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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

Original poster

Advice needed! 17 month old will only eat puree!

8 replies

uglybugly · 07/03/2007 14:58

Just wondered if anyone else had encountered this problem. My Son (17 months)will not eat anything apart from pureed foods at mealtimes. If I try to mash or give him slightly lumpy food he gags on it and vomits. Then again, as snacks he will eat crisps, rusks, biscuits(but wont touch fruit!) This has been witnessed by my HV, who has referred him to a feeding clinic. What I am worried about is that she said it could affect his speech. I try to encourage him to finger feed at mealtimes, but the sight of him gagging is distressing. I know I may be encouraging bad behaviour by pureeing, but I am at the end of my tether (and on second high chair!) He has been like this since trying to introduce different foods from about 7-8 months. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

OP posts:
MrsBadger · 07/03/2007 15:05

This does sound difficult.
Are you spooning the purees or is he spooning himself?
If he eats crisps etc at 'snack' times will he eat similar things at meal times? Or does he take the highchair / you watching combo as a cue to demand puree?

Original poster
uglybugly · 07/03/2007 15:20

He will try to spoon feed himself, and my HV has said that he is a few months behind developmentally regarding his feeding so I try to encourage that. I am also concerned that he is getting enough nutrients. I would like to try him on chopped up food, he tends to gag on that. Do you think he may be picking up on my worry, or just is a bit lazy and likes to be spoon fed?

OP posts:
MrsBadger · 07/03/2007 15:40

TBH it's hard to tell, hence all the questions! You do sound worried and it's almost impossible not to communicate food anxieties, esp if you're hanging over him doing the spooning and not eating yourself.

If at lunchtime you lay some bits (toast fingers, cheese sticks, steamed veg sticks etc) out on a plate near where he's pottering around, or where he normally snacks , is he more amenable to feeding himself then when strapped in the highchair?
Or something like a Handysitt that's less restrictive and can be pulled right up to the table so he can eat with you might appeal to him.

The gagging thing can be a worry - I'm not sure what to suggest if he's always sick after gagging, but Aitch has a very handy page here about the difference between the normal gagging of a baby getting used to solid food and actual choking.

Original poster
uglybugly · 07/03/2007 15:44

Thanks for your advice. I shall try what you have suggested. I do realise that I could be reflecting my own anxieties onto him, and have tried recently to ensure that he sits with us all and sees us eating. I will let you know if I make any progress!

OP posts:
MrsBadger · 07/03/2007 16:12

You sound like you're doing all the right things so don't worry too hard, and good luck at the feeding clinic!

AitchTwoOh · 07/03/2007 20:24

just wanted to add my sympathy, that sounds like a pain in the neck, no wonder it's stressing you if you've got the HV on your case etc. i'm sure the feeding clinic see this sort of thing all the time, i'm sure they'll know how to encourage him.

i remember NQC saying something rather disgusting about the gag reflex, which does nevertheless illustrate that it is a question of experience with, er, lumps. she, being a dirty doctor, pointed out that plenty of porn stars learn how to beat their gag reflex in order to further pleasure their partners. i'm sure you know what i mean... so therefore on a smaller scale that means that every time he gags, so long as you don't freak out, he is training his gag reflex to move further back every time... practice makes perfect. so your response is actually rather important, iykwim? i can see why you are stressed, though.

Original poster
uglybugly · 08/03/2007 10:44

Thanks for all your words of encouragement! It did worry me when he used to gag when he was younger as I was afraid he was choking - but I have learnt how to be very blase about it now. He has vomited so many times though, I have had to buy him another high chair as his old one (and it's only a few months old)really could'nt be cleaned properly anymore. This is all new to me as I have an 11 year old, who when he was a baby would eat literally anything. Cheers

OP posts:
Vittoria123 · 05/07/2024 10:30

uglybugly · 07/03/2007 14:58

Just wondered if anyone else had encountered this problem. My Son (17 months)will not eat anything apart from pureed foods at mealtimes. If I try to mash or give him slightly lumpy food he gags on it and vomits. Then again, as snacks he will eat crisps, rusks, biscuits(but wont touch fruit!) This has been witnessed by my HV, who has referred him to a feeding clinic. What I am worried about is that she said it could affect his speech. I try to encourage him to finger feed at mealtimes, but the sight of him gagging is distressing. I know I may be encouraging bad behaviour by pureeing, but I am at the end of my tether (and on second high chair!) He has been like this since trying to introduce different foods from about 7-8 months. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Hi
sorry for this and I know it is a long time ago post but how did it turn out for your son in the end ? Did he grow out of it ?

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