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Weaning

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

Original poster

6.5month dd not an enthusiastic eater

22 replies

poshsinglemum · 07/01/2009 22:43

Am a bit concerned about dd. Exclusively bf. She's only 6.5mo butI started weaning just before 6 months as she was a late baby and seemed interested. However, she didn't really take to solids so I relaxed a bit.
Trying to get back into it after a bad cold. She won't let me spoon feed her but grabs the spoon, wipes it everywhere, flicks it, gets a tiny bit in her mouth then drops spoon. Repeat to infinity.She occasionally puts it straight in her mouth and chews slowly. I don't know if she's getting enough food. She never seems to wolf her food down as other babies seem to do but looks thoughtful as she swills it round her mouth. tbh I think that she prefers finger food to puree but the other mums think I'm mad as they started weaning at 4-5 months and their babies wolf it down enthusiastically.

OP posts:
MrsJamin · 08/01/2009 08:30

It's a classic BF-baby thing to do and SO normal. Many mums on here now do "baby-led weaning" which means self-feeding from the start. I did it from 6 months with DS and now he's 1 he is eating everything we eat and has a fab appetite and like for new and interesting foods. So definitely be led by your baby and give her finger food - it's a good thing she wants to be independent! The other mums with large amounts of puree might get into difficulty to be honest (as some mums I have known have, stuck at 'stage 1' purees and can't get onto lumpy foods easily.

So I'd give her things like rice cakes, toast, roasted veg sticks (an absolute favourite to start) and just fling her whatever you're eating - it's amazing what babies are capable of!

pispirispis · 08/01/2009 09:38

My dd did exactly the same and I felt exactly the same as you did!! And she's formula fed. I thought all the other babies were on big hot dinners by then! In my case, I kept on with the spoonfeeding for a while, but she started to get annoyed and cried, then it became stressful. So we started BLW and it's fab. Whatever you do, don't worry about her getting enough nutrition as your milk is giving her everything she needs for now so she'll be fine.

Original poster
poshsinglemum · 08/01/2009 20:14

I think that blw is the way foward for us. It just seems so natuaral and less fuss. Tried her with bread sticks today and she loved them ; cried when she dropped them. I think it's the social pressure as always that gets to me. When I went to the cafe the other day, the two other babies were eating their pureed food with not much mess. I didn't bring puree as I knew taht there would be carnage and Jackson Pollock style puree paintings on the wall so asked for a slice of toast. I was just asking other mum if it was ok to give dd butter to find dd had stuffed butter sachet in her mouth! had to retrieve taht. She loved the toast but most of it ended up on the floor whilst the otehr mums looked on in amusement. I felt like I was starving her and that we were at a chimp's dinner party. I know taht this is normal and I normally enjoy the messy side of weaning but I hate the wierd social pressure taht accompanies feeding babies. Does anyone else feel this pressure and hate it? Tell me I'm not alone.

OP posts:
Original poster
poshsinglemum · 08/01/2009 20:15

I think taht it's self consciousness on my part.

OP posts:
MrsJamin · 09/01/2009 08:15

poshsinglemum, that's totally normal. It does seem in the early days that the puree-fed babies are making more progress, having good quantities and possibly starting to drop milk feeds. But this may easily change in a few months when some babies might refuse the spoon or have trouble with "stage 2" lumpy foods. Then they will be coming to you with ideas on finger foods! Personally the social aspect is something I like about BLW, DS sat at a wedding reception at 6.5 MO chomping through a roast dinner while a 1 year old was being spoon-fed from a jar - I was very proud! Of course it is messy and it doesn't seem like they eat very much but most people are impressed at your LO's ability to tackle what are seen as adult foods, and it's so important to me that DS likes a large variety of foods and is happy to try new foods. Believe me, it's all worth it!

And also, you're definitely not starving her as long as you keep up with breastmilk - it's still the perfect source of energy and nutrition for her. With BLW I found DS practised eating solids before he needed them IYSWIM.

MrsBadger · 09/01/2009 08:59

I was the sole BLWer in a posse of pureers - it was hard sometimes and I sympathis
but when we went on a day out and they were all there with their thermoses and coolbags and special bowls, making a fuss about being able to use the microwave in the cafe and doing aeroplane impressions with their special travel spoons, I felt as smug as hell as I watched dd disassemble and scoff a chicken salad sandwich...

pispirispis · 09/01/2009 13:09

Definitely agree with MrsBadger and MrsJasmin! It is hard at the beginning when you don't know many or any other mums who are doing BLW, at the beginning I found forums invaluable for moral support (and still do!) When out and about, you'll have times when your lo will impress everyone by tidily eating lots of 'normal' food, and probably also times when she'll refuse to eat and throw it all on the floor, and you'll feel embarrassed, but I just see that as good practice for having a toddler anyway!! Good luck and have fun!

JingleBonesJun · 09/01/2009 17:23

I've read this with interest, my DD was initially very interested in her baby rice etc but the past 3 days she has taken maybe 2 tiny spoonfuls and then pushed anything else I offer her out with her tongue.

I was thinking perhaps she wasn't hungry enough but maybe I should offer her some finger foods?

She is also 6.5 months and it is hard not to compare her to youger babies who are wolfing there food down.

macaco · 09/01/2009 18:37

That's what stopped me spoon feeding, in part...the wolfing down of food. I felt I was able to spoon a worrying amount into DS and then the pushing/fighting the spoon started so we just stopped and I started putting him in his high chair and doing only BLW. I've found it sooo much less hassle and I feel it's more at his pace.
The mess aspect is a bit embarrassing out and about at first but you can pick less messy foods and anyway they get better quite quickly at getting it in their mouths and being less messy. So far I've actually only had positive comments, which has surprised me as Spain isn't exactly BLW friendly (I was told to wean at 4 months and start by thickening the bottle ).
this site is beyond fabulous.

pispirispis · 09/01/2009 18:49

Hello macaco!

Sorry but just wanted to tell macaco that tonight dd had some of my Swiss chard (acelgas, no?) with loads of garlic and lemon on it!

macaco · 09/01/2009 18:55

!Yay! She likes her strong flavours, doesn't she!
DS ate a WHOLE banana this morning. I was at work but DH gave him breakfast and he polished off an entire banana and then a piece of toast with philadelphia! I was soooo proud!
Sorry ladies, as you were.

pispirispis · 09/01/2009 19:10

That's fab!

Original poster
poshsinglemum · 09/01/2009 20:02

Will def persevere with blw. You see though girls, dd dosn't actually seem to devour much finger food. It pulverises and a lot goes on the floor. She enjoys it though so what the hell. I keep saying 'food is fun until one.' I'm so glad I started closer to 6 months as Ive missed out the awful can she/can't she eat it and just gone straight onto whatever I'm having. I don't think dd has managed to eat a whole small chunk of banana let alone a WHOLE WHOLE banana but it's early days and she has two new teeth break through. Does that affect appetite?

OP posts:
pispirispis · 09/01/2009 21:41

Don't worry, our babies are between 8 and 9 months old and have only started eating more recently! Plus there are many days when dd doesn't eat much, but it's when they eat a lot that you're so chuffed you go on the internet and boast about it, lol! Like you say, it's very early days and so much can change in the space of a few weeks. And yes, my dd definitely eats a lot less when she's teething, but likes cold fruit and cucumber.

MrsJamin · 10/01/2009 07:59

PSM - yes it takes some time before they eat quantities - but that's a really good thing as then they get most of their energy/nutrition from milk for a while. DS was about 9 months before he really "got it" - that you ate solid food when you were hungry. Now he's just over 1 he eats whatever we're having - in the last few days he's eaten chilli con carne with rice, pork and ginger stirfry, etc, it's amazing what he's capable of and he eats a huge quantity - more than I eat at breakfast- a full bowl of shredded wheat bitesize, a whole banana and 7 blueberries this morning!

They definitely do eat less when they are teething as it is distracting and painful, I think.

macaco · 10/01/2009 09:55

Yes, sorry...DS is 9 and a half months and we've been fully BLWing for about a month but before that although I was doing purees he was having occasional finger foods and then there was a stage I'd put him in hte high chair for finger foods once a day but purees the rest of the time and then gave up purees all together. So, he's been playing with finger foods for aaaaages. Even so, it's taken him about 3/4 weeks of fully BLW to eat a discernible amount. They seem to just play with it for ages and then suddenly you can see that they are really eating it.
DS used to mush it/drop it and I couldn't really tell if anything was going in. I'd see the evidence sometimes in his nappy but not really at the table. Then suddenly yesterday a banana. I was so proud I had to come and boast!
Give her time. She just needs time to get her head (and gnashers) round it. Teething can really put them off too. Cucumber stickes/celery are nice for sore gums. DS loved celery sticks when his latest teeth were coming thru.

x

Lucycb70 · 22/12/2009 19:03

Oh goodness this post fills me with hope! (and it's my first time on here)

Have been doing quite well (I thought) weaning my now 6.5 month old until a couple of weeks ago when every time I ventured near her with the spoon she absolutely refused to have it anywhere near her mouth - except when it was yogurt or pureed fruit?? She then cried and cried until eventually I could stand it no more and gave her the milk that she was seemingly longing for. It's been really frustrating (lots of home-cooked meals in the bin) and upsetting (every mealtime she's in tears - and I feel like it too!). I just kept thinking that I must be doing something wrong, yet was following the paedatrician's (in France they are the equivalent of a HV) advice of two solid meals a day, plus two bottle of milk...

Having read this post I am now going to start BLW her as from tomorrow!

Wish me luck.....!

mumofoliver · 24/12/2009 08:04

Good luck and hope it is going OK. MY DD isn't that fussed about purees - very hit and miss but likes nothing more that a piece of toast or rice cakes. But decided to do BLW more after she stole a gnocchi with pesto on it from DS' plate and loved it!!!

SconesForTea · 04/11/2010 17:32

Ah, this is giving me hope too Smile. I have been trying DD with pureed/mashed whatever-we're-having but she's having none of it (other than yoghurt - do all babies love yoghurt?!). She's 8.5m and not really eating from a spoon at all. So it's finger foods from now on. Other than steamed/roast veg, and toast, and rice cakes, what do/did you give to your BLW DCs at first?

paddypants · 05/11/2010 22:39

poshsinglemum, i am at exactly same stage as you with DD who is still refusing purees three weeks in. What kind of foods can you start them on with BLW at age of 6 1/2 months?

NColette · 12/01/2011 17:51

This thread is so interesting!
I am an English mam living in Spain and finding weaning a lot less fun than I'd thought it would be. They suggest some strange purees to start off with and my LO has been so on/off her food since we started her on 'solids'.
I feel really inspired again at the thought of BLW and can't wait to have some fun at last and stop worrying about every little mouthful of puree of 'acelgas' (don't know the word in English) that she refuses to eat!!
Thanks everyone!

alfonzo · 13/01/2011 11:37

Hello people for those of you who are looking for finger food ideas, you may find this thread interesting. Smile

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