Please reassure me this is just a phase......?

[glasgowlass]

Hello MNers!

I need some reassurance/advice.

My DS (9.5 months)has suddenly stopped eating solids/textures. He is usually a fab wee eater, averaging around 27 oz milk, 3 meals and a few healthy snacks per day. In the past week however he is point blank refusing his dinnertime(and sometimes lunchtime) solids, he wont even touch finger foods left for him on high chair while I sit beside him.

At the weekend he did cut 2 top teeth, both are now through the gum and I am aware this could be the cause. Just not so sure IFSWIM?

He clamps his mouth shut and I can sit for over 90 mins just trying to get anything into him, I even tried leaving him and let him see me get on with things, go back every now and again to try feeding, hoping that he will take some, but to no avail.

I just feel so exhausted, its constant feeding at the moment as it takes so long to get him to eat(if he eats at all), THB I feel like a failure as a mum as I cant get my DS to eat! (history of depression and very low self esteem as it is).

I know that at his age his food is really a supplement to his milk but he has been doing so well for 3 months now and all of a sudden its changed.

I thought maybe he was trying to show he has his own mind etc but I really need some help!

Can anyone please offer advice on this matter, you would quite literally be saving my sanity!

TIA

It is a phase. I have 3 kids and they have all done this at one stage or another. He will start eating again, the trick is to not stress out so much that he starts to associate feeding with being stressed. This will make everything harder in the long run.

Having said that, it is impossible as a mum not to be incredibly stressed by a non-eating baby. We are after all genetically programmed to fed them. Offer him a meal, if he doesn't eat then leave it and offer again at the next mealtime. You could offer more milk to replace these meals if you want/or are worried about weight gain etc.

Also, it may help to have someone else try to feed him. Dh or grandma maybe. Sometimes they are just being little buggers!

Thanks so much sybilvimes for your reply.

I am glad to know I am not alone in this, even though I kinda knew I wasnt its good to get reassurance!

I will try to be a stress free mum today at mealtimes. I usually try to make food fun for him and we have such a laugh so will try to keep this up even when I feel overwhelmed by it all.
I dont have anyone else who could feed him TBH, DP works long hours, away before DS gets up and home just in time for bath and bed. My mum and dad work shifts so not always available and PIL's have no interest in DS whatsoever (only live 5 mins walk away but everytime I take him up, they are too busy, never come to see him, only seen him 5 times since birth! MIL says she doesnt "do" babies!)

Not worried about his weight gain, is a sturdy, healthy wee fella. I know centiles are not the "done" thing on MN but has been on the 50th since birth and jumped to 75th at last check 4 weeks ago.

I think he is being a wee bugger, in the nicest possible sense of course, just trying to assert his independence and own mind ie "I can eat it, I just wont!"

Thanks again!