7 Month Old still not interested in food

[EsouthA]

My 2nd DD is just over 7 Months old and is still not interested in food.
My first daughter started at 6 months and ate everything and still does to this day nearly 4 years old, my 2nd DD is completely opposite.
We started weaning her at 6 months and showed no signs of interest, ignored the food and spoon. We have tried purée and solids together from the start. After a week she got an infection and had a hospital stay. I left weaning her for over a week until she was completely over it. When I started again she showed somewhat interest in the finger food side of things for the first 2/3 days, completely refusing spoon so I didn’t push her with it. But she’s gradually over the last week or so shown no interest again in any food, she just ignores the food on the table completely. She will happily put her own spoon in her mouth but not if it has anything on it, even today I wiped my other daughters hand after eating and left it on the table for literally a second and she picked it up and out it in her mouth!
I have always set up all meals at the table with me and her sister eating, no other distractions. She looks at us eat to the point where she peers over her table to our plates but still not interested in hers… even if I eat some of hers to show her.

move been doing the weaning about an hour after her milk just after her morning nap so she is at her most alert and happy but shes just not showing interest. She pushes the food & pure out her mouth when any goes in still so I understand she has that reflex still. When there are bits in her mouth I can see her move it around and then out. But shes the last few days completely refusing to acknowledge any food.

I’m concerned as she’s over a month in and don’t want to force her but not sure what else I can do to help, wondering if I should get some further professional help?

Any advice welcome please, thanks in advance x

I wouldn't stress about it she is fine with milk until one. Offer it, involve her in family meals but don't push it. She doesn't need specialist help. Some kids just take longer than others and that's okay 😊

Oh and possibly give her finger food to suck on rather than purée. But honestly don't stress about it.

@jellybe we’re doing both purée and finger foods with each meal. Only if I put it into her hand will she hold it she doesn’t touch it otherwise, not interested in picking it up from the table.

My DS had a strong start to weaning but then refused all foods for about 6 weeks until he was about 8.5 months, when he decided he wanted to try again.

Might be worth not offering anything for a few days to break the cycle of her automatically refusing everything. And then try offering food again. Melon is nice and sweet… she might like the taste of that.

She’s 7 months old. You don’t need professional help or any help at all.

It’s not your job to get her to eat (and at this age, food isn’t to fill them up but it’s just a learning experience and the extra nutrient or two), it’s your job to offer and role model.

You need to create a no pressure, stress free environment. If she throws the food, not a problem. If she doesn’t eat any of it, not a problem. If she does, great, but don’t praise, just treat it very nonchalantly.

My first didn’t eat more than a bite or two of anything (if that) until she was 13 months, then just picked up cutlery and started eating. Totally normal. She’d watched us role model dinner for months.

My second child was like that. She was about 8.5 months before she had any real interest. She is now 10, average sized and has a decent appetite, she's just not as good motivated as her sibling (or me for that matter 😂)

Food motivated!

I'd leave it for now then. Give her and you a real from it and come back to it when she is a bit older. Still have her sat with you at meal times etc. but don't push the food for now. She'll get there.

*break not real (not sure what happened there)

Mine is 10 months and still the same. I feel for you. We have a referral to a feeding specialist next week that the GP sorted out.

Just keep doing what you're doing, she'll get it eventually. My eldest wasn't really interested until around 11 months.

@EsouthA hi,

how did you get on have you seen much improvement? … 8 months here and very little interest. Doesn’t like being spoon fed and doesn’t seem to want to put much in his mouth. Feeling overwhelmed not sure what to do to help x any hope?

Mine is exactly the same any hope @EsouthA @Seeema2902

My son is 7.5 months and showing slight interest in solids. He excepts smooth a purees mainly fruit but anything veggie and lumpy he doesn't like. When trying lumpy foods he has a strong gag or is sick a little bit. He's not interested in finger food at all! And only excepts food if it's on a spoon. How do I introduce baby lad weaning on a way that doesn't scare me or the baby? And is lack of interest normal at this age?

@EsouthA @Seeema2902
any updates? Going through this with my 7 month old