9 month old retches then projectile vomits every time he is fed lumps

[ready2pop]

My 9 month old just cannot eat lumps. Every time I try him with anything even remotely lumpy (inlcuding the commercial stage 2 foods which are hardly lumpy at all) he gags then throws up everywhere. It makes him really distressed.

He has reflux and I am wondering if that is part of the problem but his Dr says not.

He is not very keen on solids generally and no matter what I do will only eat about a pot of stage one baby food a day and about 2 tbsp porridge and even that is a real fight to get into him.

I hadn't worried too much before because I am still bf'ing so figured he'd get all he needs from that but he has dropped down a centile in weight in the alst month so obviously not.

To complicate things I'm pregnant again now and that is killing my supply so I'm also trying to get him onto formula which he just will not take either.

Am really at the end of my tether now. Have seen my HV and Dr who both tell me to just keep perservering with the lumps and formula but I'm really not getting anywhere.

Oh, I should have also said that it doesn't just happened with lumps in mushed up stuff, he is even worse with finger food which is guaranteed to make him empty his stomach immediately.

I know how you feel! My DTs are 9mths old and while DT2 can managed lumps in purees and is a brilliant eater, DT1 often refuses the spoon and if there are lumps she retches and then is sick (not projectile, but still quite distressing!). I have occasionally fed them stage 2 jars and have to whizz them up for DT1 to be able to eat them...

However, she is pretty good with the following finger food, so you could try these:
Crackerbread with Laughing Cow or hummus (the texture is softer than bread so not such a starchy/lumpy consistency in their mouth)
Toast with Laughing Cow/hummus/marmite
Small pieces of veggies
Small pieces of cod
Any of the Organix finger food things
Baby biscuits (just sucks them into submission!)
Mini pitta with hummus

Found that giving her finger food before attempting to get purees down her means that she's hungry so more inclined to eat. Also, it distracts her and I can often get the spoon in her mouth when she's least expecting it!

Re: weightloss, DT2 (the better eater) has practically given up milk during the day and is much more active that DT1 so has also dropped down a centile. Was assured by the HV that this was perfectly normal, so hope that makes you feel a bit better...

I know it's easy to say, but I found the most important thing was not to get too stressed out. Easier said than done!

Thanks bedfordgirl.

If the weight problem was just that his growth rate was tailing off I wouldn't mind but he is actually getting lighter by the month rather than growing.

I think the key is perseverance. DT1 is gradually getting loads better with lumps, but it's taken weeks!
Good luck and keep going. I was getting so stressed around mealtimes as the screaming fits were unbearable and all I was focussing on was how little I knew they'd eat. Now I've switched over to more finger food they feel more in control of what they're eating and the sound of silence during mealtimes is wonderful (the mess is less fab though!). I've made myself stop worrying about what they're not eating and concentrate on what they are eating. It's been really hard, but refusing to get stressed has been a big breakthrough. Have found HVs to be very supportive. Maybe you could ask yours to come round to observe a mealtime? She could then comment more constructively on your situation once she's seen how difficult it is for you.
xx
Ps: good luck with your pregnancy!

Just a thought but with Ds2 he wouldn't accept lumpy purees at all, gagged retched, spewed and then just wouldn't accept them. But he took to actual finger foods like a duck to water. We gave him the organix snacks to start with as they go to mush almost instantly so no worries about gagging and gradually worked him onto toast (cut into thin strips) with various toppings. Biscotti biscuits were great too as they crumble up to nothing v quickly. He's 1 now and self feeds almost everything but still won't accept lumpy purrees - he's the biggest critic of my mashed potato ever!! Loves yoghurt, porrige, fruit purrees, weetabix etc which I still spoon feed to him though.

I would forget about the lumps - its obviously distressing him and you. Go back to the smooth purees and start offering finger foods along side. He's in control then.

Not sure what to say about formulas. You could try offering the carton milk, sometimes this seems more acceptable to older babes. Also try different brands, they all taste slightly different.

Hope that helps and congrats on your pregnancy

Re mash Pheebe, we've recently started using the electric hand whisk instead of the potato masher. You get the smoothest mashed potato ever and no lumps. It's yummy and even DT1 will eat it!

thanks bedfordgirl, I'll try that tonight

Pheebe - let me know how you get on

Delicious!! and was wolfed down thanks for that tip

definitely ditch purees. Ds was the same and at 9 months just blank refused to eat so I fed him solely with finger foods for ages. Chunks of roasted sweet potato and butternut squash and homemade chicken nuggets were his staple foods for a long time. Is still weird about different textures at 2 1/2. There's lots of good ideas for foods he can feed himself on Aitch's blog about babyledweaning.

oops just seen he's worse with finger food. My advice is therefore useless
however, to reassure you I once read that a baby only needs 2 teaspoonfuls of food per day to survive so any more than that is good growing fodder.

ready2pop, have you tried the Organix finger food products? They might be a good stepping stone between purees and 'real' food as they really do disintigrate into mush in their mouths and when all else fails I give DT1 some of these and some fromage frais so at least I know she's had something.

shoppingbagsundereyes - is the 2tsps thing true? If so, that has completely put my mind at rest!