Did anyone have trouble starting their baby on solid foods (she is 7 months) and how did they solve it?

Question

I have tried cereal, carrots, sweet potatoes, applesauce, bananas and small bits of bread and she will not eat any food. She cries and will only take the bottle.

Answer 1

She may have a sensory integration disorder. Basically, that means that her brain is not properly processing the stimulus input of the food texture. I had two babies with this problem. This worked for me, give it a try. You know those little nubby things you put on your finger to clean the baby's gums? Well, use that to stimulate the inside of her mouth thoroughly. Gently rub the insides of her cheeks, her gums, her tongue, and even the roof of her mouth. This sort of wakes up the nerves and prepares her for the stimulus of the food. Next, start with a bland yellow vegetable. When you put the spoon into her mouth, press gently down on her tongue with the spoon. It may take a few tries, but once she figures out to swallow it, she will start eating. All of this information is from my personal experience and from the advice of a licensed professional Occupational Therapist who specializes in feeding disorders in small children. If she continues to have feeding problems, contact an occupational therapist. They can work wonders.

Answer 2

Don't try the fruits, vegatables or bread yet. The best beginning is to start with a VERY small amount of cereal in the milk with a slightly larger hole in the nipple. This will give her the opportunity to get used to the taste and texture a little at a time. Gradually increase the amount of cereal until you can work up to giving her a little in a spoon - maybe in a month or two or even more.

After she gets used to plain cereal, slowly add flavored baby cereals gradually, then eventually work up to vegatables then fruits. It's best to introduce one at a time over a period of time. That way you can see if she has any problems with any one vegatable or fruit and can isolate any problem foods that might cause indigestion or diarhea. Also, the advantage to introducing vegatables before fruits is because the baby may prefer the sweet taste of the fruit to that of vegatables and refuse to eat her veggies! Work from bland to more flavorful food to prevent her from rejecting as much.

If you have any other doubts, check with your pediatrician.

Answer 3

The best thing to start with is rice cereal.

Use water, half a scoop of formula powder and then add the cereal and mix until it is a little more than mushy.

Make sure to hold the spoon up to her mouth until she opens it and then put it in.

If you are just starting out with solids, you should only use cereal at first. Wait until she gets used to it before introducing anything else like applesauce. I think technically, you are only supposed to introduce one new food per week.

AND

Answer 4

Try not to worry. She'll eat when she is ready. My son is now 9 months and eating all the cereals, fruits and veggies. The only thing I have trouble with is the meats. I had a very hard time when I started him - he would just spit it out and I was frustrated and worried. Keep trying the cereals and fruits for now. My doctor said to cut back on all the bottles and keep introducing the fruits. Good luck and congrats on baby.

Answer 5

I had this problem. Looking back, the worst thing to do was to perservere. Now, this child has a bad attitude to food - he eats little, needs to be bribed to eat, has a small appetite and is VERY fussy. only after much talk with a food therapist, did we come to a crossroads where he is happy to eat. I know that if I had left it, and waited it out until he was ready, he would be much happier at the the thought of food. I didnt press him or force him - I just sat him down daily to be fed. He didnt cry, but he never was interested in the food, like other kids... We never did get to a situation where he was happy to eat - he only began to eat more since it became a part of his rouitne. For him, food is just a nuisance - like teeth brushing or face cleaning.

i always feel that, had I just let it ride, he would have a much healthier attitude to eating. I know that i felt pressure from the doctor and my peers, but the doctors dont always know what they are doing, and this is your daughter - you know her best. i would back off and let it go for a bit. If she is gaining weight on bottles, let her.

Good luck!

Answer 6

my son was like that at the beginning. too. a couple of things i dad was feed him about half of his bottle first,then try the solids so that way he's not so hungry that he doesn't want to take the time to sit and eat.another thing i did was set a time to feed him each meal and put him in the chair and try to feed him, even though at first he didn't eat every time, he got used to being sat in the high chair and being fed something other than a bottle until it became part of his everyday schedule. the most important thing you need is patience. it takes some babies a while to get used to the new tastes and textures,but she'll get it eventually.good luck!

Answer 7

My first child was like that she only wanted to nurse. I was so perplexed. Then an old mom gave me a solutions. Don't give her a bottle right before dinner. sit down at the table with her on your lap and start eating your food, she will become interested. At that point give her bits of her baby food after acting like you just took a bit of it.

I know it sounds corny but it worked. We were both messy, but after a few days she would let me put her in the high chair and feed her.

Answer 8

Have you tried mixing cereal and her formula in a bottle and using a "Y" nipple?

You can mix fruits and sweet veggies with fruit juice, or even fruits with cereals and the formula. She will develop a taste for the food as you increase the amount of food to liquid ratio.

Answer 9

I have a 2 year old who still doesn't like solids that much.She enjoys her milk more than anything and depends on it to get full.She is a healthy happy toddler.Each baby is different they run the show.Not much you can do.My son who is 4 years now,was eating fruits at 6 months and quit milk at 15 months.So don't compare your baby with others.

Answer 10

I had extreme problems and I was breastfeeding. By this age I was lucky she ate cereal. She wouldn't even take formula or any kind of jar baby food ..... I finally got her to eat scrambled eggs (my mom's idea) and gradually worked in other soft foods. I hate to tell you but at 15 she still is a very very picky eater. Somehow she is extremely healthy despite it all.