How the hell do I get my DD to start eating solids??

[Lucy10]

She's 6.5 and I thought we were getting somewhere but seem to be taking a step back. A lot of the time she cries when a spoon goes near her mouth. I've tried giving her the odd rusk to hopefully chew on, as everything else goes in her mouth, but she just doesn't seem interested.

Any advice greatly received!

Anyone?

Hello - try grating a few bits like pear, cheese and let her eat those bits. Don't use a spoon for a bit - try by sticking a spoonful of puree in front of her just on the table and let her rummage her hands in it and lick her fingers - get it fun again - and just leave a spoon in front of her to pick up and chew herself..... back off from the notion of getting her to eat and get her to play and enjoy herself. Carrot sticks to suck on - my DD prefers softer and moister things to munch too - rice cakes etc don't cut the mustard with her. She loves squidging dairy lea triangles too and then licking her fingers.... But try and eat stuff in front of her - using her spoon so she sees that it's ok and that mummy does it. Good luck and keep smiling and singing to her during the whole process (whatever is chucked back at you!)

don't stress about it

food is for fun until they are one !

give her finger foods on her tray, if she does not eat them, no great loss, she will eat as and when she is hungry. as long as she is havving lots of milk, no need to worry

She might not be ready yet. My DS didn't start taking any real notice of food until he was 8 months old. Just offer stuff without stress (no spoons for a bit if they upset her) but let her take her time. She will start eating, honest. She will be more interested if you eat with her rather than stare at her whilst she eats by herself IYSWIM?

Here, try this, i find it indespensable for my mindees when they are weaning and just getting used to solids, makes it fun too! here

god that's awesome ellideb! Wish I'd know about that when I started!

Just to say, my DS is exactly same age and point blank refusing spoon feeding. Cries if i go near him with a spoon and won't open mouth at all. I'd be worried about it but my DD now 2.5 was exactly the same. Just takes some of them longer than others. My DD was around ten months before she really started eating decent amounts. It's frustrating, but don't worry. It's not that unusual! Just keep at it, and one one day they'll take the hint.

Thanks everyone. I know I'm probably panicking a bit too soon just a bit disheartening when you think you're getting somewhere and then it all goes in the opposite direction!!

Thanks for all your tips.

elliedeb, I actually have one but she seemed more interested in chewing the handle. Will keep trying though!

Very reassuring to hear I'm not the only one

Does she eat at the same time as you?

When DD first started in solids, it took her a while to actually understand what the point of food other than breastmilk was and why exactly I was waving a spoon in front of her face .

I found that once I sat her down to eat when me and her dad were eating, she started to take an interest. After a few days she wanted to join in too. HTH

Very rarely Dixie. DP works very long hours so we very rarely eat together. Unfortunately she still doesn't have any routine to speak of (another thing I think might be falling into place and two days later she does something completely different). She always shows an interest in what I eat. I guess I should start eating food I can share with her more often!

When is it okay to start giving her bits of toast?

Hi Lucy10, my DS is 6.5 months too and not that fussed about spoons - he keeps trying to grap them off me and shoving them to the back of his throat Maybe just try her with sticks of veggie - steamed carrot, or perhaps some raw pepper. My DS loves sucking/knawing (sp?) on green or red pepper slices but I don't think he eats that much.

As far as I know toast should be ok, I've been giving DS toast with unsalted butter, cut into fingers, and I think he quite likes that but not really sure how much he actually swallows

I think having a spoon put in their mouths is quite alarming for some babies - have your dp try and spoon feed you and you'll see what I mean! Better to let her pick up the food herself - she doesn't need to eat purees. She'll still be getting most of her nutrition from milk, so she really doesn't need to eat anything else just yet anyway.