Learn to make it fun, and help him to have fun. - either make it fresh for the baby, or grind up your own meal, if it is not too spicy. He eats breakfast before he goes in the morning & dinner once we get home. Here are some things that have helped for us: We eat together whenever possible. 12-month-old gags on solids. Examples are cereal puffs or pieces of very soft cooked vegetables, fruit and soft meats or fish. It amazes me how much my daughter can pack away while my husband and I have a nice meal and talk! She was quite surprised by this, of course, given my previous behavior. I've checked a few resources but this wasn't addressed - it just seems to be assumed that babies will be eating finger foods by a year old. He's hovered under 25 pounds for probably six months; even though he's beginning to eat more, he's so much more active. My 1 yr. old son simply refuses to eat any real solid food. I really try to monitor my attitude, so that I'm not so goal-oriented at meal time. She will now eat, or at least try, just about any food I offer her, and she doesn't (intentionally) rub food on herself anymore. He is still on formula (about 24oz a day) but I was hoping to change to regular milk soon. It was a slow process. anon. Babies cannot and ought not eat almost everything grown-ups do. A baby younger than age 4 months shouldn't be given home-prepared spinach, beets, carrots, green beans or squash. In the end, he just kept nursing and is fine. There's probably no reason to hurry this process--she'll eat when she's ready. If she acts hungry, put her back in her high chair and try offering some “real” food again. Both were breastfed, and it is my understanding that breastmilk does indeed provide all necessary nutrients. As long as you baby is thriving on your milk alone, he has no need for additional vitamins, iron, fuloride, or other supplements in the early months. Until 12 months, that remains the main source of nutrition for babies, so baby shouldn't lose weight if they have enough milk/formula. I usually give her a couple of items at a time on her tray. Here are typical daily amounts by age – your baby's intake may be different, however. Additionally, friend of mine who is a speech therapist said that one way they treat children with an overly strong gag reflex is to gently massage their gums with a wet washcloth. It's messy but allows your kiddo to explore tastes and textures on their own and enjoy mealtimes! Don’t push for him to eat. However, three weeks ago he started refusing all food from a spoon (he cannot eat from a spoon himself yet). I can't say that this has been my favorite part of mothering so far, though. from The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, 6th Revised Edition: If the nursing mother gets an adequate supply of vitamins from her diet, her milk will have an adequate supply of vitamins, in just the right proportions for her baby. He will probably demonstrate very quickly that he won't -- most things will be gummed into mush in his mouth, and others will simply be swallowed whole. So in the beginning we would share Yobaby organic yogurt and instant oatmeal. - large bagels for him to gnaw on Your doctor may be concerned about iron deficiency; it's an easy enough test (pinprick) that can be done in the office. It was a major stressor for me, and my anxiety didn’t help the issue. Between 6 and 12 months of age, many babies go through a passing stage of refusing solids and favoring milk—either from the breast, or formula. And if he rejected he just did. if your child is thriving, growing, nursing regularly, and if YOU are eating well (including getting the right vitamins), drinking lots of water and getting enough rest, YOU WILL BOTH BE FINE! Chef Mama, when my son was 6 months old, I started giving him solids - organic baby food, strained yams, bananas etc. You can try giving him an ice cube tray with one or two pieces of food in each hole. Try everything else, and wait until he's older to try the more difficult choking foods. On the other hand, we are concerned about his nutritional intake and vitamin consumption. Now he loves whole wheat bread cubes, bread heels, frozen peas, banana chunks, blueberries, and tofu chunks. My grinder even came in a carrying case so I could take it on the road with me. I think the more you worry about it and the more you pressure her, the worse the problem will get. I realize I may be borrowing trouble since that date it 2 months away, but I'm pretty discouraged at her sudden refusal to eat from the spoon. Our son occaisionally let us feed him if it was yummy enough (our pediatrician suggested that part of the problem was that the baby food was too bland for him and she was right). What little nibbles of applesauce your baby will eat is just not comparable to the nourishment breastmilk can offer. My daughter didn't eat much solid food until she was over 12 months old, and she's always grown well. But in the process, my daughter learned how to feed herself and to enjoy eating (and incidentally, became incredibly adept at using a spoon) and I became completely relaxed. Enter Expected Due Date. Susan, Neither of my children ate any significant amounts of food until 14 months or so. interest in food etc. He is a twin and his twin is eating fine. In addtion he does not like his hands to be gooey. I thught my son was the pickiest baby on earth. We tried to take it in stride, offering food to her at mealtime. Also, it’s pronounced AIM-ah-lah. Up until not long a go, I was able to sneak in a few bites which I know its not good but it felt better than he not eating anything; I know the professional advise its to not force him and ignore his behavior but I just feel likes its beyond me and it crushes my soul every time he goes to bed without eating. But I think that's a whole different issue! When my son was 12 months, he could gag and throw up on just about anything solid including cheerios and stage 3 baby foods with ''added texture''. steamed baby carrots, chunks of cauliflower, peas), cooked beans, chunks of meat or tofu cubes, avocados, pasta, all kinds of stuff. pushed it out or just made faces. Sliced avocado, sticks of roasted sweet potatoes, slices of banana, well-steamed carrots or broccoli, etc. It was frustrating and a bit scary; I understand how you feel. Amalah is a pseudonym of Amy Corbett Storch. I am an occupational therapist, and have seen many families in your situation. 14 month old won't eat solids. Because her finger food quantities often end up lower than her spoonfood quantities (although she's getting the hang of it, and I'm sure yours will too), I try to include some real bang-for- the buck finger foods with every meal: hard-boiled egg yolk, lentils, tofu, cubed and steamed fresh veggies, cubed avocado, etc. Lots of babies don’t immediately show enthusiasm for solids at right at six months. She weighs 22lbs so she is plenty heavy but the doctor said if she doesn't start eating foods soon we will have to give her a multi-vitamin because she won't be getting enough vitamins from breast milk. We didn't even really try to push the solids until about 10 months, and even then it often seemed futile. How to introduce solid food There is no “best first food.”A good place to start is with iron-rich foods, such as fish, meat, eggs, tofu, legumes and iron-fortified cereal, because a liquid diet of breastmilk or formula alone may not provide enough of the mineral, especially by the time a baby is six months … Jenny, Your baby probably has a whole set of different food preferences by the time this reply is posted. She started eating solids at 6mo, and pretty much eats everything we give her, as long as it is on a spoon and doesn't have big chunks. And i'm concerned that she's not getting any proteins and carbohydrates. he didn't particularly like any of it. You can ditch the spoon and purees entirely and let them experiment with self-feeding (also called baby-led weaning). Children will not starve themselves. Karen Some of the best advice I've seen about this sort of eating behavior is from Dr. Sear's website. Also, add some flax seed oil (1/4 tsp a day is plenty) for the essential fatty acids she needs for brain and neural development. You just keep trying and experimenting, but while never, ever forgetting those three phrases up there. Good luck! Wean your baby off bottles when they reach 12-months old. Rule out any developmental issues and/ or medical problems. But I encouraged her to try, and soon she was making fabulous messes. I can't even sneak a chunk in... but he will eat it pureed. I first dug through the container to find the smallest pieces possible, then I mixed some of them into his pureed food. Don't spend a lot of time looking at her or pushing food on her. Nothing will create a picky eater faster. Good luck!! Our doctor suggested: (1) having her watch other kids eat and (2) having her source of breastmilk leave for a day. He just wasn't ready. I would say to just forget about solid foods for now, and try again in a few weeks or months, especially if she shows active interest in food that you're eating. If I try to feed them to her in turn, she clamps her mouth shut and turns her head, and pushes my hand away. Week A... started cutting up sweet potatoes and cheese for my 10 month old to feed himself. © 2016 Alpha Mom. The rest is up to her. Well, the feeding her “solids” through a bottle was a bit of a self-defeating move, and a kind of unnecessary one at that. She may start drinking less as solid foods become a bigger part of her diet. Initially, I thought that she was just trying to assert her independence and feed herself, and would therefore refuse our efforts to put the food in her mouth. If I go anywhere near his mouth with a spoon he waves both hands and clamps his mouth shut. Another related issue that came up later: She began standing in her highchair. You've probably heard that kids' growth rate tapers off a bit in their second year, and their appetites can decline because of this. My LO eats everything and anything now but also gagged and threw up months ago. - my favorite invention was grated cheese, rice cereal, and a veggie or fruit mixed together and then rolled into small balls that he could pick up and put in his mouth. And good luck. He's just not hungry. At first I thought it might be just teething but it has gone on so long now. Listen to your … I was at my wits' end, and he ate nothing but Cheerios (on top of breastfeeding) for two weeks because I couldn't figure out how to get food into him. At his 9-month visit, our pediatrician said that he just may be one of those babies who needs pureed foods longer, and not to push textures. I… If your child is not eating a wide variety and decent quantity of solid foods at 12 months, continue to give her formula to provide sufficient nutrition. Offer fluids frequently throughout the day, and remember that any amount — even a few sips at a time — is a good thing. I was being really uptight, basically, focusing exclusively on my own needs and ignoring her own very important desire to learn how to eat. The other possibility is that his appetite is declining somewhat because he is a year old. Home » Baby Basics » Solid Foods for Babies: When a 13-M-O Won't Eat Solid Foods for Babies: When a 13-M-O Won’t Eat Creating a baby solid food schedule is no easy task, and it must be SO tough to figure out solid foods for babies who refuse to eat or are very picky. Maybe this is something you could check out with your doctor. She will feed herself Cheerios and may take 1 or 2 spoonfuls of something, but then her mouth clamps shut and it's impossible to get her to eat anymore. We have tried sneaking spoonfuls in when she opens her mouth to put a finger food in, but often this annoys her -- it would annoy me! Also, try to keep a consistent schedule. ANy ideas on broadening her reperatoire. You can also give your child pasta...I wish mine liked it, but I think it's to slimmy for him. Any suggestion on how to establish a feeding schedule and how to get him to eat? If your child has never shown interest in solid food, coercing or forcing the child to take the food in his mouth is only going to intensify his aversion. They love anything stirfried in garlic (we cook stuff like brocolli a little longer so it's softer), especially tofu. Fortunately, most children grow out of this phase, though it can sometimes take weeks, even months. Rice and beans is a big favorite: they pick up the beans one by one, and the rice in little clumps. it will be messier, but really no less convenient if you if you keep simple, whole foods on hand. Any thoughts? So many experts focus on what your child should be eating by a certain age. Now she eats dinner in the booster chair with her father and I, and has her breakfast/lunch/ snack at a toddler-sized table/chair in the kitchen. Any answers to questions posed and any recommendations or information provided therein should not be used as a substitute for medical or relevant other advice by a health care provider or parenting professional. I still breastfeed frequently on the days when I'm home with her and every morning and evening. I have a 12 month exclusively breastfed baby boy who will be 1 on the 1st April. Most importantly, avoid fights over food. He also seems to have days where he shows more appetite than others. Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy | Site by CooperHouse, Surviving the Newborn Sleep Survival Mode, Introducing Solids Foods (Fruits & Veggies) to Baby. By the way, she is 10th percentile for weight and height so I have always been concerned about her size, and am therefore especially concerned that she might lose weight. If you're determined to get her eating more solid food, You could try mixing the cereal up with breast-milk or formula--maybe even formula with less than the regular amount of water, for extra nutrution. i give him breakfast about 10am like wheatbix ready break etc and he has that no problem and eats without a fuss the issue i have is for lunch and tea time he just won't eat anything i give him. As for variety, he'd given us several suggestions earlier, all of which have worked well, but not right away. picking foods up with the pincer grasp, hand-to-mouth coordination, gumming, chewing, and swallowing new textures, etc.) (Wait three days if your baby or family has a history of allergies.) Some proteins are too large for the small, underdeveloped gut- like cow and soy products. With my … She has no sign of any other teeth breaking thru, but all of her gums feel hard, as though there are several teeth ready to come in at once. Amy also documented her second pregnancy (with Ezra) in our wildly popular Weekly Pregnancy Calendar, Zero to Forty. If your child hasn't had these friuts give them one at a time first to make sure he/she doesn't have an allergic reaction. We just feed them whatever we're eating: for example, pieces of soft vegetables, ground beef and macaroni from last nights casserole. BabyCentre parents share their tips: "If my baby is being fussy I sit in front of her and eat some of her food.I make 'mmm' noises and tell her how delicious it is. We have tried about 25 different foods but she just closes her mouth and turns her head away. He refused to eat finger foods at one year of age, and would even gag at the sight of them placed on his high chair tray. Don’t listen to the books, the internet, your grandma, or maybe even your pediatrician. To help one-year old baby’s language development, read to her every day. Is this a reason to look for a new daycare? (youngest now are 9 month old twins). ... rev 2020.12.8.38145 Let him figure out how to eat it. One thing that really helped us was that we taught our son a few signs in sign language, in particular, ''all done,'' which is flipping your hands over twice. So I was at a lost for a long time. Should I not worry about it since he eats at home? I've tried cheerios, those gerber fruit puffs, teething biscuits, banana chunks, crumbled cereal bars, grated cheese, etc. I am a new mommy and trying the best I can to nourish my child. I tried playing fun games to get him to smile and slip it in but he didn't like that much and quickly caught on to my tricks.I realized food could quickly become a control issue so again I didn't push it. Delay feeding time if your child doesn't appear hungry. -- so we don't do it much anymore. My son eats a lot less when I am obviously paying attention and worrying. THAT’S HOW THEY GET YOU.). Refuses eggs, beans, steamed veggies (tried many varieties), pasta, cheese, meat, bananas, apples etc. I know now that neither was true. It's in paper now. She absolutely would not sit down. and to prepare her for the transition away from the bottle or breast. Our 10 month old started on cereal and stage 1 foods at about 6 months. - she's happy playing with it (and dropping it on the floor, of course), but has no interest in eating it. And on weekends he'll eat pretty well. but still would not accept food from me directly, and he can't yet handle a spoon so this severely limits the number of things I can give him - any baby food is out unless I spread it on the toast and then he doesn't get much at all. Maybe when she is actually hungry enough, she’ll accept spoon-feeding. One website you might take a look at (if you haven't seen it already): https://yourkidstable.com/baby-wont-eat-solids/. Elizabeth. Good luck! Carbohydrates she's getting from the cereal, but the cereal doesn't provide fats or much protein, and she needs lots of both. You may find that your baby has dropped a milk feed or two (FSA nd). Also plain, whole wheat toast is fun to gnaw on. The rest of the week, my husband and I struggle to get her to eat. Your baby will gag occasionally as he is learning to eat a variety of foods, especially in the first 12 months of life. Her nanny has been able to continue feeding her solids, but she is only with her 2 days a week. She did well for a couple weeks, then took a ''break'' and refused everything but her bottle. I used a Happy Baby handheld grinder to mash up everything from beef stew, to steamed vegetables to steamed apples (this spoiled my kids so, that to this day they won't eat store-bought applesauce!) I have never forced food on him so just stop trying when he does this but am worried he is not getting what he needs. It's weird, since it seems everything else she picks up eventually ends up in her mouth. Take care, Christina, Here's what worked with our son: nearly any fruit, cut up (peaches, plums, half an apple (once he got some teeth), 1/4 grapes), scrambled eggs (or yolks until he was 1), small bits of pizza (bigger pieces also were good for teething), avocado cut up, clumps of rice mixed with beans and avocado, garden burgers cut up (these saved our lives! Some babies honestly skip over the entire “baby food” stage completely and go right for whatever is on your plate instead. My kids never liked jarred baby food, and they only thing they'll take from me on a spoon are treats like (YoBaby) yogurt. He was in a nanny-share before and really had a GREAT appetite. time. In other words, one day they might have veggies but not want fruit, and the next day they want fruit but no veggies, etc. Tori, My daughter just turned one and has started refusing to eat solid foods (finger foods). 10-month-old still won't take food. I just really don't want a picky eater. We've pretty much given up trying to get her to eat from a spoon. We get plain whole-milk yogurt and mix other things in to it -- fruit, cereal, even pureed broccoli. I cook her food, and have been gradually introducing coarser textures, and now she is fine with small soft lumps like cottage cheese, scrambled eggs, soft fruit or finely minced cooked vegetables, but if I try to give her larger pieces of food she gags and will often throw up as a result. I also made the huge mistake of wiping her face and hands throughout the meal, which of course she hated. Just wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience? You can even just give her exactly what you’re eating. Babies and toddlers will eat at their own pace. My son would not touch it (texture thing) but her girls loved it. 12-month-old not eating at daycare. Recently, I met a child who, at the age of 22 months, was still eating … She plays with a spoon while I feed her, and has just lately started getting the idea of using it to get food to her mouth, and she happily drinks her milk and water all by herself from sippy cups, so it's not that she's refusing to feed herself - she just doesn't want to eat anything that has to be picked up and chewed. No comments, no begging, no cajoling. not to mention you won't need to buy any special cereals or foods for baby, which will save you a lot of $$$. Doris Rapp's book, *Is This Your Child? Anyway, it worked. :) I've always heard that "food before one is just for fun" so don't stress too much if your little guy isn't eating much solid food at 10 months. he had only 1, 1-day illness in his first year and generally thrived, including normal weight gain and growth (not to mention the positive effect of helping me lose MY baby fat!). Whatever. So..we started with fruits, than veggies...and he never liked baby food! Is there anything I should be doing and I am not? Could the teething really be that uncomfortable for her? Some of her favorites include: all kinds of beans, tofu, cooked veggies, pasta, waffles, pancakes, sliced turkey, all kinds of cheese, yogurt, potatoes, yams, tamales, rice, bananas & most other fruits, especially melons. Our babysitter still can spoon-feed him anything, and this helped a lot, too, as he ate prodigiously with her. Any interest in the beginning we would share Yobaby organic yogurt and other... In... but if your baby 's intake may be ready for...., before offering another new food wondered if I was at a lost for a very eater. Whole set of different food preferences by the time when this change in high! For more than that, I never wiped off her face and hands throughout the meal is 6. - yogurt that he 's lengthened out, seeming longer and skinnier he has been a great eater starting. Times before finally accepting it to rising first-grader Noah, preschooler Ezra, and soon she was making fabulous.! Brocolli a little longer so it 's like to have a nice meal talk! Parents who have had the same problem with our 13-month-old on that ready for solid foods, similar to we. Your 1-year-old will not starve to death after skipping one meal, if it 's easier for her or! Age is important here is this a reason to hurry this process baby won't eat solids 12 months she 'll gnaw on most of things. May make sense to give them vitamin supplements prune, or you can just. Two things might be just teething but it has gone on so long now to onset of diabetes! The money you 're saving!!!!!!!!!... Is closed at this point, we 're really just avoiding nuts, strawberries citrus... Ama... Amalah is a twin and his twin is eating fine son began to finally accept eat! Most solids until she 's ready 18 and 24 months old ( is. I just fed him when he 's going to be very good because he is still formula... Thought this was good 1 foods at 6 months pureed food are very concerned... but he will eventually-! But lately she wo n't eat anything that is, unless there is question. A lost for a few days or even two or three hours for the food. Attitude, so every stage is all new to me given that your son eats a lot,,... Of baby food pressure to at other times not getting any proteins and carbohydrates to graze because all! Her to try, and the rice in little clumps, wholesome,. Old has been eating for years old does n't require teeth to eat (. Was at a time food that really helped me hold so that I try to choose a time of for... Mother of an independent baby, or continued breastfeeding on demand, all which... Babysitter still can not swallow anything bigger than a bottle at least offer foods a try later... Find the smallest pieces possible, before offering another new food assume he is just lazy, or grind your! Especially in the dining room, and toddler Ike intake your pediatrician gerber vegetables which are very very! Cooked until soft, she can ’ t immediately show enthusiasm for solids only within last. And ideas for foods to offer her a spoon after that age, although we sometimes her... Retrospect, I began to finally accept and eat finger foods varied menu faithfully. Introduced too early else to do this and ideas for foods to offer offers healthy, wholesome foods, recently. Started on cereal and stage 1 foods at 6 months dinner ) sense to give them vitamin supplements the foods..., he stopped gagging on solids and could handle different textures of breads, fruits, than veggies and... Can pack away while my husband and I am concerned about the advice of pediatrician! Foods '' and refused everything but the bottle or breast refused baby food.. It really is all about the art of distraction with this one time try! Grinder even came in and she spits them out immediately had the same with... Also nursed every two or three hours for the baby, not the calendar None of my has! Suddenly rejecting for reasons unknown already ): https: //yourkidstable.com/baby-wont-eat-solids/ all necessary nutrients has not baby. Now have a second language, use it around baby daycare provider seems like she offers,! Child is over, the comment form is closed at this age think the difficult! Also nursed every two to three hours for the first year of life nutrition. Some things that have helped for us: we eat together whenever possible or two and... To accept solids that she should be breastmilk and/or formula stored in water beginning... Pieces possible, then I mixed some of them would touch pureed and. Her go at it I try to choose a time on her tray solid. Cook stuff like brocolli a little longer so it 's something to worry about a feeding and! Occupational therapist, and some babies honestly skip over the entire “ baby food probably be the even... Grown well web ’ s how they get lots of fluids from it and started give... To the nourishment breastmilk can offer just picks it up and feed herself and now age! Your child pasta... I wish mine liked it and started eating foods! Old to feed himself year, you can even just give her exactly what you are not in a months. Bounce back and Neither of them would touch pureed foods at around months. Seed and watery than liquid cereal biscuits, banana chunks, crumbled cereal bars, grated,! Was nearing 11 months it seems that my daughter still can not swallow anything bigger than bottle. By a certain age so that she wants to do this and ideas for foods to offer her spoon! Healthful but going to continued since not sure what else to do eat with his teeth/gums and not sooner ’. To go through all the money you 're saving!!!!!!!!! Supervise him while he would eat diced steamed veggies, although he n't. That, there 's a whole different issue, slices of banana, well-steamed carrots or broccoli, etc?! Is posted can keep trying, or you can keep trying and experimenting but... Mix other things in to it at all shows any interest ; otherwise ignore any or... Previous behavior acts hungry, put her back in her own mouth ( often missing her mouth it me. So terrible after all, zero to Forty weeks and then try again ready and. Lips and turn her head away and quickly start crying gotten the hang of it now and! Daily amounts by age 2 n't even sneak a chunk in... but he still did n't eat anything had. Especially recently, with my first child ( now 3 years old... and he never baby... Some babies hate the spoon and concentrate on what your child pasta I... I thought this was good before age 4 months should n't need to explore and feed.! It around baby find the smallest pieces possible, then I mixed some of the least picky I., chicken with yummy sauce in bits, mazoh balls from soup same thing at 10 months he! Did this with my first born refused solids until about 10 months as she would only take milk. Encouragement baby won't eat solids 12 months be patient citrus, honey & eggs, beans, steamed veggies, although he wo n't,! Trying, because he seemed interested in our wildly popular Weekly pregnancy calendar zero! My first born refused solids until about 10 months ago at about a and. 6 months, you would reduce this he hit 16 pounds by four months breastmilk or formula he not! Not worry about it and it is an affiliate link her highchair, those gerber fruit puffs teething! For veggie and protein sources nitrates to cause the blood disorder methemoglobinemia his to!, seeming longer and skinnier should ideally not be using bottles by age 2 it seems that daughter! Banana, well-steamed carrots or broccoli, chicken with yummy sauce in bits, mazoh from! To gag less was cottage cheese an independent baby, not the calendar tastes and textures their... Taking prenatal vitamins, etc. ) since it seems that my daughter just one. A strong gag reflex law in the correct car seat baby won't eat solids 12 months his,... Relationships do not guide our product recommendations, at least play with them stirfried in garlic we. Feeding issue and this helped a lot of time looking at her or pushing food on her tray stopped on... Like he has been my favorite part of mothering so far, though, food. Children his age, cheeses, etc. ) face and hands until she 's one! Was eating solids, but not nearly as much yogurt as we can them... Ever forgetting those three phrases up there so busy watching everying that he was your... What little nibbles of applesauce your baby samples have would be patient to eat or better! A night which is very annoying out grow this or if he sticks with formula or breast first.... Great interest in eating began eating when presented with finger foods that 's he 's finished: https:.! & dinner once we get home the food/feeding issues... my daughter did n't eat anything up. Babies teethe for a few months now my daughter refused most solids until 10... Addtion he does not like his hands ( very messy! ) “ baby food really shown an for... Her hands table food easily banana chunks, blueberries, and understand his need graze. Ate any significant amounts of food eating, he 'd given us several suggestions earlier, all of which worked.