10-month-old suddenly not very interested in food or milk - Please tell me this is normal?

[angel1976]

Hi all,

My DS is 10-month-old next week and he seemed to be doing fine with weaning (weaning very slowly from about 23 weeks...) until a few days ago. Last week, he ate copious amounts (to the extent that DH and I were wondering if we were giving him too much as his little belly was so round and hard at the end of the day!). He has finger food AND puree. For example, for lunch, he would eat a mini cottage pie (in a ramekin) with bits of snacky stuff for finger food and then a pudding (usually a yoghurt). He's never been a big baby and was never keen on his milk but last week, was drinking loads as well.

A few days ago, he seemed to have suddenly lost interest in his food AND milk. He's only taking half his bottle in the morning (usually 6oz, but takes only 3oz now), and his food as well. He is still eating but I would say about half the normal amount. He seems fine in himself, is happy and playing. In fact, he just seems to want to get down to play. I know it's normal that they would lose interest in food at some stage as they are more interested in playing but at 10 months? Is this normal and does this phase pass? I'm trying NOT to worry but it's hard! When he was eating loads, he would do 3-4 poos a day but of course he is now down to 1-2 poos a day. Please tell me our LOs did the same too and I have nothing to worry about! BTW, he started out a good sleeper and we have had a couple of bad months with travelling and illnesses but in the last two days, he's sleeping through again well so he's okay right? Thanks!

Ax

Is he teething? My ds went off food at this age due to first teeth coming in.
Is his belly still hard? We also had a 'blockage' problem which meant he stopped eating for a bit.
My ds has never been interested in milk either so know it's a worry when they stop eating.
I wouldn't worry too much for the sake of a few days, see what happens over the weekend, if you're still worried, pop along to GP before xmas just to put your mind at rest. I'm pretty sure babies will eat if they are hungry.
My ds is now 16m and can go 3 days without much, but there's no pressure on him and when he does eat, he makes up for it.
Maybe get him weighed too, just to keep an eye on what's happening there

My DD used to (and sill does) do this, she's now 22mo. I put it down to growth spurts, she'd eat solidly for a few days then eat nothing for a few days. Over the next little while I'd notice she'd grown out of some of her clothes. She also stops eating when she's teething.

I also vaguely remember her reducing her bf'ing by quite allot just before she turned one.

I have no idea about sleeping. My dd goes from good sleeper to bad sleeper all the time. One little cold or change in her routine will throw her off and we're back to night wakings, hopefully they'll grow out of it.

I only thing you need to worry if your DS is loosing weight or if he looks run down, stops playing, giggling. You know him best so you'll be able to tell if he's not right.

Thanks littleboyblue and Sushipaws... It's good to know I am not alone! He used to take cereal for brekkie but is now not keen on being spoonfed, which I am fine with. So I gave him some multigrain shaped things soaked in milk and he had some of those. I gave him grapes and banana too and he put them in his mouth and then spits it out (used to eat them happily!). But he would then do it again! I think that in the last few days, he seems to be questioning more (more curious?) about what he is eating... I gave him the remaining 3oz of his bottle after that and he drank it all! Tried that yesterday and he refused... Argh! I just wish there was some consistency!

I did think growth spurt as well but not sure if it happened at 10 months? I wasn't going to take him to get weighed till he is almost a year old (I have had enough of stressing about his weight!) but might just take him in now on Monday for some reassurance... He does seem well in himself, have started clapping in the last two days and I wonder if this being off food/drink thing is due to all these changes (clapping hands, sleeping through etc) all at once! As for teeth, he has two very prominent bottom two but no sight of any others so a real possibility as well. I didn't think so as he was showing all the signs last week but stopped in the last few days. Thanks so much!!!!

My DD is 10m too and she does the same thing. Eats like a horse for a few days and then virtually nothing. She's sarted refusing her morning bottle and only takes about 4oz of her afternoon feed. HAving said that she then has 8oz at night (and most nights sleepes through when the tetth aren't being a pest )

I think if he's happy and acting like normal there's nothing really to worry about. They soon let you know when they're not!

Yes, he's learning so much right now and as you say curiosity is huge at the moment iusn't it?

Thanks, I just needed to hear all that! LittleMonkeysMummysAXmasFairy - That's very reassuring to hear about your DD. It's just that I know the little monkey boy CAN drink his milk. For example, we were out and about yesterday and he had milk from the carton (he loves them!) and he would drink 7oz when at home, he will only take 3-4oz. I'm not mad enough (or rich enough!) to just feed him milk from those ready-made cartons but boy, is it tempting sometimes...

A wee tip from my fussy eater is the banana milkshake. I use cows milk but you could use formula. Blend a banana and milk up and give it in a different drinking cup (one thats special). Once they turn one you can put a little honey in it too.