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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

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Original poster

8mo on hunger strike!

31 replies

missbumpy · 19/06/2008 09:01

Well, not strictly speaking on hunger strike as she's still BFing and nibbling on the odd piece of finger food. She's just refusing anything I try to feed her on a spoon. I've hardly got any food into her for days.

I'd say she's generally not a great eater. I've got friends with younger babies who eat far more than DD. Should I be worried? Should I call HV? Or is it normal? I don't want to make a big deal out of it in case it creates food 'issues'. But then I don't want her to starve!

OP posts:

Dalrymps · 19/06/2008 09:10

I don't know the answer to whether this is 'normal', suspect it is though.
Ds isn't a great eater either (7and a half mo). I know you have most likely tried this but have you tried giving something you know she really likes? for instance, with ds it would be fromage frais or a sweet desert type thing, I usually put a bit on his lips if he doesn't wan to take it then he'll lick it off and decide whether he's interested or not. Actually, a while ago he did hardly eat anything for a week and this is how I got him eating again, just giving him what I knew he'd definately eat for a few days.
I then started giving a spoon of sweet then a spoon of savoury, he's now mostly back to eating his savoury then his desert.
Another thing that works with ds is letting him play with a small toy, it seems to distract him from the eating thing a bit and he just takes it without batting an eyelid.
As I say, you've probably tried all this but thought i'd sugest some things just incase you hadn't

micci25 · 19/06/2008 09:12

maybe an idependance thing? my dd2 is going through pretty much the same atm. she has always been a good eater and loves dinners but last night refused my lamb dinner untill i let her feed herself it, mash potato and all! was very messy but worth it if she eats it!!

keep going with the finger foods there are loads of things you can try.

cooked pasta shapes
veg sticks (carrots, cucumber, sliced peppers, roasted potato, sweet potato,parsnip)
home made beef of veggie burgers in buns chopped up into bite sized pieces
dry cereal
toast
sarnies
cheese cubes
fruit slices (apple, pear, melon etc cut into bite sized pieces)
raisins
good quality or made fishfingers

anabel karmel has recipes for finger foods if you have/can borrow any of her books. its something all kids go through your baby is just learning that she doesnt have to open her mouth if she doesnt want to.

mumofmoo · 19/06/2008 10:48

I the same problem with DD at 8mo. In the end I decided not to stress about it and backed off - just offered her bits of whatever I was eating. Within a couple of days her appetite returned and she hasn't looked back.

I think as long as she's getting plenty of milk not having a great appetite is not an issue at this age. HV said that over-eating is more of a concern!

Teething can also put them off eating.

Original poster

missbumpy · 19/06/2008 15:36

Thanks. I have tried giving her bits of things I know she likes but for the last few days even that hasn't worked Actually, she polished off her lunch just now so hopefully she's back to eating normally. As I say, she's not a great eater at the best of times but she does seem to worse than usual at the mo.

OP posts:

Dalrymps · 19/06/2008 16:13

Hey I just had a thought, I recognise your name, were you on th due oct thread with me?

Original poster

missbumpy · 20/06/2008 08:47

Yes! That's me Haven't been on there for ages though. I found it too hard to keep up with what everyone was up to.

OP posts:

Dalrymps · 20/06/2008 10:35

Yeah it is pretty difficult to keep up! I spend far too much time on mumsnet for that reason alone. Hope you're doing ok anyway you can pop back in anytime for a quick update, thats what some of us do, just pop in now and again . Hope the feeding is gettin back to normal now.

Original poster

missbumpy · 20/06/2008 15:28

Thanks. I sort of feel like once I'd lost the thread of what's going on with everyone it was easier to give up! Everyone else seemed really good at daily updates and remembering everyone's LO's names etc whereas I can barely remember my own name these days!
My DD is quite a handful so I don't get time to myself in the day to keep up with everyone online. I should pop back though. I hope everyone's doing ok.
Had a very messy lunch trying to get some egg into DD but at least she seems to have broken the hunger strike

OP posts:

grouphug · 20/06/2008 15:33

Mines is exactly the same, however I was told by the GP that milk should be the main source of food until they are one years old and as I was breastfeeding I do not need to worry and any food is just for them to get used to tastes and textures etc so I stopped worrying. I am doing BLW and each week she is getting better at it.

wasabipeanut · 20/06/2008 15:51

I had exactly the same at exactly the same time. Ds just insisted on finger foods - wouldn't take anything off a spoon.

Fair enough I said and we just went with it. I was also still giving him quite pureed food - at this point I stopped and just gave him coarsely mashed stuff, grated fruit and slivers off fruit and cheese from a potato peeler. He really liked that and still does.

With hindsight I'd have done BLW from the start but hindsight is a wonderful thing isn't it?

Bekkie32 · 20/06/2008 18:06

You could get the doc to check throat and mouth if it persisits. Could be teething..we had troubles around the 8 month mark.

babies also go through peculiar phases too..just keep an eye on it..just worry if the weight starts to drop off. Our little one has been in hospital the last week due to food issues and refusing for quite some time (with no weight gain)..she has loads of checks done ..all turned out to be ok..but she still is refusing. Does not want anything near her mouth..so could be teeth again..the next four should be starting to appear soon.

We wil take her back if it persisits into next week.

Dalrymps · 20/06/2008 21:33

I know what you mean about remebering everyones los names, i'm still as bad now! Do pop back though, be great to hear how you're getting on even if it's only once a month , I certainly don't update every day. Glad the eating strike seems to have stopped. Ds is not refusing food this week but he is being a very fussy little bugger!!!

Daise · 21/06/2008 19:39

I am so glad I found this forum. i have been worrying because my 7.5 month old is off his solids. He is normally such a good eater. He has got one tooth and has another coming through and has just got over a couple of day of sloppy nappies. He is off his solid food now, and refuses anything but smooth stuff. Any ideas as to whether we should be worrying, and how to get him back on track?

Dalrymps · 21/06/2008 21:16

Daise - I think this is very normal at this age, they're just getting used to eating and anything and everything can affect whether they will eat or not in my experience. Ds is nearly 8 months and he has good days and bad days, sometimes he has bad weeks! If he's tired he won't always eat, if he needs a poo he doesn't eat much, sometimes it just seems totally random. One day he'll love something he eats but a few days later will totally refuse the exact same thing.
From what you have written it looks like it is teething that is causing your ds to be a bit off his food. I would just try not to stress (a lot easier said than done) and keep offering what he likes with no pressure.
There are all sorts of things we try to get ds to eat, sometimes he eats better if he's distracted so one of us will wiggle an exciting toy whilst the other feeds him. He also eats very well when the simpsons is on tv for some reason?! So if it's on he just stares at it and opens his mouth no problem, don't know why?
Have you tried giving him some finger foods to et him back interested in lumpy things? Thats all I can think of really, I find most of these problems are short lived and it'll be something else next week

Bekkie32 · 22/06/2008 13:19

Do not worry about the lumps either..our girl is 10 and a half months and still on purees...she refuses finger foods too..but she is also behind motorically (confirmed medically) so I guess eating lumps will come later with her, along with everything else. I tried to introduce lumps at 8 months and at 9 months but she keeps gagging and it puts her off. I started to put pressure on her to take lumps and it caused her to start refusing loads of mealtimes.. both lunch and tea. So relax and he will come round when he is ready.

I agree..if he eats finger foods - try him on those. If not just wait..be calm with each meal and he will take lumps when he is ready again.

PurpleLostPrincess · 24/06/2008 21:06

What a relief to find this thread! DD2 is coming up for 10 months now and has been off her food for a couple of weeks now. I'm sure its all teething related as well as a bit of independence creeping in there. The only thing is that when she feeds herself with finger food, the majority of it either doesn't go in her mouth or she spits it out. She keeps trying though so its not like she doesn't like it. I've taken to making twice as much as I think she needs as most of it ends up on the floor and the dog hoovers it up!

Her favourites seem to be cheese sticks, cucumber, fish fingers, carrots, brocolli, waffles along with a few other bits. She'll only take yoghurt or fruit by the spoon though...

I'll keep watching this thread to see if anybody comes up with any other ideas. I think I might try the one suggested where I alternate sweet and savoury spoonfuls...

Dalrymps · 24/06/2008 21:54

another thing that helps ds eat a bit more is to keep offering him sips of juice in between some of the mouthfulls. He just has tap water with a splash of pure orange juice in, I also add a splash off boiled water to it as it's no so cold so not as shocking and he's less likely to spit it out (mil tip )

megcleary · 24/06/2008 21:57

the book my child wont eat i bought of amazon was v reassuring about them needing less than you think

Dalrymps · 24/06/2008 22:07

ooh, sounds good, might have to order myself a copy.

megcleary · 24/06/2008 22:08

am a very nervous first time mum and it has really helped it might be in your library it wasn't in ours

Dalrymps · 24/06/2008 22:12

Oh yeah hadn't thought about the library, will check it out , thanks. I am also a first time mum but also my worry is made worse by the fact he has a problem with weight gain, have been refered to a paediatrician as he only weighs 14lb 2 and a half oz and is just over 7 and a half months . Not too sad though as he actually eats of most of the time and is the happiest little chap you could wish to meet , does make feeding time stressfull though!

megcleary · 24/06/2008 22:19

are you and his daddy little?

megcleary · 24/06/2008 22:22

it may be thats he's going to be a little cutie

Dalrymps · 24/06/2008 23:01

We're not massive, I am about 5ft 6 and dh is 5ft 8. We were both very skinny as children although have piled on a few pounds since becoming adults as you do. He certainly is a little cutie, check out my pics

littleboyblue · 24/06/2008 23:04

Teething? My ds wouldn't eat a thing apart from pureed pear and custard for about a week. (not together though )

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