More help required, sorry!

[Ironmaiden]

Okay, I am really struggling with this weaning thing! I have introduced a few different foods and we are up to two regular meals a day but DD has decided she doesn't like most things I'm giving her, the more I introduce the pickier she gets, now she wont eat carrot, parsnip, courgette, pear or apple and I'm left with sweet potato, butternut squash, baby rice and cow&gate rice pudding. I cant keep giving her just these things can I? Are there dangers in giving a 6 month old a limited diet? I've tried mixing the things she likes with the things she doesnt like but she's wise to me!

he also liked to suck on slices of apple/melon

Will try some things tomorrow. Do you consider any bits and bobs they manage to eat a meal?

yeah. i would make him up a "meal" and then he just eats whatever he wants really.
i think you need to take your cues from your dd... she knows if she is hungry or wants more better than anyone else!
if she is enjoying something then give her more.. if she pushes it away or shows no interest then don't force it

Okay, okay, stuck again... I've found a few more things dd will eat, all carbohydrates (rusk, liga, porrige, cerial) and now she's constipated for days now... should I get medical help here or just stop the weaning for a few months altogether. I can't do anything right, it all ends up in tears somehow!!!!

Tried finger food, she seems scared of it! Tried banana, toast and apple, she just holds it in her hand and stares at it, no attempt to put it in her mouth and when I try to coax her she cries!

I wouldn't stress about the finger foods too much.
Ds is 8 months and doesn't even attempt to put anything in his mouth yet.
Nor do many of the babies of a similar age at my group.
They'll do it when they are ready.
As for the constipation, how many days has it been? I would get it checked out.
Keep giving fluids.
I had to resort to diluted apple juice with a spoon.

Is she straining to go or just not going for a few days? As they eat more solids then babies will poo less and they will be a bit more solid. Its only really hard pellet type poo that you need to be worried about. If it is then stick to fruits to loosen her up again or stop solids altogether for a few days.

If she is showing no real interest in the finger foods then she may just not be ready for solids (or just not hungry at that particular time). Keep offering (& by offering I mean putting in front of her) but try not to force the issue. As you have already found then coaxing her makes her cry and will only serve to make her associate solids with stress. Solids are only for tasters at this early age so please don't stress about how much she is eating - milk will provide most of her needs until she is at least one. I found it easier to think of foods in the early months as tasty toys rather than anything to do with nutrition. At this stage thats all they should be - fun for babies to get them interested in mealtimes. If she is not ready then just give her a spoon & bowl to play with as well a few sticks of food so that she feels a part of mealtimes.

Sazhig is exactly right in her advice. Babies are fine nutritionally having just milk until the are 12 months. From about 6 months they might like to chew and play with certain foods. It does tell you something if a baby is reluctant to eat...it's too soon! Both my babies ate their first food on their first birthday...one had a chop, the other cake! This wasn't intentional, just how it happened and their paediatrician was very relaxed about it all and said it was very normal and healthy to still be exclusively breast feeding at 12m. They have always been in a normal height/wt bracket and at ages 6&7 yet to have any illnesses or antibiotics.