Not showing interest. When to start?

[Peanut91]

My LO is 5.5 months and is showing all the signs of weaning except an interest in food. I know you are meant to start weaning around 6 months but if he is still not showing an interest then do I just start anyway?

I try to eat around him as much as possible but in reality it is not that much as he usually naps at lunchtime and is in bed before dinner.

The signs of readiness are:

stay in a sitting position, holding their head steady coordinate their eyes, hands and mouth so they can look at their food, 

pick it up and put it in their mouth

swallow food (rather than spit it back out

Which of these signs are you worried your LO isn't displaying?

Everywhere I have read and been told about the signs are:

Sitting up and head control

Putting things in mouth

Showing interest in food

I gave him a piece of carrot the other day to see what he would do and he just waved it around. Didnt go anywhere near his mouth. When he sits with me when I eat he doesnt show any interest in the food at all. Everyone else's babies are grabbing at food etc.

I know with BLW just to let them get on with it but what if he just doesnt put it in his mouth?

We are going away 4 days after he turns 6 months (for 5 days) so I dont know whether to just wait until after we get back if he is still not showing signs or just tk crack on. I dont really want to start it all while we are away

Sorry I did put my reply in paragraphs but my phone has just put it all as one long one!

You should start anyway at 6 months, waiting longer increases the risk of allergies. They don't need to take in much, it could be a few little spoonfuls or put them on a highchair with some steamed veggie batons of a bit of (salt free) omelet or similar and let them play with it and mouth it. Even better if you put a clean mat underneath so you can keep retrieving bits for their tray!

It really doesn't matter if you wait until 6 months or wait until you get back. It's not a strict 6 months on the exact date as I understand it, it's when they're showing the signs. Some babies will be a little earlier, some a little later.

If you did want to start and you're away, there's no harm in offering him a bit of banana or a slice of peeled pear once a day. Weaning doesn't have to be complicated and you could just take a couple of bibs and a bowl

DS is just about to turn 8mo and at bang on 6 months was spitting food out as he still had his tongue thrust reflex. I just kept offering and two weeks later he started eating it. But he's taken to it well and is now on three meals a day.

Ie things turn around quickly at this age!

@stuckforthefourthtime

I am planning to just give him bits of food to try but will he eventually just put it in his mouth? He really doesnt show any interest at all at the moment. At what poiny should I start to make more of an effort to make sure he is actually eating some of it?

@dinosforall

That sounds promising! He was born at 36 + 5 so is technically a bit younger but I know they should start at 6 months regardless of adjusted age.

@jiltedjohnsjulie

Thats a good idea re bib, bowl and spoons for going away. Thanks

I would just start offering right away--it won't do him any harm. They don't eat much at first regardless of what you do!

We have just got home form lunch with the in-laws. He was sat on my lap at lunch and was get frustrated at the food and wanted to be involved but when I offered him a vegetable he wont even hold it. And doesnt want it. Will it one day just click if I keep offering?

Will it one day just click if I keep offering? I wouldn't force it. A lot can change in a couple of weeks. When he's nearer 6 months I'd sit him in the high chair at mealtimes and put the food on his high chair and just let him sit there with it. It doesn't really matter how much goes in at this stage.

If he's reluctant to hold food, he may do better with some purées but you may need to put a taste on your finger and give him a little taste to encourage him

Thanks for the suggestions. I agree I dont want to force it. Will leave a couple of weeks and see how he is

I went to the HV at 7 months because DD had no interest but she said it's not a problem.
As long as they're taking in about a tablespoonful of food by the time they're 9 months then its fine.
Absolutely no need to start until you get back from your holiday.
Does your LO put toys and things in their mouth?

*a tablespoon a day that is, not at each meal.

@jamhandprints

That is really interesting to know. I know they change really quickly at this age. It is good to hear that other people have had similar experiences. He is my first so I feel like it is a case of the blind leading the blind a bit!

If you're feeling a little clueless Peanut, have a read of this guide from the Caroline Walker Trust. You'll probably need from page 13

Dd is 8 months now and eating quite a lot. We discovered she didn't like sweet food's, so once we started offering savoury things she was happy to eat it. Her favourites are cucumber wedges, mashed potato and carrot, chicken pieces, peas and brown toast.

We were at a wedding a week before DD turned 6 months and she grabbed some food off DP's plate (completely unsuitable being pretty salty) after previously showing little interest. Ok she waved it around and prodded it intently rather than eating it. We decided we were going to go full on BLW so started that Monday. Food was squished, some was swallowed. This lasted 2 or 3 weeks then we had a couple of weeks where she barely ate except odd bits of pasta or broccoli then suddenly she just got it.
I think the key with weaning is to be relaxed about it and go with your baby rather than pushing them to eat. Offer food whether it's purees/mashed or you do BLW-see how he goes. If you want to wait until getting home no harm, likewise you could offer before you go and just see how it goes.

I try to eat around him as much as possible but in reality it is not that much as he usually naps at lunchtime and is in bed before dinner.

Can’t you eat whilst he’s awake?

Not really if I am honest. During the week we usually go to a baby group in the morning and get home around lunchtime when he naps for anywhere between 1-2hrs. I then have dogs that need walking in the afternoon so cant really wait for him to wake up for lunch and it would also mean eating my lunch at about 2pm which is too late really.

He then starts his bedtime routine by 6.15pm but my husband isnt home untol 6.15/6.30 so it is not possible to eat before he goes to bed.

At the weekends and if he is by chance awake when I have lunch then I eat with him but as explained above this isnt possible most of the time

Thays really quite sad. Could you not alter his routine so he gets to spend mealtimes with you? And presumably he barely sees his father?

It is quite the opposite actually. He is happy baby in a routine and it works for us.

He goes to a different baby group/activity every day. He loves these groups and I am not going to stop them so that I can force a change in his routine just so he eats lunch with me. I see so many posts on MN from women who say they are lonely on mat leave and struggle to leave the house with their LO. I do not want that to be me so for both of us I think it is important to continue to go out on a daily basis.

As established above, by some very helpful replies to my original post, I dont need to worry quite yet regarding his eating as he is only 5.5 months. Maybe in a couple of months time if we have progressed no further then maybe I will need to look at changing things but it is still currently very early days for him go start weaning.

At what point did I say he doesnt see his dad everyday? I actually said his bedtime routine starts at 6.15, which is around the time his dad gets home. Everynight his dad does his bath and bedtime routine with him so gets to spend some lovely quality time with his son. By the time 6.15 comes around he is exhausted and ready for bed and again as this routine works and I have a happy baby I am not about to change this.

Do you have breakfast together? Eat together at the weekend?

I think a key part of them learning to eat is to sit with you while you eat, they learn the function of mealtimes and food as they are mimicking the movements you make putting food to your mouth. Your baby wont be doing thay if they've not seen it to copy.

Can you make breakfast something you sit at the table for? With them sat with you so they see you eating? (If not already thay is!)

Also think ahead for when you are feeding 3 times a day (plus snacks when they get bigger!) When are they going to have their lunch?

Thanks. I dont eat breakfast myself though. As I said in my original post we do sit with him at the weekends and eat lunch together. And when he is not napping at lunchtime during the week also.

My plan is to start with feeding him in the morning to start with, then introduce a dinner for him late afternoon and then lastly introduce lunch.

He hasnt been a particularly good sleeper during the day so I tend to take whatever sleeps he gives during the day so I am not going to upset this as we have just started to head towards getting proper daytime naps