Milk intake

[Jessicab22]

Hi all
First time posting on here but often look here for advice!
I have 13m old boy who will only eat pureed food that I cook, he is not into textures and the only foods he will pick up and chew are toast/pitta, fruit, crackers he tends to chew rather than actually eat them. Every meal time I put finger foods infront of him, veg, sandwiches, small cereal, anything me and hubby are eating really if suitable and he’s not interested. He eats lots from me spoon feeding him. I follow Annabel Karmel recipes and give him salmon, cod, chicken beef purées for dinner and lunch something lighter like avocado & yoghurts, breakfast will be weetabix or porridge. I often get a lot of comments like ‘doesn’t he feed himself’ ‘when are you going to stop the purees’ but that’s the only way he will eat at the moment! He loves his milk, I have stopped formula and I’m giving cows milk 240 mls morning, afternoon and bedtime (I guess that sounds a lot but it never affects his eating at mealtimes and he’s a good weight/size) I’ve also been told to drop the milk in the bottle but he enjoys it and drains the bottle. He drinks water from a sippy cup no problem but I gave milk a couple of times in it but it was thrown across the room and screaming in protest! Any advice welcome (He is my first so go easy on me pls!) just feel like I get a lot of comments and I’m doing something wrong! X thanks

I agree he's getting old for purees.

You can try semi mashed food as a transition. For example, home made fish cakes (just cooked fish and mashed potato clumped together and grilled), cottage pie.

And I agree with your friends about reducing the milk so he eats more.

Do you give the milk in a bottle with a teat? Transitioning to a sippy cup is a good idea. Just because he threw it once, is no reason to give up!

There will be other transition challenges, you'll get used to him rebelling.

Other semi mashed food ideas... chunky soup, porridge with mashed fruit, root vegetable crush, jacket potato with a meaty sauce.

Then gradually serve the mashed food alongside more firmly solid stuff.

Kids love cheese generally so try grated cheese onto shredded chicken or similar.

I've never known a kid who doesn't like pasta, so that's another thing to try.

Pasta with bolognese sauce and grated cheese - always a winner here

You really do need to drop bottles and try less pureed food. Eatubg finger food ia important part of developng muscles for speach. Has he had his 1 year check?

Yes he’s had his 1 year checks. I told them about this and they said he’ll get there and they’ll check in again in 3 months time

Thanks
Yes he has his milk in a bottle with teat and I’ve given it to him a few times now in a sippy cup but he won’t have it, but I’ll keep trying. TBH I’m not too fussed about the bottle, I know they say bad for teeth etc he enjoys it and they grow up too fast! It’s more of the puréed food I’m getting concerned about and the amount of milk he’s drinking.

I'd try it in stages. Drop the first bottle in the morning and go straight to breakfast with drink.

Don't worry if he's not eating much for breakfast as I'm assuming you're offering a mid-morning snack?

You drop the milk. You stop the purées. You don’t give either of them “because they’re the only things he will eat/drink and I know he’s getting something!” They’re the reasons he isn’t eating.

I don't agree with doing this abruptly (although I might be misunderstanding the pp I'm quoting).

If you do it abruptly, your child will be upset and hungry. If your child is upset and hungry, and you put food in front of him, he'll associate food with being upset.

Do the transition gradually, but start the gradual transition as soon as possible because I agree you've left it a little late.

I'm not sure I'd you've covered this op but also, have your meals always at the same time as your dc. They learn best through imitation. Eat delicious (healthy) solid food yourself and make sure he sees how much you enjoy it.