MASSIVE STRUGGLE - 7 month old refusing most food and still demanding breast at night!

[kashka81]

My LO will be turning 7 months in 2 days and we've been weaning him for just over a month now. He keeps refusing food during the day, only eats porridge with fruits for dinner we gave him around 6pm. He would even refuse eating the very same porridge for breakfast and lunch.

I tried giving him many different foods, mixing stuff with porridge, offering finger food (which he sometimes enjoys but I can't really call it eating as it's more playing with food).

He also still wakes up at night, usually just once (thankfully!) but will not settle unless I offer him my boob. Nothing works, he won't take water and just screams like crazy until he gets milk :(

I'm feeling helpless and like I'm not consequent enough, but hoping to hear I'm just panicking! ;)

It's fine. Your breast milk is far more nutritious than any bits of food he might eat.

At this age, I think weaning is more about learning to chew and exploring tastes and textures than actually consuming food.

Keep offering food and breast and he'll get there. Perhaps check out baby led weaning if he's happier about holding food.

It's very normal for a 7 month old to still feed at night? Once a night is great. Dd 2 is 7 months and feeds 2/3 times a night and she's eating 3 goodish meals a day. Don't worry

Oh pet there's nothing wrong with what you are doing, he's just doing what babies do best

Mine is 2 and a half and still has milk at night and all day

It's fine.

Food before one is just for fun. Most calories come from milk. Let them enjoy it and remove the pressure and anxiety. Your son will pick it up at some point before he's 18. Just keep offering a wide variety of things.

Thanks mums! I think it's quite clear this is my first baby as I worry about everything and keep over-analysing stuff. I will try to take it easy and experiment with food (to the point that is!). Fingers crossed sooner or later he'll just figure things out - and hopefully I won't have to wait until he's 18! ;)

Don't worry about worrying too much. I have read this thread because I have the same concerns about my son who is not interested in feeding and he's my second child so thank you for asking the question!

Meant to say not interested in weaning.

He just doesn't sound quite ready yet. I don't mean stop trying, but he doesn't sound ready to eat great volumes. He'll still be testing, tasting, getting used to different textures etc and probably also still relies on the comfort of breast feeding as well as the calories and nutrition.
It will come. My dd never totally got the hang of food til about 9 months and didn't show a proper interest until closer to 8 months x