9-Mo. Old Stopped Eating Solids at Home -- Only Eats at Daycare!

Hi Stephanie. I just wanted to say that I wouldn't worry about whether he's getting what he needs as long as he's growing and healthy. My 6th and 7th children didn't eat solids hardly at all until they were over a year. One of them not until about 16 months! And they have been my healthiest two children. As long as the daycare is giving your son healthy foods there, I wouldn't worry about who's giving it. My guess would be that he finds the bottle more nurturing and wants that from you, rather than the daycare. The other posts below had some good advice too about checking with the daycare about all the circumstances of him eating there. Every child is so different, and as long as he's healthy, I wouldn't worry too much. It will work itself out.

I have a similar problem with my 8.5 month old. I am breastfeeding so she doesn't like food from me (except puffs). Eats solid food fine at the daycare but barely takes bottle. Every weekend is a struggle for me. I gave up and decided she knows best what she needs and/or will outgrow this. I do manage to give her breakfast and late lunch on Saturdays. Sundays are free for all...

You've received some good responses so far, and I have a few things to add.

First, I've noticed that sometimes children of all ages (even little ones like yours!) will sometimes do for others what they won't do for mom and dad. I'm not sure why this is, other than maybe it's just someone new asking them to do something/try something new.

Also, I'd ask the day care not only WHAT they are feeding your little guy but HOW MUCH he is eating. It's possible he's consumming all the calories he needs at day care, and just isn't interested in solids at home. This may explain why you can get him to eat meals on the weekends but not eat solids during the week. If he's eating way too much at day care, you can ask them to feed him less so you can feed him more, or ask them to not feed him new foods so you can introduce them to him yourself, etc. They should be willing to work with you on this.

One other thought. Children, especially infants, can pick up on our stress, even if we try to hide it from them, so if you are very stressed about your son not eating solids, he may be picking up it, and the stress may be affecting his eating. If you think this might be the case (and I'm not saying it is, I'm not there so I don't know!) you might try and relax while you feed him and see if it helps any. Maybe you could sing to him while you're feeding him, or maybe have some music inthe background...or find some other way to make eating a little more fun/distracting for him.

One more thought. It's possibe he is developing an ear or sinus infection, is he showing any signs? If so, you may want to have his pediatrician check him out.

Good luck!

Do you hold him when he gets his bottle? If so, he may be craving the cuddling, and it may also be that the daycare folks don't have the time or inclination to hold him, or he doesn't particularly care for it. So he "makes up for it" at home. Otherwise, I don't think it really matters who introduces the new foods to him - my child was very picky and I was thrilled when he tried new foods offered by others. Assuming the foods are ones you are comfortable with, I wouldn't worry about it - at this age and on this schedule, he's getting a balance throughout the week. Check in with daycare about precisely what he eats, and offer those same foods at home. If you want him to try some new things, provide the daycare people with those items and see what happens! Also figure out what position he is in there - in a booster, a high chair, on the floor, on someone's lap? Then do the same thing at your house. As long as he eats, I think you have to relinquish some control to the other providers and see what you can accomplish by duplicating the same experiences at home and at daycare. The consistency will serve you better in the long run, I think. Sometimes kids just torture their parents and do things for other people!! Frustrating, I know, but try to use the experience to your advantage.