Weaning woes…

[Berangere]

DS is nearly 8 months old and we’ve been doing BLW since he was 6 months old. He started off refusing to be spoon fed, and was interested in food at the beginning - not much actual eating but held everything and put it in his mouth so happy days.
Since then he has had 4 teeth come through, had 2 colds and a horrid cough, and has stopped being interested in food. I used to be able to give him anything on toast, any of the pinwheels/fritters etc I had prepared for him, a variety of foods and textures, veg and fruit, and he’d at least sit and eat it for a while.
The last 10 days or so, he has started eating in his high chair as normal (actually taking bites and chewing, still not sure how much he’s actually eating) but after 5 minutes maximum he starts flipping the plate, moaning and lifting his arms up to come out of the high chair, throwing his cup around and sometimes starting to cry. It’s like a switch has flipped and he just doesn’t want to be there. I’ve tried using a smaller bib in case the long sleeve ones are too much for him, I’ve tried having him on my lap at the table - neither of these things have had an effect. I usually offer food about 45 minutes after he’s had his bottle, both breakfast and dinner (we’ve not introduced lunch yet).
He has been drinking his milk fine during the day, he has been a bit aggy due to his 4th tooth coming in - and after dinner will often finish his bottle so he is hungry - just not eating solids.
Its getting really disheartening now, I was so excited to start weaning and have made so much effort (mostly because he wouldn’t be spoon fed until a few days ago!) that it seems to go on the floor and I end up getting frustrated that DS is getting upset.
Is there anything I can do to change this, is this normal, do I need to just ride it out? All my friends babies are taking full pouches and yogurts when we are out or managing full BLW meals or feeding themselves mini versions of grown up meals and I feel like we are just lagging behind so badly. He’s not babbling yet either so just another thing to compare him on, it’s bloody exhausting not overthinking everything that he is or isn’t doing 😖

Some of them take longer to get the hang of it than others, I had one who was into food from day 1 of weaning and another who took a could of months to get the hang of it. I wouldn't worry about making anything special - I know the BLW groups make it sound like unless you're giving pinwheels and porridge fingers your baby will never eat a healthy meal but it's frankly bollocks. I'd just give him some regular food cut up in the right away and leave him to it, if he wants to get out he wants to get out, also fine. You carry on with your meal. He'll get the idea eventually!

I found things like pasta, sweet potato or butternut squash wedges with some fish or chicken, bagel thins or wraps with different toppings were all easy to do and adapt. Both of mine loved a curry so Id just leave all the ingredients in big chunks so it was easy to grab. My youngest hates bibs so I used to strip her off at home and she'd happily have her meals in just her nappy until she was well past one. She'd tolerate one in a restaurant but she much preferred being free to cover herself in Bolognese!

Well, 5 bites is 5 bites! If that's all he wants at a time then fine, leave it at that.

I would be inclined to give lunch as well if 5 bites is all he will eat - more so that he gets used to the 3 meal routine than anything else.

Remember, always offer but never force. Just remove all pressure to eat and give lots of praise when he does it. And as much variety of foods as you can will help

He will get over this grumpy phase sooner or later.

Sounds perfectly normal, especially if he has a tooth coming through. Have you tried him with Ibruprofen after his bottle so that it has taken affect before the food and then applying a teething gel before he goes into the High Chair?

How are you getting in today @Berangere?

Hello OP, we have a specific board for weaning, please let us know if you would like us to move your thread to that board where you might get more advice and/or support. Simply use the report feature on you opening post to let us know and we will get that done for you.
Best wishes, MNHQ

We are away at the in laws for the weekend so it’s been a bit less routine. He ate a bit more purée last night. Will be starting lunch on Monday when we are back home!
thanks for all your advice and kind words

Stop giving a bottle in the morning and just have one at night - get a non spill cup for breakfast juice or water

Hope you have a nice, relaxed weekend.

I thought that Babies should have more than 600ml of formula at least, every day? And not have juice ideally until after one? He has normally at least 4 bottles of formula a day…

Also we do offer water with breakfast and dinner and he drinks well from his straw cup, as well as drinking his bottles well.

The 600 ml advice is a bit old. People were taking the "food is fun until they're one" a little too literally.

I think that you're right to be offering 600 ml at this age but once they hit 10 months it drops to 450 ml a day of formula and then 300 ml of full fat cow's milk a day between one and two.

If the 4 bottles takes you way over the 600 ml, you could try a cup of formula with breakfast instead of a bottle then breakfast.

And I agree with you on the juice at 8 months