8 month old only on purees - HV expressing concern

[tribpot]

Hi all,

ds is a healthy 8 month old and putting weight on well. But I weaned late and rather unenthusiastically because dh has a number of food intolerances that I wanted to be wary of (wheat, dairy). So far ds will happily tuck into fruit or veg puree but won't take anything if it's lumpy and as for finger food - forget about it. Whilst he is happy to eat paper, chew on the remote control or indeed my mobile phone, offered a rice cake he will simply throw it on the floor. Even if I eat one too, to demonstrate that it is indeed food.

Took him off to be weighed today at baby clinic and the hv seemed rather concerned that we still hadn't progressed beyond the puree stage. In fairness, we don't often eat with him as my dh can only eat once a day as it causes him so much pain, so has to do so in the evening. I skip breakfast and grab a sarnie on the way to work in the afternoon as it's the only time I find to do it.

To that end, as I want to get ds started on breakfast soon, I think I will start sitting down with him for breakkie first thing and see how he gets on with cereal, but I guess I just wanted some MN reassurance that my ds is okay. The hv's view was if he didn't figure out how to eat more solid solids soon, I would need to bring him back to baby clinic. (God knows what they would do there, give him a pamphlet to read?)

thanks again for the reassurances. Bobby, fear not, dh is under the care of the pain clinic and we are progressing things there as best we can.

Ds is taking quite well to his rice cakes now, but has given the thumbs down to cheese, bread and broccoli but we shall persevere!

Uwila, laughing at your nanny getting grief from the other nannies.

With your dh's history I would take any refusal of food seriously. Ds just knows when something is not right for him and I don't push it.

Have you tried toasted cheese?

Thanks for starting the thread trib, it's reassured me too. All the best

Sorry, have just realised I didn't respond on this thread! I haven't tried toasted cheese, partly because I don't like it! But also I'm still taking it slowly with wheat and dairy.

He continues not to be very fussed at all, but I am going to start breakfast tomorrow because he's now taking two 8oz bottles within two hours of getting up (whether he's woken in the night or not) so obviously needs more bulk in the mornings. We'll see how it goes.

Thanks again all!

My DS (9mo) still prefers purees, especially when ill, but I've had some success with:

• shop-bought baby rusks
• thinly-sliced cheese cut up into strips (eg gouda)
• small pieces of toast with butter/jam or hummus
• chunks of raw cucumber, apple or avocado, peeled and cut up in odd shapes so he can get a good grip on them

Have to say though, he will play with these and gnaw on them but very little goes down his throat - so I still have to feed him puree to actually get him fed.

Another thing to try if you don't already is (before bathtime! and after he's eaten some food already) give him a bowl of puree and a baby spoon and let him play. DS loves this, again he eats very little but he does put the spoon in his mouth, especially if I eat something at the same time and he can copy me. Gets him used to holding something and sticking it in his mouth and this helps with the finger foods I think.

But of course don't worry and never let him think you're getting worked up about it! My DP gets into a state when DS refuses food and you can see DS getting into winding him up.

Oh PS you can get rusks and toast without wheat - try health food shops, or you can make your own wheat-free rusks or bread (if you are Anthea Turner!) or try oatcakes.

I think your HV is overreacting, and sounds to be of the 3 meals and finger foods by six months school of thought (that was what I was told by mine that I should be doing!!). Sounds like DS is starting to do finger foods anyway now, so problem solved!

Agree with other posters that there's no need to bother switching him to follow-on, as although there is more iron in follow-on, it's not in a form that's readily digestible by the baby anyway. Given the reflux issues, I wouldn't want to mess around switching him to another formula for no good reason.

i just have to answer on this thread. my dd is nearly 11 months old and has worried me sick with her eating. I was consantly getting her weighed and she was only putting in 2 oz at a time. She now weighs 17.13 which isnt too bad as she weighed only 6.13 when born. She went through a stage of refusing milk, which was also worrying. She is ok with some lumps, but has only just started this maybe 4 weeks ago. very stressful and worrying. for breakfast she has rice krispies soaked in full fat milk. loves these. She will then have a 7oz bottle before her morning nap. lunchtime will possibly be a ham or jam sandwich cut into incredibly small pieces and sitting on the floor playing with me as she hates her highchair, followed by a yoghurt, and some grapes/banana again small pieces. i used to give her an afternoon bottle before her nap but have recently cut this out as was told by the HV that she was drinking too much milk which was probably why her appetite wasnt picking up. I used to give her a jar of 7 month food in the evening but am trying to get her to eat what we are. Not going to well. then before bed she will have another 7oz bottle of full fat milk.

oh and finger foods....mashed banana, pom bears, rusks, breadsticks, and especially malteasers and buttons.