Is/was your allergic baby reluctant to be weaned?

[piggybank]

Hello,

I started weaning my formula fed son at 6 months old. He is now 7.5 months old and still refuses to open his mouth for any food from a spoon. He will sometimes pick up finger food and lick it, so more and more I am trying to provide finger food without completely giving up on purée.

He has shown allergy in response to wheat, with each introduction bringing out a stronger localised rash on face, fingers and anything that has been in contact with the food.

This made me wonder if his reluctance to be weaned was some sort of natural caution towards food because of his allergy. Although strangely the allergen is one of the few foods he has actually deemed suitable to lick!

Any other reluctant weaners out there that turned out to have an allergy?

Also, any tips for getting him to try some food? So far it's not going very well in my opinion and it's starting to get me down.

Thank!

DO NOT let it get you down, not at all. promise me.

he's picking food up and licking it, which is fine for that age. let him be, he'll get there in his own time. food's for fun until they're one and all that.

allergies aren't something i know a great deal about, but it makes a lot of sense to me that a child (and his mother) who has experienced allergic reactions will have more to gain by being cautious than gung-ho. (although it does not follow, as you have found, that he will avoid his allergens). the licking is interesting, though, perhaps he's seeing if he feels a reaction on his tongue?

anyway, seriously, forget about the food thing, he's doing fine no doubt. they all end up eating one way or another. best thing for you to do is keep out of it, if he's not chowing down it's no reflection on you, it's just he's not that into it yet. whichever weaning you're doing, blw, purees, mash, woteva, the biggest barrier to having a nice time with food is a freaked-out mum.

Yes, DS1 was a nightmare to wean and still v fussy. He has eczema (was v severe as a baby) and allergic to egg, chick peas and lentils, was intolerant to cows' milk but thankfully has outgrown that.

The eczema on his hands was so bad any food on it would irritate, at one point I had to feed him in scratch mitts :( as it was so bad. I think this made him naturally suspicious of food and even now he is v reluctant to try anything new, or anything where he can't see exactly what's in it.

Otoh he does now have a better appetite and eats a healthy, if limited diet. I think finger food is def the way to go with allergic babies as thy have more control and seem to know what they can and can't eat.

oh gosh, dinner in scratch mitts, the poor wee soul, meg.

Also spoon refusal v common even in non-allergic babies, DS2 has thankfully no known allergies and will eat absolutely anything, but from day one would NOT tolerate being spoon fed. I gave him my lovingly pre-prepared purees spread on toast until my freezer stock was gone, after that he just had whatever his brother was having

Ds was just like this, although he had no allergies. He wouldn't touch anything on a spoon, had tiny amounts of finger food until he was 9 or 10 months, then he got more enthusiastic about food. So it might be that your ds is being cautious because of his allergies, or that he's just not interested yet.

As aitch says, it's not really important that they are eating meals at 7 months, however much some health visitors might try to make you believe otherwise. So try not to worry.

Oh thank you guys for replying! Your words are very kind and reassuring. I must admit that I have been worried although I have been trying to relax more. With the puree, he stopped laughing or babbling at the table lest I put a sneaky spoon in his mouth! Now I'm presenting finger foods and trying to get on with my own meal. His licking is very cautious and with new food he makes a face like he's being poisoned. It is definitely progress and I am very proud of him :-)

Scratch mitts! Poor baby!! My DS also has eczema so maybe his touching and licking is him feeling around for a skin response. I have been doing a little more reading over the threads on this board and as you have pointed out his rejection of the the spoon is not that unusual.

Thanks guys, I am feeling relieved. He is after all a big enough, solid baby who drinks a shed load of milk. Finger food is definitely the way forward I think.

Aitch I PROMISE not to let it get to me!

i'll go and find the page later but that face is called the 'you've poisoned me' face and they ALL do it.

It is a very cute face . He does it each and every time he is offered water :)

Aitch is there a poisoned face gallery?

no, but it's such a good idea that i'm going to start one.

Oh Aitch please do start a gallery! I have a great picture of my DS's response to avocado. Some times he gags even before he's touched the food!!

lol. the site is being totally re-jigged at the mo, i'll get onto it.

My DS wouldn't eat off a spoon at first but would suck puree off my finger! He did this for a while and has now twigged that he can eat quicker off the spoon. Also gave him a spoon to play with between meals so he got used to holding it and putting it in his mouth.

Can't wait to see the poisoned face gallery!