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Weaning

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

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Original poster

8 month old eats nothing!

18 replies

Landladymews2 · 12/03/2021 13:59

I’ve been trying for 2 months now and she eats nothing (or maybe 1-3 teaspoons of food a day max)

Started with purées and she would make gagging noises but had maybe 2-3 spoons a day of a purée and would start spitting it out and clamping her mouth shut.

Was getting tired so tried BLW and she picks up the food and throws it on the floor. She never puts anything in her mouth so I really don’t think this will work.

Have tried feed her with my fingers too.

If offered food she turns her head away completely. If I do somehow manage to get some in she holds it in her mouth and eventually spits it out.

I reduced her milk intake (cut her two afternoon bottles down by half) so increase her appetite but this made no difference)

My HV said not to worry but I am worried.

I’m wondering whether I need to have her seen by a feeding specialist?

OP posts:

DelurkingAJ · 12/03/2021 14:01

Neither of my DSs ate until about 9 months. We fretted. But suddenly they did and at the moment (8 and 4) neither of them are in the slightest bit fussy, DS1 when hungry cheerfully out eats me. And both are well within the expected weight thresholds.

plantingandpotting · 12/03/2021 14:04

I don't really have any advice per say, just didn't want to read and run.
My daughter was the same and wouldn't touch purees. We basically had to skip them and go straight to finger food so she could eat on her own terms.
In the beginning we did lots of omelette, eggy bread, lentil fritters and broccoli...and anything with cream cheese on.
It's frightening when they're so small, but that was genuinely the only way I could get her interested in food.

Hang in there. You're doing great 💐

Original poster

Landladymews2 · 12/03/2021 14:21

@DelurkingAJ thanks, when you used to try to feed them what did they do? I don’t know if it’s that when she’s ready she will eat or if there’s some issue that needs to be looked into.

@plantingandpotting thanks, everyone keeps saying to try finger foods but I’ve tried and not even a morsel ends up in her mouth, it ALL ends up on the floor. I don’t think it’s about control with her. If I had seen her put food in her mouth even once I would think it might be possible but that’s never happened.

OP posts:

plantingandpotting · 12/03/2021 14:34

I definitely remember everything going on the floor. It's really demoralising when you've spent time making it and then have to clean it all up without any having been eaten.
Weirdly the gateway food for us was those melty stick crisps 🙃 It was verrrry slow progress and I constantly compared her to all of the other babies we'd see out. That's a losing game for sure.

Original poster

Landladymews2 · 12/03/2021 14:47

@plantingandpotting that’s funny because melty stick crisps are the only thing she won’t turn her head away from. I can get her to suck on one of those (by the second she’s not interested) so maybe I’ll just carry on with that for a bit and hopefully she will start to eat nutritious stuff too.

OP posts:

DelurkingAJ · 12/03/2021 17:00

We did a form of BLW (purists would be horrified that we spoon fed yoghurt and suchlike!). And at first it mainly got flung or fingered into mush. We had a shower curtain under the high chair for a long time.

With DS2 we were in despair, he was nearly 9 months and starting FT with a childminder. Wouldn’t take a bottle either. And about a week before he suddenly decided to eat real food.

V1983 · 11/04/2021 12:18

Hi OP
Would love to know how you are going a month on? My son is exactly the same, not interested in food at all. Actually he doesn't mind fruit puree much (but can't give that all the time) but when it comes to vegetables or anything else it's a no go. I am trying some BLW but not much luck. I am hoping it all turns around soon, maybe 9 months.

Original poster

Landladymews2 · 11/04/2021 13:17

No luck here. My daughter turns her head away from anything even if it’s sweet! Trying not to panic

OP posts:

BunnyRuddington · 13/04/2021 10:09

If she's now 9 months and won't eat anything at all, I'd try leaving her with someone else fir a meal, if you can and see if she'll eat with them. If not, I'd mention it to the HV. My DS ate very little and it turned out to be Tongue Tie.

zoehm27 · 15/04/2021 18:02

Hey OP. I literally could have written your post myself. I actually logged on in search of any advice from anyone in the same situation and came across your post. I am in exactly the same position. 8 1/2 month DS literally will eat nothing. Throws any finger food offered to him on the floor every time. He might have half a melty puff or stick. He has never put toys into his mouth either. I know he can do it as he will do it with the odd melty puff!

Everything that attempts to enter his mouth he clamps his mouth shut and blows raspberries. This is now occurring with purée, finger foods, toothbrush and now even his cup that he has always drank water from but now refusing. He did take single veg purée at the very start of weaning at 6 months but literally around 1 teaspoon of each. Then stopped as soon as we tried to move on.

We have tried eating with him, feeding him, leaving him to it while observing from a distance. I am out of ideas.

I go back to work in one week, up until now I have been solely breastfeeding. He is refusing a formula feed that I have tried to introduce for mid morning feed and I am starting to panic. The only hope I have is that my mum gets a different result when caring for him..

Nothing I can offer to help really but thought I would let you know that you are not alone. I would be interested to hear any updates as you go along. Good luck

Original poster

Landladymews2 · 17/04/2021 20:39

@zoehm27 Thanks for reaching out. It’s tough. My GP said to try very little/no formula so she works up an appetite. I guess we will try that and see

OP posts:

V1983 · 21/05/2021 04:12

Ey just interested in how you are going now with your little one? Has she started eating better by reducing formula?
Would love to know as I am still struggling

Mamatoabeauty · 13/06/2021 20:56

Same!! 😫 Has anyone been in this situation and turned out there was a reason/issue behind it?

Original poster

Landladymews2 · 13/06/2021 21:53

Had no luck here. She still refuses to eat anything at all

OP posts:

twiggytwoo · 13/06/2021 21:56

How old is she? I also have a food refused - won't take us feeding with a spoon, won't pick up food. Will occasionally use a pre loaded fork

zoehm27 · 13/06/2021 23:18

We turned a corner about two weeks ago. He almost learnt to chew over night and since then he has been eating much more. It was as if up until then he didn't know what to do with the food in his mouth and since he has worked that out it's loads better. Although all the advice advised against it, I do find he eats more when he is distracted by toys (a few of his small favourites on his high chair) and the tv on and I always give him his own spoon to play with. I have found his resistance increases while teething.

The only advice I can give is that Looking back I feel i felt a lot of pressure on trying to get him to eat which then probably came across to him as stress. I would try and avoid that as it clearly doesn't help and relax and try and make it fun. I also let him have littke breaks. After a few minutes had he turned his head away often he will continue.

Also just persistence. I kept offering three meals a day even if they ended up in the bin. If I find that he likes something then I offer it often. I also find some days he refuses the spoon still. On those occasions 9 times out of ten if I scoop up the food with a clean finger he will take it from me. The days he is off his food due to teething etc he does take smoother things better ie hummus, yoghurt etc.

Keep going they will get there.

Original poster

Landladymews2 · 14/06/2021 06:09

@zoehm27 glad it’s worked out for you guys. Our issue is really getting food anywhere near her mouth. If I try she simply clamps her mouth shut, turns away and gets upset and if I leave it there for her to play with it gets ignored or thrown on the floor, she has never yet put even a tiny piece in or near her mouth herself :(

OP posts:

Mamatoabeauty · 09/07/2021 18:55

@Landladymews2 I really feel for you it’s so frustrating/worrying/stressful!

We don’t have complete refusal but the quantities are just nowhere near what they need to be for her age. Every meal is anywhere between 2-8 mouthfuls- and that’s baby mouthfuls where half is left on the spoon.

I really feel like it’s having an impact on sleep and waking is more frequent now I’ve dropped feeds to try and increase appetite- she’s never been the best sleeper! Has anyone else got a sleep issue too?

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