DS 8 months lost his appetite

[hodgiebreeder]

Hi all!! I know I'm being a complete neurotic, stressed first time mum but I'd really like some reassurance. My DS is 8 months and seems to have lost interest in solids completely. We used to call him the human dustbin as he took to weaning like a duck to water as would eat anything and in large quantities!! About 4 weeks ago he had a nasty bout of D&V, followed by 2 teeth coming through, followed by a nasty cold (bless him!!) and it just seems to have really knocked his confidence with food. The rational bit of me (the tiny, tiny bit that I never seem to listen to?!) knows that as long as he has his milk - which he does, at least 24oz a day - he'll be fine..... But I can't help worrying. I'm offering a real mixture of foods (purée and finger foods) and its so disheartening when most of it ends up in the bin. He even refused banana and yogurt this morning..... BANANA?!?! Dark times.....

I would just leave him be. If he refuses just take the food away and try again at the next mealtime.
I had a similar thing with DS, he had a bug and then never really got his appetite back - turns out he was sickening for chicken pox. Not that I think that is happening to your DS, but the HV reassured me to just go with it.They know what they need and he will come back to food in time.
I know, however, that this will not stop your heartbreaking when he refuses his favourite foods.
Good luck

Agree with Icould and the tiny rational bit inside you. Just keep offering food and if he wants it fine, if he doesn't then just clear it away with out any fuss. Just try not to go down the route of offering him his favourites if he doesn't eat or treats.

Milk is enough at this age and try to remember "food is for fun until you are one".

My DS1 went through roughly the same. I got really worked up about it. And made the mistake of trying too hard and mealtimes became a battle. The only thing that worked was to give him bread sticks and some kind of pureed food, and let him dip the bread sticks in the food and lick it. Very, very messy for a while but he did get over it.

I think a lot of babies lose interest as the novelty wears off, but soon regain it. Just keep offering at mealtimes, no fuss or pressure - he won't starve

Thanks everyone. That's just the reassurance I needed. So do you advise not offering alternatives? Offer something and if he refuses it just take it away and move on? He doesn't seem to want more milk and isn't waking in the night so I can only assume he's not going hungry...... Which seems weird as he's having half of what he was having a month ago..... Babies are weird

Yes, don't offer any alternatives, just assume that if he's not eating he's not hungry. The milk is enough at this age. If you start offering alternatives he will quickly get the message that if he refuses something he doesn't fancy he gets a something much nicer and you don't want to start that one!

My DD is slid 8 months old and has lost the enormous appetite she had a month or so ago. I put it down to a developmental phase - I am sure the size meals she was eating could not be right, she was eating more than her 3 yo brother!