Oscara · 24/08/2005 11:36

Just wanted to say that I'm going through exactly the same thing with my 7 month old son. I always seem to be worrying that I'm not doing things right (sometimes he doesn't have his 3 meals a day and he gets a little constipated) but having read this thread has made me feel so much better. It's nice to know that we're not alone.

Original poster

Spoo · 01/09/2005 17:06

Thanks Oscara! Sending happy feeding vibes to you!

OP posts:

Oscara · 02/09/2005 08:34

No probs Spoo!! Hope all is going well.

sarabub · 10/09/2005 10:26

Hello

I am new to this board. I can relate to everything you all say. My 8m old daughter Emily is exactly the same. I sometimes put her in the high chair and she can immediately start crying. I get very stressed out. But I've now been told by my HV that I should just take it away from her and not make a big deal of it. She will eat next time and won't starve.

I got very upset this week that she wasn't eating and I also compare her to other babies in my group who are eating 'everything', which I won't do anymore because I know it's wrong. Emily is progressing so well in other areas.

If anyone wants a chat, it would be nice to hear from you.

Sara x

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