Hi, my almost 9 month old is barely eating solids. She doesn't like baby food but will eat some table food. Her weight is healthy as well as her development. I have her 9 month check up soon so I will ask the dr. what to do. Any advice? She would just rather nurse than eat food, or eat food that she can't really eat yet. My older son was a great eater and loved to be fed, so I feel a bit lost with my daughter. She doesn't want me to soon feed her. What I normally do is mash up food and put it on her feeding tray and let her go at it. Sometimes she eats, but most times she eats a few bites and then cries to get out.
I have tried feeding her with my finger, feeding her on my lap, tried different things like rice cereal, baby food, pureed food, mashed table food and I even have a food grinder. I don't know what else to do.
Thanks,
V.
Mom of two and loving it!
Try giving her a whole (or half) pb and j sandwich (no crust) and let her nibble on it and see if she likes it. Hopefully with a big peice so she doesn't choke. That is how my son started off!
My exclusively breastfed second child was like that. She didn't even put food in her mouth without gagging and spitting it out until she was 9 months so you're ahead of us! But I really do think babies at that age know what they need and what they don't. Breastmilk is providing what she needs right now. Food is for practice. Keep offering her healthy, simple choices during mealtimes with the family and she will get on board when she is ready. I would discuss with her doctor is they think a vitamin supplement is a good idea. Usually is for the vitamin D aspect and maybe for iron for her since she's not interested in the iron fortified cereal.
Hi V.,
We do baby led weaning which means that after 8 or 9 months, I let my kiddos eat what they can feed themselves...which isn't much.
There are a lot of people who don't even intro solids til a year and my son "tasted" things til he was 13 months and then really started eating.
When she is ready she will eat. Consider this a learning experience for her rather than nutrition. You are still nursing, so she is getting plenty of good stuff from you!
Just offer yummy stuff like smashed blueberries, avocadoes, soft squashes, etc and let her enjoy tasting and feeling.
I personally don't spoon feed or finger feed in terms of getting food in...just as tools for them to taste.
She is at an age where she would rather be exploring than eating and that is normal!
Enjoy!
Hi V.,
Give her some time, when she is ready to eat she will. Try not to compare her to your older child because not only will this frustrate you, you will in turn frustrate your daughter. Try giving her cracker, juice in a child's cup, peaches and put it aside and see if she will eat it. Whatever you do, don't force her to eat, you will only frustrate yourself.
As long as you see good growth & development, slow down, it will come naturally but at her own time & pace not yours. Bear with her.
Good Luck!
have you tried mashed potatoes... that was the 1st food i gave to my son about the same age as your daughter... he's now 3 1/2 years old.... Now there are days where he will eat real good, and days where he will barely take a few bites of food, my Dr. told me that toddlers do this just to make sure he stays hydrated!! Let me know if the mashed potatoes work for her!!!
My daughter was the same. She just wasn't interested in solids for a *long* time. She was at least eight months before she'd do more than just spit it out and even once she was older, nine-ten months, it was iffy. Sometimes she'd eat, sometimes she wouldn't.
She's very strong willed, even now. so I think that played into it. But she's four and half now, and happy, healthy etc and *not* a picky eater.
V.,
Right now she is getting all she needs nutritionally through your milk. Some babies aren't interested in solids. We skipped jarred foods altogether and when the kids started reaching for what was on my plate, we put some on their tray.
Don't worry about forcing her to eat. You don't want food to become a battle later on. As long as everyone is eating healthy, with minimal junk food, you can feel good about letting her try it.
Fruits are a good first food because they are sweet (like breast milk), but are packed with nutrients.
O.
Mom of 3 who didn't eat solids until after 9 months
What kinds of food does she want to eat that you say she is not ready for? My dr. told me with my first (who refused baby food and wanted what me and his daddy were eating) that table foods were better for him anyway. Give him whatever. There are no allergies in our family so there was no reason to not give him whatever he wanted.
Don't be fooled by no or few teeth. Those gums are better than you think on grinding things up. Just cut things up so that she wont choke.
She also knows her own appetite. She will eat when she is hungry. There is also a school of thought out there that babies should not eat any solid food at all before a year. I, personally, do not agree, but to each his own.
Good Luck!
My son did not eat solids until he was 10 months old. He was exclusively breastfed until about 10 1/2 months. As long as she is healthy and drinking plenty of breastmilk she does not need solids. She may just not be ready for solids yet. Give her some more time and introduce them again in a few weeks. I'm sure there is nothing to worry about.
