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Weaning

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

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Original poster

Weaning going badly

26 replies

evansmummy · 16/06/2005 15:17

Waited until 6 months cos I really wanted to bf exclusively. So we started a week ago, mainly cos I thought I should, not cos ds really needed/wanted it. But I was afraid the longer I left it the more difficult it would become.

So we started with some baby rice, which he hated, then some fruity baby rice, hated that too. Now we've tried pureed carrots and pears, which he refuses too. He just clamps his mouth shut and grizzles. He doesn't seem to dislike the pear (in that he doesn't dribble it all out his mouth, like with the other stuff!), but I still have to force a bit to get it in! And I don't feel like it's the right thing to do, to force him, just not sure how to go about it.

Any ideas??

OP posts:

bundle · 16/06/2005 15:18

give yourself a break, and go back to just milk, and try again in a few weeks

MarsLady · 16/06/2005 15:19

stop for a couple of days, or just do one feed a day. Then start again. They actually eat a lot less than we think.

You could try by starting him with a little milk to take the edge off of his hunger, then feeding him. hth

chipmonkey · 16/06/2005 15:43

Don't force, evansmummy, leave it for a week or so and then try again. He won't come to any harm by leaving it a little later.

beansprout · 16/06/2005 15:56

I did the same and had the same response! I just offered every few days and he started to really take an interest at about 6m and 3w. A month later he is now on 3 meals a day! If you go with their flow it really is much easier. Best of luck

NotQuiteCockney · 16/06/2005 21:37

It's really not worth stressing about. I started a week or so before 6 months, as DS2 had been sitting up on his own for ages, and trying to grab my food.

We tried a range of purees. He would tolerate meat-based ones, but didn't really like them.

At the same time, I started letting him try to feed himself. He liked this much better, and we've given up on purees entirely. I think he did well at the beginning with rice cakes and bread sticks (no real allergy risk in our family), oh, and meat and chicken. He now eats melon, banana, apples, pasta, meat, dried fruit, etc etc. He is now 8.5 months, and just eats whatever I'm having - I keep him away from very sweet or salty foods, but he doesn't mind a bit of chili pepper in his food, thankfully.

chipmonkey · 17/06/2005 22:31

Agree with everyone its better not to get stressed. How many adults do you know who only drink milk? We all get there in the end!

gingernut · 17/06/2005 23:02

evansmummy, my ds2 has been the same. Now nearly 29 weeks, have been trying solids for 5 weeks on and off, and he is only just starting to eat a little. I suspect he is filling up on milk (which I am giving him first) so much that he just can't take any more.

My ds1, who was (and still is) a big eater, took a couple of weeks just to get the hang of opening his mouth for the spoon, but since then he's been eating us out of house and home.

Stick with it, he'll get the hang of it. What time are you giving solids, and are you doing it after a milk feed? He ideally shouldn't be starving hungry, just peckish, and not too tired at mealtimes.

mears · 17/06/2005 23:05

Forget it for a few days then try again. Definately forget the rice, it's tasteless wall paper paste. Don't force it in but offer small bits on the spoon. He will get the hang of it when he is ready.

serah · 17/06/2005 23:22

completely agree with mears - who has obviously tried baby rice too!! - it is paper mache. I am having similar with my 6 month old... there is every organic puree ice cube possible in the freezer, and he has NONE of it.... well, a spoon and pulls the most disgusted face ever. Until, I cave and get out the banana mixed with a bit of milk... then he looks like a baby bird waiting for the next spoonful! Of course, he doesn't "need" solids yet - so its about once a week I give him banana, of which he will eat about 2" (have to be careful with banana and constipation hence the once a week). The rest of the week he has to pull funny faces and some days or few days we don't even try if he's had a bad experience (chucking up on a bit of un-pureed carrot for example).

Be lead by him - and laugh at his funny faces... my DS looks forward to having the bib on, as he knows even if he thinks its disgusting, he's going to get a laugh and a kiss out of it. I think that that is what its all about at this age. They don't need 3 solid meals a day.. they need to watch you eat and try a tiny bit if its suitable and they want to.... And just watch you if its notor they don't. Relax.... and so will he.

(need to try sweet potato again soon, as that was semi-enjoyed - you tried that?)

serah · 17/06/2005 23:23

ho hum..... not or..... not notor

Ladek · 18/06/2005 20:36

Hello,
my bambino is 8.5 months now and she absolutely refuses to eat anything but breastmilk, she wont even take that from a bottle, the problem is getting her to open her mouth, 'cause if you force the food in she swallows with no problems but its a battle to get the food in and after one spoon she starts crying, i find it funny because when she watches people eating she starts smacking her lips and imitating the chewing movement with her mouth but thats as far as it goes. I'm really at my wits end right now as i was hoping to wean her from 6 months so that i could go back to looking for work....any suggestions would be really helpful, thanks.

dougal2705 · 22/06/2005 18:05

Hello,
Im sorry i dont have any advice for you as i am going through the same thing,we waited for six months before we introduced solids and apart from one week when she ate everthing i gave her it is going very badly!! She wont eat anything at all,as soon as she sees her food pot and spoon she starts to cry and she just refuses to open her mouth unless it is for her milk which she now loves.I just dont know what to do,and i was wondering how you were now geting on and if you had any advice for me as i am getting desperate!
I look forward to hearing from you.

Gem13 · 22/06/2005 18:08

I waited until 6 months too and it wasn't until DD was about 11 months that she really got to enjoy her food. It just took her a while.

Sorry, not much help. I just kept offering and then one day she realised that food is great and we haven't looked back. Different to DS who I weaned at 4 months and who stuffed every meal down straight away!

She didn't like baby rice, only really pear and garlic stuffed mushrooms at 10 months!

Socci · 22/06/2005 18:13

Message withdrawn

Gem13 · 22/06/2005 18:41

Meant to add that I didn't offer her the garlic stuffed mushrooms, that's what she scoffed at a Thanksgiving dinner!

aloha · 22/06/2005 18:45

Nothing wrong with garlic stuffed mushrooms! Will anyone's babies here self -feed?

fishfinger · 22/06/2005 18:47

yes stop it IMO too

Rai · 22/06/2005 19:00

evensmummy, agree with mn's comments, including babies can gain all nutritional needs for 12months from BM, hv/peoples reasons for starting to introduce solids are that they won't get used to chewing/textures/flavours easily unless you start at around 6mths. The other reason is that by this age their gag reflex has relaxed, has your baby started putting fingers/chewing your knuckle etc, to sooth gums cos of teething?

Here are a few suggestions which worked for me, ds was late to solids, I think after approx 11mths.

Try a different spoon, I have too many brands to count, most successful for ds, rubber type stage 1 weaning spoon from heinz, or Baby 1st, which Boots sell, good for chewing as soft texture.

Alternatively don't worry about spoons for a while as you are introducing flavours so put a bit of puree on your finger/knuckle.

Experiment with temperature, texture and concentration; ds liked purees just defrosted like "slush puppies" dd likes her's runny and diluted with babyrice and water, she finds neat purees to strong a flavour. (agree babyrice neat is disgusting, my criteria for feeding if I think it tastes disgusting why should I give it to my child

Don't worry, if you are not happy "forcing" then don't.

jabberwocky · 22/06/2005 19:06

Good advice all around so I'll just say I can definitely sympathize. Ds didn't really take anything until 9 months and has just really started doing fairly well with table food at 22 months! It can be really frustrating but some babies are just like that with food.

Rai · 22/06/2005 19:14

re: breast/breastmilk lovers-ds was one, give it time, read comments on this thread and other threads. My ds hated bottles even containing bm, moved straight to an age appropriate cup - free flowing non valve type.

dougal: unfortunately you will not be able to replace breast milk with solids at 6mths, bablies still get main nutrition from bm or formular at this age, check threads regarding suggestions for weaning off breast.

good luck

Mosschops30 · 22/06/2005 19:22

Message withdrawn

starrynight · 22/06/2005 19:33

My DS refused to be weaned and it was only when he was about 9 months and could pick up food and shove it in himself that he actually started eating (a lot!).

BTW he was fine and healthy!

Ladek · 08/07/2005 23:42

Hi
Thanks for all the tips but no cigar....she still wont eat....she takes rice cakes, rusks, toast and some other types of biscuits puts them in her mouth and bites of bits with her teeth then spits them out....sometimes she swallows little bits but that doesnt happen often....i still keep trying everyday but as soon as she sees the spoon she clamps her mouth shut, even when she starts crying she doesnt open her mouth....i've got three different types of spoons that she is happy to play with when theres no food on them so i dont think its the spoons.....i really dont know what to do anymore........i wish someone had some super majic tricks that could make her eat.........well someone? anyone?

hunkermunker · 08/07/2005 23:44

Ladek, please don't force a spoon into her mouth!

Try giving her pieces of food to play with herself. She's old enough to self-feed. Try steamed veggies, bits of soft fruit, etc. If not fussed re dairy or wheat (I wasn't with DS) give her cheese and toast fingers.

NotQuiteCockney · 09/07/2005 22:11

Ladek, I waited until 6 months with DS2, and he was unimpressed with purees, too. Now, at 9+ months, he just eats bits of whatever I'm having. He likes all kinds of fruit, pasta (big spirals or tubes, as he can hold them), just about everything we try. He's recently decided cheese is good, too. If I'm eating something he wants, he smacks his lips, and I give him some. (He'll even let me spoon feed him, if it's something he really likes ... like ratatouille!)

Just keep giving her a wide range of soft easy foods, and let her have a go. The first few times, nothing will go down, but she'll get the hang of it, don't worry.

The whole puree thing is artificial and weird. Give her food!

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