18mo still not eating much solids

[TychosNose]

Ds still doesn't seem to be very interested in solid food. He's happy to sample the odd piece of fruit or a few favourites like cheese or biscuits but he still would rather fill up on breast milk.

He's never really eaten much in the way of solids, which is fine. He seems to be developing normally otherwise I think.

I'm not worried that he's malnourished, it's just that he bf All. The. Time.

He's like a newborn. And I want a break from constantly having to bf.

He will sip formula or cows milk from a bottle or a cup, but won't take enough to satisfy hunger, for that only bf will do.

Any advice?

Bump

I've had two like this!
My oldest started eating at 20mths
It turns out that she has massive tonsils which are going to be taken out soon so it may be worth checking that out.
Youngest is 19 months and eats well sometimes and not others. She prefers softer foods so I'm going to get her throat checked too.
You have my sympathy. It's very stressful

Why don't you just stop the bf, during the day, or all together. He is not getting the right nutrients from just breast milk, and as long as you keep on feeding him, he has no incentive to try more solids. What do you try him on for breakfast, lunch and supper, and are you eating at the same time as him to encourage him?

Have you tried giving a meal before having the milk e.g. before a first feed in the morning give a bowl of porridge with some fruit and a sippy cup of milk. He should be hungry enough to give it a good go, then give a breast feed half an hour later. Offer food at each mealtime and only offer bf in between meals.

Have you tried refusing the milk to make him hungry enough to want food?

Thanks for the replies.
I might get his tonsils checked.

Yes we all eat together. The thing is he is hungry a lot. If I don't be he just gets grumpy. Offering him solids doesn't work. He just nibbles and asks to be bf. I can keep refusing but he'll just get more and more upset.

We just eat normal stuff. Cereal n toast for brekkie, cheese sandwiches for lunch, pasta n sauce or mild curry n rice for dinner, for eg. He usually does have a few mouthfuls, but not enough to satisfy his hunger.

He's least hungry in the morning because he feeds through the night, but that's another story!

I think you may have to set aside a few days, and with help from dh just refuse the bf, and even though he may scream etc, he'll soon break the habit. What happens if you leave him with dh for the day? He can't be bf then, can he! It may be rubbish for 2 - 3 days, but children are very adaptable!

If he's hungry and trying food but only having a little it really could be worth getting the tonsils checked. It sounds like he wants to eat which is a good sign .Have you tried him on purees or ellas kitchen ? I know that they are expensive but trying a few may help if you know what flavours he likes.
What do you cook that he likes the most .Does he have any favourites?

I often find that Dd2 has a few mouthfuls, then breastfeeds and 20 mins later has a few more mouthfuls. It's not ideal but she's slowly learning to fill up on solids.

What about foods he can hold .Again they are expensive but cheese strings go down well here because they are soft and also protein rich which satisfies hunger .

It could also be that he's a snacker so his tummy has never expanded hence he gets hungry more quickly .
Can you try daddy or someone else taking him for a few hours ? Then when he sees you he will have a bigger feed and not get hungry so quickly .

My 15month old is similar. She eats everything they give her in nursery but picks at home and looks for breastmilk all the time. I find she does best if I offer small amounts all the time, like bowl of chopped fruit/cheese while playing. In the nursery they say she only has small portions so they give her 5 smaller meals. I've been off work, and working hard over the past week on setting limits with breastfeeding which seems to be helping too. So she doesn't get milk unless she asks nicely, and I'm only feeding her in one chair downstairs and in bed. The rest of the time I try not to sit down too long! Do you want to stop breastfeeding or just cut back? I don't think my DD is ready, and she doesn't drink any other milk or eat any dairy so I would worry about calcium.

I would not listen to anyone who says "breast milk is not good nutrition for him any more". I firmly believe your baby knows best, if he wants milk it's because it's what is best for him. My DD ate practically nothing but breast milk till she was about 26 months. She is, and always was, the healthiest, most active kid imaginable. I understand that it is tiring for you, however. I found there was little I could do though other than go at her pace. If I refused to feed her and offered solids she'd cry till she was blue in the face and that was way more tiring than sitting and having a relaxing moment while feeding her. They're all different. Some need to bf more than others. My DS would rather eat peas than bf. Could be worth it, but I doubt it has anything to do with his tonsils. 18 months is still very young. I've known many mums who were almost exclusively breastfeeding their babies at that age and they were all happy and bouncy as anything.