My 9 month old DD will not eat any finger foods. We started weaning at 5 months just with baby porridge and single veg purées, she did really well right from the start and was even taking the pre loaded spoon and putting it in her month.
When she turned 6 months we started offering finger foods alongside the purée and she would put these in her mouth and would eat a bit but not much. I feel she's now got worse with finger foods and although she will put most things to her mouth she won't actually eat any of it. Even super soft things like banana, she will just mash up in her hands. I'm offering finger foods at every meal but I have to offer a purée alongside that so I know she's eating. She will eat chunky purée as long as there's quite a bit of liquid along with the chunks and loves scrambled egg. She shows no interest in self feeding and whereas before she would take a preloaded spoon and put in her mouth she will now just grab onto the end of the spoon with the food on and mush it up in her hands.
I'm struggling to get her to eat meat as she doesn't like the texture and even if I try and purée it I can't get a smooth texture so end up giving pre made baby food sometimes to make sure shes getting some meat. From about 8 months I've given her some of the 10+ months meals with the chunks in which she has managed fine.
She does eat a lot, 3 meals a day but it's all mainly chunky purée and I would like to get her eating finger foods and self feeding. All I see on social media is babies younger than DD eating plate fulls of food and feeding themselves. I know you shouldn't compare but it's hard not too. Also I'm finding it quiet stressful trying to get her to eat finger foods, theres always a lot of mess which I wouldn't mind if she were eating any of it but when shes not eating any of it at all it's really disheartening.
Also have a issue with getting her to drink water, we've been trying since 6 months with every single cup you can imagine but she just will not drink anything. The most luck we have had is with a straw cup but she will take one sip a day if we are lucky. I've tried the trick if putting fruit puree or yogurt on the straw to encourage her to drink but this only works when the purée is on there, once it's gone she's not interested.
I am just looking for any advice or want to know if anyone else in a similar situation. She is starting nursery next month where they provide her food, i'm not sure what the food will be but worried if it's finger food she's not going to eat any of it
In terms of development she is doing well, was crawling at 8 months and is pulling up to stand on furniture all the time. She sleeps really well and is a very happy baby it's just the feeding I am concerned with as I feel like we have gone backwards with it slightly since she turned 7 months.