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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

Concerned about seven month old

46 replies

summersflowers · 18/07/2021 06:47

Hi, I have posted about this before, but I really am a bit concerned now.

Ds is seven months. At 5.5 months I asked the HV if she’d mind just giving him a bit of a check up as no one had seen him since he was a newborn. She said he dropped a centile and recommended I start to wean him.

He is now just over seven months and he has barely touched any food at all. A couple of those Ella’s melty puffs, and a few licks of ice cream (thanks DP.) That’s it.

I have tried porridge, toast, scrambled egg, courgette, broccoli, cauliflower, mango, melon, banana, pear, blackberry, various pouches and purées, chilli con carne, he’s just showing no interest at all.

He does mouth objects but not food. I can’t understand this.

And as a rule I don’t compare but I have weekly coffee with my NCT class and I know their babies, all born within a week of ds, are eating. I don’t even need to take food out with me when out and about.

One of the ladies have him a bit of avocado and he ate it but when I’ve given him avocado at home he refused it.

I know food is for fun until they are one but surely he should be eating a bit or something now? Because as he grows he will surely need more. I am concerned it’s going to affect his development.

OP posts:
BunnyRuddington · 18/07/2021 08:00

Some babies just don't get weaning at first plus they can pick up on your anxiety.

Are you giving him the food -to smush into his hair or throw at the wall-- and sitting down to eat yourself? My DD was very fussy but always ate best if I sort of benignly ignored what she was doing (and any complaints).

What's your gut feeling on this though? Is he meeting his other milestones?

Original poster
summersflowers · 18/07/2021 08:05

I honestly wasn’t anxious - I was really excited! But I am getting a bit worried now because he just isn’t eating anything at all.

If you put food in front of him he tries to tip the bowl up or smears it on his legs but doesn’t try to eat it.

He’s meeting his other milestones but I’m concerned that he’s clamping his mouth shut. The thing is if he carries on like this he will continue to drop centiles, which does concern me. He isn’t crawling or anything yet (I don’t expect him to) but once he does if he isn’t eating then weight will fall off him.

OP posts:
BunnyRuddington · 18/07/2021 08:09

If you put food in front of him he tries to tip the bowl up or smears it on his legs but doesn’t try to eat it.

My DD wouldn't tolerate being fed by us at all so we had to just give the food to her and let her try and feed herself.

If he's tipping the bowl, have you tried suction bowls or just putting the food directly onto the high chair tray so there's no bowl to tip?

Is he not bringing any of the food to his mouth at all?

21Bee · 18/07/2021 08:10

I don’t think there is much to worry about at 7 months. As long as your baby is interacting with the food you are okay.

At 5 months your baby might not have been ready for solids.

I’d recommend looking at the ‘Solid Starts’ Instagram or Website. Hopefully it will reassure you, it shows different foods and babies of different ages interacting with them. It’s still really early days and he’ll get it. Just make sure you are sitting down and eating at the same time as him, he will learn from this.

Original poster
summersflowers · 18/07/2021 08:15

No that’s right bunny. I’m not bothered about him tipping the bowl up (it’s a suction bowl but it is no match for a determined ds!) but he won’t eat any of it.

21 but he isn’t. He doesn’t try to eat it, it really does confuse me as everything else goes straight into his mouth.

If I put food in his mouth he just spits it out.

OP posts:
BunnyRuddington · 18/07/2021 08:18

If he won't put any of it to his mouth, even if everyone else is eating then I'm out of ideas sorry OP, well apart from talking to your HV again.

It's odd that he would accept food from someone else though.

Original poster
summersflowers · 18/07/2021 08:21

I know I’m worried it is me, to be honest!

OP posts:
BunnyRuddington · 18/07/2021 08:26

I know I’m worried it is me, to be honest!

Well, they can be little sods a bit difficult for Mum sometimes Grin

If you've got a DH/DP can they take him to a park & cafe today for a bit and give him something there? It will give you some tome to yourself and he might just take something if he's out of the house with someone else Smile

spookycookies · 18/07/2021 08:27

It's not you. Don't worry.
I'd probably stick to finger foods only. Toast fingers, slices of veg/fruit. Sit at the the table and eat with him. If he doesn't eat it don't make a deal out of it. Not cajoling or fussing. If he still isn't eating at all by 8months talk to you hv again. He really is only getting calories from milk at the moment.

darcey87 · 18/07/2021 08:27

My DS was not interested either at that age. Only started eating when I went back to work (he was 10 months) and his favourite food source, breast milk, was unavailable for most of the day, and even then he didn't eat loads (he was at home with his dad). Refused to be spoon fed ever. He would put plenty of inanimate objects in his mouth though. And he chewed many books.

He started eating more when he started nursery just after 12mo and was seeing other small people eat.

It's still early days for weaning. Try and eat with him, keep offering food to him at mealtimes but don't worry if he doesn't eat it, really. He'll get there in his own time. Is he BF/FF? He may just prefer milk at the moment. If he'll eat melty puffs and ice cream then the rest will come.

21Bee · 18/07/2021 08:27

This charity is really useful - cwt.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/CHEW-1stYearLifePracticalGuide.pdf

Call your health visitor but I would move away from the table and give your baby food to carry out messy play with like yoghurt paint, colourful pasta. If it’s all gotten stressful you might need to reset.

Half the battle is making sure you are giving food at the right time, when they aren’t full from milk or aren’t too tired. The guide has ideals of schedules that might work.

My daughter had problems eating, she’d have a mouthful but then not eat anymore. The health visitors were the worst so I called my GP up and asked for a paediatric dietician referral. These are things that really helped my daughter.

Original poster
summersflowers · 18/07/2021 08:28

I’ve tried spooky, honestly, he just say holding the toast but then dropped it. Gave it to him again, repeat.

DP just gives him ice cream which I don’t want, especially as he has two teeth now.

OP posts:
21Bee · 18/07/2021 08:33

I’d also stop giving him ice cream immediately! One of lick is different but he’ll be getting used to very artificially sweet food and broccoli will taste horrible in comparison!

cookiesandcreamm · 18/07/2021 08:34

I would stop DP giving him ice cream.
Do you sit and eat with him?
Does he have milk before or after food?

Original poster
summersflowers · 18/07/2021 08:35

I’ve been trying to give him food before milk but he is just as reluctant to eat then.

OP posts:
NameChange30 · 18/07/2021 08:40

Ok firstly you need to insist that your DP stops giving ice cream. It's not appropriate.

Secondly, if your baby's growth is slowing down and you are concerned about calorie intake, there are many more calories (and fats and nutrients etc) in milk (whether breast milk or formula) than in any food at this stage. Even a 7 month old who's eating relatively well for their age won't be eating enough solids to make a significant difference to growth. Milk is still the main source of nutrition. So if growth is a concern, make sure baby's having plenty of milk, and talk to the GP if growth falters or if baby drops more than one centile.

Try to relax about the solids. Just offer a variety and baby will get it eventually. Ideally you need to be eating with baby, sit them at the table at your mealtimes. Do a mix of finger food and mashed up things.

BunnyRuddington · 18/07/2021 08:40

Does DH offer the ice cream after he's refused the other food?

cookiesandcreamm · 18/07/2021 08:41

At that age I gave milk and half or hour later gave food.
I would sit with him and ate what he did, we done a mix of purée and BLW so I just ate what finger food he had and it honestly helped a lot!

Original poster
summersflowers · 18/07/2021 08:42

But in that case why do HVs and other HCPs recommend early weaning to help with weight gain? Genuine question: I haven’t a clue what I am doing! Grin

We don’t have a table to sit at so that does make life a lot more difficult and I’m wondering if I’ve harmed him by this. It doesn’t really matter if it’s finger food or mashed up solids.

OP posts:
OceanTurtles · 18/07/2021 08:43

Honestly, let him smear it in his legs whilst you eat your dinner. Always eat with him if you can.

My DS liked to wear most of his food and I just let him get on with it. They're feeling for different textures.

Make a little platter put a bit of cheese, avocado, veg, fruit etc and just leave it there.

Have you tried doing the aeroplane? When my DS would try something we would clap and he loved it, loved it so much he would sometimes only eat it for the applause Grin.

Original poster
summersflowers · 18/07/2021 08:43

No, he isn’t routinely offering him a mr whippy every day or anything, but dp will often have an ice cream or lolly in the evening and then ds shows an interest and dp let’s him have some.

OP posts:
OceanTurtles · 18/07/2021 08:44

@summersflowers

But in that case why do HVs and other HCPs recommend early weaning to help with weight gain? Genuine question: I haven’t a clue what I am doing! Grin

We don’t have a table to sit at so that does make life a lot more difficult and I’m wondering if I’ve harmed him by this. It doesn’t really matter if it’s finger food or mashed up solids.

You haven't harmed him from not having a table.

Not sure what age they can be used from but we have the chicco pocket snack chair which can be placed on the floor or chair. It's great.

Original poster
summersflowers · 18/07/2021 08:45

He just ignores it ocean. Then cries. This is why I’m worried - it’s brilliant advice but it just isn’t applicable.

He clamps his mouth shut when you try to feed him, he won’t explore food himself and he gets upset. Then someone else feeds him and he’s fine!

OP posts:
BunnyRuddington · 18/07/2021 08:47

You definitely haven't harmed him by not having a table, lots of families never have one.

LIZS · 18/07/2021 08:47

There was a similar thread last week "Baby will only eat Crisps". Milk is the main source of nutrition and any solid food experimental. Pushing it around mouth and out is part of the process. Eventually more will stay in,

Swipe left for the next trending thread