Page 2 | Baby screams in high chair so weaning is proving really difficult

Summersun91 · 2026-04-28T10:27:43+00:00

Been trying to wean my baby since she was 6 months, and tried to practice with her in the high chair since 5 months but she screams every single time I put her in there. I just don’t know how I’m supposed to wean her if she’s too busy screaming to even notice the food. I tried sitting her on my knee but it’s not very practical. I also tried the bumbo but she screams there too. I’ve put toys on the high chair to play with. I don’t know what else to try. I know food before 1 is supposed to be fun so it doesn’t matter but A) it’s not fun, she’s screaming. She screams during most of our family meals (is not hugely happy sat on our knee at the table either) and B) She wakes up about 8 times a night and I have to BF her 5/6 times and I’m struggling mentally with this, and it seems like weaning should help (she won’t drink more than 2/3oz from a bottle during the day so only has 10-15oz of formula during a day, so need to get more daytime food/milk in her) Any suggestions of what I can do? Just to add on the occasion she actually isn’t screaming and eats a bit she does seem to enjoy the food but this is quite rare. I’m doing a mixture of baby led weaning and purées. She also seems interested in the food when I’m eating with her sat on my knee. And I’ve tried playing music/singing. Thank you

Original poster

Summersun91 · 28/04/2026 15:37

endofthelinefinally · 28/04/2026 13:27

If she has been ill enough to be in hospital for a week she will have regressed behaviourally and developmentally. I would leave it for a couple of weeks. Give her as much milk as she needs, but give her little tastes of bland purees and finger foods she can hold and taste. Sitting on the floor is fine. I mixed purees with milk at first and used a very soft spoon.
I wonder if the feeding at night is due to comfort sucking or reflux rather than hunger? Sorry if I missed it, but have you considered reflux?

You are probably right. She’s done the screaming in the high chair though both before and after being in the hospital so that’s not specifically the cause.
Yes silent reflux is an option. She’s been on omeprazole twice and is currently off it at the moment (stopped in hospital as she’d thrown up the last few doses and was being fed by a tube anyway and not restarted). However sleep has been terrible for months so the omeprazole wasn’t helping. If it is reflux not sure what other things I can try? I already went to the GP who said that some babies just sleep badly

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Original poster

Summersun91 · 28/04/2026 15:38

HedwigHedgepig · 28/04/2026 13:38

Is your baby in a pram seat yet? If so, could try feeding in that if it's fairly upright and baby is comfortable in it. I wouldn't give them anything too messy though, unless it's easy to take apart and clean!

Ah she is fairly happy here, so good suggestion if I can find some finger foods which are not too messy!

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Original poster

Summersun91 · 28/04/2026 15:42

minipie · 28/04/2026 13:49

Agree if she’s always hated sitting positions then maybe she has a bit of silent reflux? not liking any position that puts pressure on the tummy can be a sign. It can come and go and be worse during growth spurts. It might also explain the comfort feeding at night - although that could also just be a learned sleep association.

If she does have silent reflux then food can help but appreciate you have to figure out a way to get it in first!!

There is a growth spurt around 6 months so that might be making her more uncomfortable, maybe more luck in a few weeks?

Sorry to hear she was so ill, that sounds stressful.

Thanks. Yes I just mentioned to a PP that she could have silent reflux, but omeprazole didn’t previously help with the night wakes. As you say, weaning might help, but oh yes, struggling there too!
You are probably right in that it will improve with time. And if her sleep weren’t so bad I wouldn’t mind waiting!

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Ormally · Yesterday 08:59

Summersun91 · 28/04/2026 15:11

Thanks, yes you’re right it will be easier (possibly) when I can sit outside with her, hope that is the case!

Show quote history

The 'outside' bit was just distracting enough for me, compared to home plus high chair plus that means everyone going to sit and eat. If they are alert and on the move, they get a bit hungrier (either that, or tireder!)

The other thing I remembered was to put really tiny bits on a spoon to start with, not filling it too much. If they don't like what goes in, texture or taste, a big influx of it can be a shock. Vegetables, with the exception of very milky mashed potato, were not that tempting to start with, but banana went down well.

TinyMouseTheatre · Yesterday 15:09

Sorry are you BFing at night and FFing in the day? BF babies only usually take 2 to 3 floz from a bottle so that might be why she’s not taking much during the day.

Have you tried giving her a dose of Calpil roughly an hour before you offer her any food to see if that helps her to settle? At least that way you’ll know if she’s uncomfortable.

And does she have Tongue Tue by any chance? My DC1 does and found weaning very difficult. He also had the reflux type of symptoms.

As for finger foods, the Caroline Walker Trust has some good suggestions in Eating Well: The First Year of Life. I also had this book from our local library and that seemed to have some good suggestions

Finger Food For Babies And Toddlers

Faced with a perpetual mealtime battle with her baby Millie, Jennie Maizels discovered it wasn't that Millie did not want to eat, she just didn't want to be spoon-fed by anyone else. Faced with this independence, Jennie Maizels was forced to dr...

https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/products/finger-food-for-babies-and-toddlers-book-jennie-maizels-9780091889517

Original poster

Summersun91 · Yesterday 18:51

Peonies12 · 28/04/2026 15:34

OP weaning can be tough but see it as a long term thing. They don’t just start eating 3 meals a day. Mine took til about 15 months to really start eating and she has slept through at 18 months. I’d focus on creating a positive and relaxed environment around food, offer it but don’t force or encourage her to eat. Let her explore and make a mess. Eat with her. Don’t worry about quantity she consumes. I’d recommend Sarah Ockwell smiths book about raising a happy eater. With the frequent wakes, try reducing how much sleep she has in the day; she neeeds to be more tired for the night. Possible later bedtime as well.

Edited

Hi, thanks I agree with this, but I can’t create a positive environment when she’s screaming! I don’t know where to put her for family meals. I had her on my knee this evening and she was just reaching for all my food.
I’ll take a look at the book thanks.

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Original poster

Summersun91 · Yesterday 18:57

Ormally · Yesterday 08:59

The 'outside' bit was just distracting enough for me, compared to home plus high chair plus that means everyone going to sit and eat. If they are alert and on the move, they get a bit hungrier (either that, or tireder!)

The other thing I remembered was to put really tiny bits on a spoon to start with, not filling it too much. If they don't like what goes in, texture or taste, a big influx of it can be a shock. Vegetables, with the exception of very milky mashed potato, were not that tempting to start with, but banana went down well.

Show quote history

Thanks for the tips.

Slightly separate problem with the spoon (on the occasion she’s not crying and will put it in her mouth) in that if I put a tiny amount on it will just stay on the spoon (as she’s grabbed hold of the spoon so I can’t position it in her mouth to get it to come off), so I’ve been putting larger amounts on so some falls off in her mouth. She actually doesn’t seem to have a problem with eating the food when she’s not screaming, ie she’s not rejecting it.

The other problem I have with outside/floor is that I have a toddler, so when I have the 2 of them I can’t practically do another meal for the baby if she won’t sit at the table. (Realise I could put the toddler on the floor as well but requires much more planning and effort!)

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TinyMouseTheatre · Yesterday 18:57

Summersun91 · Yesterday 18:51

Hi, thanks I agree with this, but I can’t create a positive environment when she’s screaming! I don’t know where to put her for family meals. I had her on my knee this evening and she was just reaching for all my food.
I’ll take a look at the book thanks.

Show quote history

Is your food ok for her? I got my DD to eat at this age by sitting her in my knee and letting her take things from my plate.

Original poster

Summersun91 · Yesterday 19:00

TinyMouseTheatre · Yesterday 15:09

Sorry are you BFing at night and FFing in the day? BF babies only usually take 2 to 3 floz from a bottle so that might be why she’s not taking much during the day.

Have you tried giving her a dose of Calpil roughly an hour before you offer her any food to see if that helps her to settle? At least that way you’ll know if she’s uncomfortable.

And does she have Tongue Tue by any chance? My DC1 does and found weaning very difficult. He also had the reflux type of symptoms.

As for finger foods, the Caroline Walker Trust has some good suggestions in Eating Well: The First Year of Life. I also had this book from our local library and that seemed to have some good suggestions

Yes. I got overwhelmed with all the BF so for the last 6 weeks have gradually stopped doing it during the day and replacing with bottles. Would like to stop completely but don’t want to make up 6x bottles in the night.

I didn’t know BF babies drank smaller bottles, my last baby didn’t when I made the change.

I haven’t tried calpol thanks so that’s something else to try.

She possibly does have a tongue tie, but I’ve found she seems to quite like eating the food if she’s not screaming, so it seems to be a high chair aversion as opposed to her not wanting to eat the food. In what way did your DC find weaning difficult?

Thanks for the book recommendation as well.

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TinyMouseTheatre · Yesterday 19:19

Summersun91 · Yesterday 19:00

Yes. I got overwhelmed with all the BF so for the last 6 weeks have gradually stopped doing it during the day and replacing with bottles. Would like to stop completely but don’t want to make up 6x bottles in the night.

I didn’t know BF babies drank smaller bottles, my last baby didn’t when I made the change.

I haven’t tried calpol thanks so that’s something else to try.

She possibly does have a tongue tie, but I’ve found she seems to quite like eating the food if she’s not screaming, so it seems to be a high chair aversion as opposed to her not wanting to eat the food. In what way did your DC find weaning difficult?

Thanks for the book recommendation as well.

Show quote history

DC had TT and would only reliably eat smooth purées for the first 6 months. Would try and chew the odd finger of toast or cheese straw but that was about it.

DC2 was the complete opposite. Would not tolerate the spoon or purées and wanted what we were eating. Often wasn’t happy in the high chair but not to extent of your DD. Often I would just sit her on my knee and blithely ignore her whilst she helped herself.

Original poster

Summersun91 · Today 08:27

TinyMouseTheatre · Yesterday 18:57

Is your food ok for her? I got my DD to eat at this age by sitting her in my knee and letting her take things from my plate.

Show quote history

No, not directly from my plate. I make adapted versions for her.
I tried feeding her on my knee but I didn’t find it very practical.

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Calliopespa · Today 08:33

Left field OP, but if she likes the bath seat, could you try a little food when she is in the bath? A lot of babies find water very calming, and if she is in a good upright position, that might be a time to get her used to the food, and then you can slowly transition to elsewhere?

Original poster

Summersun91 · Today 08:40

Calliopespa · Today 08:33

Left field OP, but if she likes the bath seat, could you try a little food when she is in the bath? A lot of babies find water very calming, and if she is in a good upright position, that might be a time to get her used to the food, and then you can slowly transition to elsewhere?

Oh thanks, that’s a good shout - mess free as well!

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