My daughter is extrememly fussy with every meal?

Question

Shes almost 9 mts old and has always been fussy
Now just getting worse
just hates to eat or drink and I am running out of ways to keep her entertained
She doesn't like any food I have tried everything different
It is getting extremely frustrating
SHe has barely 16oz of formula and that too is a task
besides that she has 3 stage 2 meals
Can anyone give ideas?
I think she is teething but has been fussy from the get go

Answer 1

Fussiness in babies is common. Unless she's wasting away from lack of food or becoming dehydrated, there's probably little to worry about at this stage. As someone else suggested, it could be that she's cutting teeth. The other possibility is that she has developed food allergies; this would need to be evaluated by a qualified pediatrician. Good luck!

Answer 2

Try to analyse your stress levels whilst feeding her. If you notice that you're showing that you're anxious she'll pick it up. Instead of entertaining her as such, maybe try to be really happy when she's doing well, big praise like a silly clown, and don't respond when she's not doing well. Also, check to see if she's comfortable when eating. Are the utensils the right size for her? Does she have her own plates and bowels that have fun prints on them? If she has fun with food she may start to associate meal time and eating with happy, relaxed mummy or daddy, rather than a stressful time.

Don't forget that children will need to be exposed to a new food approximately 17 times before they will accept it. Kids are naturally food phobic. Anxiety is the expression of the emotion of fear, and it makes a child want to avoid the object, in this case food and drink. If you can relax and have some silly fun with the food, like getting some on you nose and her's, then she might relax a little.

Failing that, or if these things haven't worked before, I would recommend seeing a really good child psychologist. They will be able to support you and give you some tips. If there's anything really important to investigate they will be able to point you in the right direction. Don't feel like you have to do it alone.

Answer 3

If she is teething you may want to try these solutions:
1. Give her food at room temperature or chilled. food and milk that is warm irritates the teething process and hurts her gums which already hurt.
2. Try Popsicles. The colder the food the more i numbs the gums and so it is easier for her to eat and more enjoyable.
3. Put her nipples in the fridge. Then when it is time for her to drink the nipples are cold and that feels better on her gums.
4. Put her teething toys in the fridge too.
If it is not teething it may be gas. Ask your Doc about Mylicon Baby gas Drops. They worked wonders for my daughter.

Answer 4

Maybe she ahtes to eat and drink because it causes her pain ? She may be suffering from acid reflux and she gets pain from what she eats... if she does.. it can cause her to be fussy 24/7. My daughter had it. If she has it then it can be treated with meds. Ask your dr about it... good luck!

Signs of GER (Gastroesophageal Reflux)
Babies with GER often spit up a lot. However, babies can have serious GER without a lot of spitting up if the stomach contents don't usually reach the mouth. Infants with GER tend to be irritable and fussy because of the associated discomfort or pain. They may arch their backs and stiffen their bodies, act colicky, sleep poorly, or have a chronic cough. Poor weight gain can be a sign of serious GER. By the same token, a baby who spits up a lot and fusses some, but who is gaining weight normally, has a less urgent problem.

Answer 5

The youngest of my daughters(age 2) had the same problem but I made dinners and lunches the funniest times for her and she forgot to be fussy about the meal.I also served simple food.

Answer 6

My little brother is also like that and we try to make "family eating adventures wowww". We tell him that he would grow up faster if he eats that, which is no lie. I lift heavy stuff and do grown-up stuff, then he wants to do them too. This is where I present him with meatballs =) Which he reluctantly eat and then gets chocolate or ice-cream afterwards.

I don't know if this is good for the child's future (giving a reward for eating?! ) but it works and otherwise he would just eat baby food.

Answer 7

okay im not sure if this will apply to you and dont take it as an insult please the only reason im suggesting it is because my son was the same way and now he only eats chicken nuggets french fries and a few other things. okay look at what she is eating and see if she is preferring sweets. look at her juices anything with red 40 red 33 blue 1 yellow5 ect. if she is and then some days you dont give them to her she will react this way. the only reason i know this is because i just had to take my son at five to the doctor and found out that he might have adhd they told me to change his diet that if i dont read labels on juice he might be getting fussy because of too much dyes. and told me to keep him away from so much of them. i came home checked labels on juice and found out it wasnt really juice it was like sugar with dyes. and at 9 months my son was drinking these juices that caused him to react the same way. so check labels and keep trying to give her the meals you are trying cause your being a great mom with sticking to it and not giving in to her. i did give in to my son and unfortunately he is having problems and it all started with juice fruits and some sweet deserts good luck

Answer 8

Try feeding her finger foods or table food instead of baby food. Maybe if she sees she is getting stuff more like what you are eating she'll show more interest. My third pretty much went straight to table food when we started her on solids at 6 months. By 9 months all three of mine were at least starting finger foods and table foods.

Answer 9

try moving to stage 3 meals
my daughter started getting fussy and not wanting her food, I got stage 3 and she loved them
(she wasn't able to eat solid food early, no teeth)

Answer 10

Your best option is to breastfeed your baby. If she rejects all the formula feeds you've given to her, then try out breast mild and see her response. Babies sometimes are known to reject formula feeds but few babies if any has been seen rejecting breast milk. Moreso, breast milk has the natural composition of all the required nutirents a baby needs for proper development and prepares them more effectively for shocks like teeth growth or ailments.
I'll advice you discuss with your doctor on breast milk as an alternative to get his expert advice before trying it out.