9 month old 'fussy' eater

[grace11]

My little girl likes to eat peas, raisins, fish fingers and very cheesy fish pie. I'm trying to expand on this by placing new food on her tray and leaving her to it but she starts crying. Last night I tried little pieces of chicken, today salmon and carrot - she just throws it on the floor and screams. I felt very bad too as she opened her mouth (a miracle) when I offered her the salmon on a spoon and she was so distraught once it was in her mouth that I had to take her out of the high chair. I don't know what to do really and I'm wondering if I'm missing something here: are there any simple recipes, finger foods or little bits of food that people have found particularly successful with 'fussy' eaters? Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!

My ds ate very little til he was 15 months. I tried everything, the main thing is to relax.

I was advised to give new food alongside something you know they will eat. Even if it is a bit of a weird combination they don't know that yet. Just experiment with what you are having, ds loves eating my food rather than the same thing that is on his tray! She may prefer a mix of things to graze on or one at a time - they are all different.

You say last night, maybe she is tired and stressed with new experiences in the evening? Perhaps offer new foods at lunch?

Yes, it is hard though as I just panic when she won't even taste the meal I've just made! I end up really stressed trying to rethink the whole thing (which generally means defrosting peas and fish fingers!). I think you're right about her being tired though. She's started to sleep for a long time in the morning and not sleep at all in the afternoon, so I guess by tea time she's not in the mood to try new stuff. The problem is that she used to take mushed up food so isn't used to chewing and feeding herself. Now she isn't full after meals she's taking more milk. I haven't been able to drop her night feed because of all this too. She can only really suck bread and take tiny pieces of things she just swallows whole. Last night I think she ate an entire meal of peas! She ignored everything I offered and just carefully picked up the peas. She woke about 5 times in the night - probably with an upset stomach!

grace11 try not to panic as Albrecht says, DD will just pick up on your feelings and it will make things worse.

Agree that offering new things for lunch sounds like a good idea instead of at teatime. Could you offer something that you know she would eat at tea?

We also did the offering something you know they'll eat alongside new things, that way at least they will eat something.

When are you offering the milk, before or after meals? If its after you may want to swap to giving the milk an hour before solids as an empty tummy can sometimes make them less receptive to new foods.

Haven't read this book but if it's anything like her fab No Cry Sleep Solution it should be well worth the money .

I tried her with broccoli and cheese sauce at lunch today and she threw the lot on the floor - plain broccoli fine, cheese broccoli no. She also rejected the omelette she ate ok yesterday. I give her milk before and a little after breakfast and then once more mid afternoon and then before bed (and once in the night). The HV told me to stop feeding mid morning as she thought it would help with food (so she would be hungry). That book looks great - I loved her other books (got the nap and sleep solution) - thank you!

Did the HV really say don't give milk mid morning? I tried really hard to get my DD to keep the milk up because I know how important it is for them to get most of their calories from milk.

When you say she likes peas and raisins, is it a new thing that she started doing when she got her pincer grip? Have you tried other tiny food like shredded wheats, cheese cubes, or even tiny pieces of chicken? My DD is a bit younger at 8.5mo, and when she threw food on the food, she doesn't mean it. I put a mat under her high chair and just pick up the food and regive it to her. She'll put them back in her mouth!

Yes - she told me off for basically splitting feeds around meal times. I used to give her milk before and after breakfast, and the same split at lunch. She actually dropped the mid morning milk herself, but, recently, I think she wants it back because she's not eating enough.

It did all coincide with the pincer grip. She learnt to master this with peas and raisins a few months back and is now obsessed with it!! I tried her with tiny cubes of sweet potato the other day and she picked it up, held it to her lips and just tossed it on the floor. She did this with the broccoli and cheese yesterday and also sweetcorn. But if it's a pea, raisin or plain broccoli she'll happily eat it. I do scoop off the floor too and put it back on the tray but she doesn't really try it again. Sometimes if I pass her the food she'll take it - I tried this with strips of chicken yesterday. It seems that having things fairly plain is important too.

I'm worried about carbohydrates too. She can't seem to manage pasta - spaghetti gets spat out and everything else is too slippy, she hates potato and bread only gets sucked. I'm going to try cous cous today but doubt that will go down well...

I found when DD was throwing her food on the floor, it was because I had dared to put more than about two pieces of food in front of her at a time.

She's 21mo now, and sometimes will still pick the peas out of her meal and leave everything else (not often, but it happens) Good luck with couscous - DD still gives me a look when I give it to her and refuses point blank to eat it (than again, DH would too!)

Don't forget all these textures are new, and it can take up to 10-15 times before a new texture or flavour is accepted, so keep trying - it might be that she never likes that particular food. She'll still be learning that food is for eating rather than just something else to play with, so the putting things to her mouth and throwing it away is all part of the experience!

Are you eating at the same time as her? If not, then try eating together - she may be more inclined to try food if you are eating with her or try moving mealtimes, she may just not feel like eating anything when you're trying!