Weaning a 28 week old: Lips firmly shut!

[hotmama]

I started weaning dd at 24 weeks and all was going well until last Friday. DD now firmly keeps her mouth shut and rubs her face when I try to give her solids (she isn't tired). She then may start crying - all gets very stressful for both of us.

A ruse I have to use is I give her a dummy to comfort her, then when she is opening her mouth for the dummy then in goes a spoonful of food. She doesn't refuse the food but still moans, seems better when giving her really cold fruit puree or yogurt - but even this is not plain saling.

I wonder is she just teething and this is just a phase that will be grown out of ? (hopefully sooner rather than later). She generally is still having the majority of her 4X7ozs bottles during the day so I am not necessarily worried about her not get enough nutrition.

Otherwise dd is a lovely smiley baby.

I don't want to forcefeed her - should I just chill out and cut out the solids for a bit?

Any advice or tips from mnetters would be gratefully received.

[hotmama]

bump

[Frizbe]

Sounds like it could be teeth, if petit filous is still going in but nothing else, in our house its usually down to that!! have you tried giving dd a spoon to feed herself? as sometimes refusal is due to wanting to do it themselves!!! can also work as a distraction whilst you sneak some in!!!

[NotQuiteCockney]

My DS2 is now 7 months, I started weaning just before 6 months, and have also had some struggles. I've just worked out, he really really doesn't want to be fed - he wants to feed himself. It's messy and I don't know how much goes in, but a banana, or a piece of broccoli, or a hunk of meat, is much more popular than any puree right now. Have you tried finger foods with your DD?

And as long as she's still taking her milk, there's really nothing to worry about. I'm trying to keep cool with DS2, keep offering table scraps and not get bothered.

[hotmama]

DD was tight lipped with her 11 a.m. feed but eventually happily had her feed - once I had forced the teat into her mouth!

Gave her a chopped banana for lunch - which she played with. Gave her a spoon so 'we' could feed a petit filous - spoonful - just lots of mess - but she was happy.

Now given her a milk feed at 3.30 which she scoffed happily. Then I had an apple and gave her a bit - she then had a 'Little Britain" moment and brought everything up - just milk though. DD vomited last Friday during a feed - what is going on?

I am really looking forward to giving her tea

Please give me advice on what to do.

[cod]

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[Gobbledigook]

Just while we are on weaning can I ask a question - d'you think I could give ds3 who is 7 months, a banana to hold and just munch on? He wouldn't choke on it would he?

Never did it with the other 2, always mashed it but wondered if I could use it as finger food instead?

[cod]

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[hotmama]

Cod - did you still keep offering food and dd/ds eventually ate it or did you just try again after a few weeks.

[NotQuiteCockney]

Gdg - my DS2 likes bananas as finger foods. I don't think they're easy to choke on. It's worth keeping an eye on the baby to see what they do with lumps - most babies just spit them out.

It is pretty messy, though.

Chunks of reasonably ripe pear are even easier, as they really just turn to mush, and couldn't ever choke a baby. You can even cut them long and thin, so they're easy to hold.

Out of sheer contrariness, he ate a whole cube of lamb and carrot puree this afternoon, so I'm making some beef and carrot. Meat is certainly the bigest hit so far, more so than even fruit!

[cod]

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[hotmama]

Well, as expected tea was refused! Now given dd her the last feed and put her to bed.

If I am stop weaning for a couple of weeks should I go back up to 5 feeds or should she starve and therefore want solids?

Is this a common problem or is dd just become a wilful madam!

[hotmama]

Bump

[honeybunny]

Maybe stick to the 4 feeds/day but increase to 9oz?? but only if you're worried about adequate nutritional amts going in. Alternatively stick to 4x7oz bottles and if she starts really fussing between feeds give her a snack... rice cake, breadstick, normal bread crusts, ie finger foodie things, and see if you cant tempt her back to solids that way.
I'd def go for the chill out, back off approach. Didnt with ds1 and he's a real control freak over what goes in his mouth, even at 4.5yrs.