weaning regression, 6mo refusing puree

[dennant]

Hello mums,
I have the most adorable but strong willed daughter who has started to refuse all food (solid).
She started weaning at just before 6 months as she began night waking again for food. This hasn't stopped and she is now 7 1/2mo.
We started her on baby porridge and purees at 6 months and she took to it really well but caught a cold and then went off breakfast all together. As with supper (hv advised us to give her some milky wheatabix before bed). Last week she had gastroenteritis but is over that now and back on a full appetite but she is still refusing any solid foods that are on a spoon. Even what was her favourites two weeks ago.
She loves finger foods but all of that ends up on the floor not in her mouth and unless she takes on more substantial meals she is never going to sleep through again (currently waking twice at least).
I know people will say it's a phase but I don't feel it is, she is now literally screaming as soon as she sees the high chair come out.
Any advice on getting her over this quickly? I have to go back to work soon and am in a job where the lack of sleep is going to cause problems.
I try not to force anything at her, and give her the spoons and bowls to play with. She'll happily put an empty spoon in her mouth herself but as soon as it has anything on it she clamps shut.
I am trying different times of day, withholding her bottle, giving her some first, in between and anything else I can think of but with no joy.
I am all out of ideas.

Help please!

Maybe she doesn't like the texture, have you tried lumpier dinners? Putting chopped up fruit in her porridge? Neither of mine got on too long with puree, I didn't do BLW but did just mash things up generally.

P.s has she evet had silent reflux or symptoms of it?

Food is fun before one. Don't withhold her milk, it should be her main source of calories until she is at least 12 months old. I can emphasize with you wanting her to sleep through, if you are sure she is waking for hunger as opposed to teething or having a sleep regression for example, then the best thing you can do is still give her plenty of milk as this has way more calories per serving than a veg or fruit purée.

Yes, agree that withholding milk is problematic. Give her food about an hour after milk, and keep up her milk feeds. The vast majority of her nutrition should still be from milk.

To me, she is quite clearly telling you that she wants to feed herself. The worst thing you can do is to make meal time a battle time, as you run the risk of setting up longer term issues around food. Screaming at the sight of the high chair is a clear sign that mealtimes are not a relaxed pleasant experience for her at the minute.

At this age food should be about exploring new foods, colours, textures and flavours. The focus, for me, shouldn't be about getting a certain volume of food into them. I think you may have to go with letting her self feed - she may surprise you with how quickly she get the hang of it.

Thanks all for the quick responses. To clarify when I said withhold het milk, I have never let her go without. I simply meant when it's was time for a bottle I tried food first, I have always given her as much milk as she wants.
This afternoon I tried feeding her Sat on the floor with some baby cereal with the lumpy bits in and she was slightly more receptive, but still cried a bit in and amongst opening her mouth for more, talk about mixed signals!
What woukd you suggest as finger foods for her? I have been giving her cucumber and cheese sticks and pieces of toast but beyond that I don't really know what to offer. I have no knowledge of baby led weaning, I was Annabelle karmel all the way. ..

Milk should always be offered first, hungry babies are much more likely to fuss about food (counterintuitive, I know!). I tend to think that food and sleep are unconnected, by the way, babies wake up for lots of reasons. Good luck!

Finger foods: pitta bread, hhoumous, carrot sticks, cheese, mango, dips, homemade quiche. DS just used to eat whatever we were having, without salt.

At 7.5 months she can have whatever you're having (assuming no added salt, honey, while nuts) - let her feed herself. So I would do things like pasta/spaghetti and sauce, curry and rice, shepherds pie, etc and my DS would feed himself with his hands. You don't need to have specific "finger" foods. And yes, it will be messy - but that's half the fun!

It's quite common for babies to go off being spoon fed as they want to have control over what is going in their mouth.

My 6mo had chicken, rice and tenderstem broccoli tonight. You just give them what you are having. There isn't any need to make finger food.

And what you describe is exactly what my two reacted if I tried feeding with a spoon. Neither took to spoon feedkng. Mh experience with DD1 is by 7mo they already eat quite a lot. And by 9mo, with pincer grip they can eat anythjng.

Sounds like you have a spoon refuser... I've had two. I had never heard of this before DS and it totally freaked me out! Good things to try... Toast, spread with hummus, cream cheese, avocado. Sticks of cooked veg (sweet potato, parsnip and tenderstem broccoli are favourites in our house. Mini burgers (chicken, beef, pork, chickpea) or fish cakes.
Buy a cheap plastic table cloth and stick it under the high chair. Keep it really clean and you can 'recycle' food .