Fussy 9Month Old Only Want Bottle & Chicken!

Try having him dip his chicken in applesauce. Or make fruit smoothies. Or fruit juice frozen like a popsicle.

Hi A.,

I am a mom of nine and grandmother of 17.
Apple juice will help his hard stools.
Keep trying the veggies and fruits.
I think there are some snack type biscuits that are veggie or fruit based. Have you tried bannanas? Baby carrots? Found there were times my children wouldn't eat a certain food for a short time, then would change their mind in a few days. Eating habits can make you crazy, try not to stress over it.

A.,

He will only choose what he is allowed to choose from. If he rejects what choices you give him, he is not hungry enough to eat. Wait a while and give him the choices again. Soon he will understand that these are his choices and if he is hungry, he WILL eat it. After a few days of this, he will forget the other food items until YOU are ready for him to have them. It may seem a bit harsh, but not really, babies are very resilient and you have to remain in the authority seat, because afterall, you do know what is healthiest for him. He has No idea. Some may say to let him eat whatever he will eat, but this is where kids end up being so unhealthy. Babies can't make these kinds of choices for themselves, they don't have the knowledge or the experience to choose healthy choices. All they know is, once they taste something better, they don't want to go back to bland (yet healthier). You need to be in the driver seat and choose what he needs for growth and nutrition. He will recover from illnesses a lot faster when he has been eating right. Some like to give in to table food too soon, but this is why their babies end up sick a lot and for long periods of time. Of course, this is not the rule for everyone, but it is for a lot. Don't let your emotions get in the way of doing what is right for your child. You'll be so thankful in the end. May God Bless You!
Mother of 4 healthy kids

P.S. If you can hold off on the table food, do. However, if not, make sure you give him only fresh, organic items, since cans have a lot of metals that will place toxins (toxins cause illness and tear down the immune system) in his body and prepackaged foods have so many preservatives that also put toxins into the body. Even chicken carries a lot of diseases, so check to make sure they are organic (pesticide free) and clean them thoroughly.

some kids when they get teeth do not like the feeling of the metal on their teeeth--maybe try the plastic spoons or coated spoons--if not already. or try veggies like green beans you can finger eat, broccoli that is steamed not mooshy but ones he can finger eat. other than that i do not know.

hi there A.
my son was the same way....puffs were the big food of choice no matter what i tried. when i talk to the dr. they all said food was not a big deal until they turn one...before that it is simply a filler. (and practice for their jaws, to get ready for that age.) so i then let it go...and shortly after that he began eating more fruit and veggies on his own...(wanting whatever i ate)...it worked to not stress over it. and he was still having 3/4 bottles a day so all his nutrion was there. i say if his weight is good and increasing regularly, he is great!!! just know we have all been there @ some pt. good luck....J. j

the good thing is he is eating chicken, but don't be too quick to give into him......if they know they just have to wait it out a bit, then get what they want......well, then they never will eat veggies and fruits. he'll get hungry. be patient. if you don't want him eating just cherrio's then don't feed it to him. it can be frustrating, i know, but hang in there. you can try giving him diluted diet v8 juice. no sugar and all fruits and veggies. make sure you buy the diet v8 juice though. Good luck.

Wow 8 teeth...thats tough have you tried getting his fruits and vegtables severvings in through juice?

the best thing that i have found for that type of problem is to see if you can get him to take some juice. apple juice is good for that.

Keep offering him fruits and veggies aong with the foods he likes. Don't stop just because he "doesn't like" them. I know from personal experience that if you offer them often, eventually he will try them. Just keep cutting them up and puting them on his plate/tray along with the chicken. Sometimes you could even only put the cut up veggies on his tray. Do this when you know he is most hungry abd see if that entices him to eat them.

Another hint: you don't even have to warm them up or even season them. Just open up a can of cut green beans/sliced carrots/peas/mixed veggies, whatever, and then cut them a little more into bite sied peices and give them to him. This is what I do everyday.

As far as hard stools, give him LOTS of water. In between feedings, offer him a sippy cup of water often. Thsi should help with the hard stools, and get him in the habit of drinking plain water. Good luck!!

Keep offering all types of foods,fruit and vegs.Have you tried the next step or two up on the baby food. You can give banana or mashed potatoe,or any vegs cooked no salt added. Offer formula and juice in the sippy cup.Give bab a spoon and let him learn to feed himself.I think you have a very advanced baby who is very independent. Just keep trying. M.

Have you tried mixing his chicken up with pureed veggies? Or, pureeing the chicken and veggies together? That might help. Does he like fruit juice? Try freezing the juice in ice cube trays and letting him suck on them. My grand-daughter is also 9 months old and my daugher found this gadget that is basically a popsicle holder, but has a strainer on it. You put the food in the strainer part and the baby can suck on it without choking on the food. I don't know the name of it, but it works great. My grand daughter holds the unit herself (like a lolipop), but it's big and chunky, so she won't get hurt. Good luck. Babies/kids can be so fussy. Sometimes you have to trick them into eating healthy for their own good.

Hi, I am a mother of 3 boys (young men now. My youngest son has always been a picky eater. He refused to eat food of any kind until he was about 10 months old or older. I would not push anything on your son and do not be frustrated. I found I could not change his mind, he actually would gag and then throw up when I tried to give him food. However, in your case I would suggest trying fruit juices, prune specifically, to assist with the hard stools. He will eventually eat other foods on his own time and chicken is a healthy food, so be blessed.

S. B.

HI! I suggest distraction. Put a few of his fav. finger food on his tray and between those bites, sneak in the spoonfull of veggies and fruits! Still works for me and my littlest is 18 months. Good luck.

Hi A., If your child is having hard stools, it sounds like he may need more to drink. I would cut back on giving puffs and cherrios. Maybe mix the chicken with rice and add peas and carrots. Keep trying to feed healthy things, just remember you are in control, not your baby!
I think he will learn to enjoy other foods, all of this is new to him. Be patient and consistant.

My suggestion is don't give him cheerios and puffs. He will get hungry enough to eat the fruits and veggies.
Hopefully he's getting a little baby food fruits and veggies still. But I would totally make the cheerios and puffs dissappear for a few weeks. He knows if he fusses enough, he'll get what he wants. He's very smart at this age and their tastes are developing still. He may fuss at you, but just eat what you're giving him and give him what you're eating - balanced meal. Let me know how it goes.
Good luck
T.

Hi A.! Carrie offered really good advice. Also, he's only 9 months old. Try not to worry too much. My little one was the opposite but a bit older. He really did not care for any kind of meats. He loved his fruits and veggies but just didn't seem to care for the texture of meat. So he got some good quality, low-sodium cheese instead. Definitely keep offering the fruits and veggies. You are forming good relationships with food right now for him and you want him to like a variety as he grows. I would also cut out the puffs. They are a filler with little nutritional value. The cherrios are a better choice if you are looking for a grain to give him. And don't forget his primary nutrition should still be from breastmilk or formula until he's a year old. The solids are a supplement.

My little boy did exactly the same thing.....My husband and I eat Kashi Go Lean Crunch Cereal for breakfast so I start grinding the cereal in the magic bullet until it was like dust. I then had fresh fruit puree in the freezer and would microwave the fruit (usually pureed mango), mix w/ kashi and add whole milk so it has the consistancy of oatmeal. He loved it and the kashi cereal has a TON of fiber. My pediatrician loved the idea and he was never constipated again!! Maybe he won't mind the spoon! Arnold bread also sells a double fiber bread that I would toast w/ butter and cut up in pieces. I also bought the Kashi frozen waffles, sprayed butter on them and cut it up - these also have alot of fiber!
As far as veggies - I usually pureed butternut squash and broccoli and mixed it w/ tomato sauce and high fiber/whole grain pasta(such as Hodgson Mills-you can find at publix). He loved it and he was able to pick up the noodles on this own too!
Good Luck! J. A.

Have you tried pureeing the chicken and some fresh veggies?

Fruit juice is a great way to get him his fruits and veggies and he wont even know he is technically eating them while drinking them! hard stools are ok its natural for them when they start eating solid foods! Try to give him yougart as well! He might think it is good! Oh and let him try to feed himself with a fork ( plastic) or spoon himself! Good luck

Don't worry about it now. My daughter, now 15 months, went through a few months of only eating bread and Os. He's still young enough that most of his nutrition is from the bottle or the breast. She refused to be fed and only wanted to feed herself, and refused baby foods. Just keep offering fruits or veggies at every meal. If fruits and veggies are always there, they learn that it is part of the meal and eventually they'll start eating them. It worked for us to not make a big deal of what she's eating and now she eats some fruits or veggies at nearly every meal.
For the hard stools, make sure he's getting enough water. He's old enough now to be drinking water on demand in addition to breastmilk or formula.

Hi A.,
I have something that I have used and it is great for nutrition and preventing hard stools. Put this powder in their bottle and it will provide many fruits and veggies !
About me: I am a nurse, have 4 children and love to help people with their nutrition.I would be happy to talk with you.

L. G.
____@____.com
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Offer a new food frequently and be ready with a backup in case he rejects it. Offering the same new food fairly often over the next few weeks may help the unfamiliarity wear off. My kids accepted vegetables like sweet potatoes before they started taking fruit.

Some kids have issues with how they interpret sensation; i.e, certain textures are actually uncomfortable or tastes are truly noxious. As long as your doctor's not worried, it's probably too soon to worry about it, but keep it in mind for future reference; there are pediatric occupational therapists who specialize in sensory integration issues, including oral motor defensiveness. (My son is just starting therapy for this at age 11; I wish I'd started much sooner, as getting him to brush his teeth has been an ongoing battle since toddlerhood.)
Good luck!

Babies between this age and about 18 months will often go an strike from eating. They simply aren't growing a whole lot and what they do need, they are getting in full with the formula or breastmilk. We are only teaching them to like foods and prepare to switch from formula/breastmilk to solids. It's great that she likes the chicken and perhaps his body is needing more protien and this stage. I would offer a small ( 3 tbls) of cereal mixed with fresh apples, pears, blueberries or peaches in a bowl with a dipper style spoon and let him have at it...himself. He will make a mess and will love the textures which is great stimulation and learning for his little brain. He will also eat just a little, maybe even just taste it accidentally and he will associate those pleasant flavors with meal time. Feed him about 2 hours after his first morning bottle and sit down and have some food yourself. He will be watching you eat and even though he might not want to eat with you, he will be learning just the same. After he "plays with his food". clean him up, go play for another hour, then if he's hungry or used to eating a bottle before morning nap, let him have it. Don't give him too much to drink. If he's still a little hungry, that's ok, it will just make him a little more hungry when you repeat this at lunch. After a nap, you can give him about 2-3 ounces of formula in a sippy cup and let him play with dices soft veggies and fruit or cherrios. If he likes cherrios, you can crush them and used them as a shake'n'bake type coating for little pieces of food, sweet potatoes, bananas, cooked apple bits, etc. It tastes similar to the cherrios and is really easy to pick up.

I'd stick with the cheerios and puffs and skip the chicken at this stage. Perhaps you can introduce one new food per week, starting with orange veggies, they are the most easily received. They say if you present a food to a child twelve times, they will eventually try it. So, I'd say, don't give up, just keep presenting him with healthy choices, and whatever he eats out of YOUR selections will be fine. If he's still taking formula and/or breast milk, he's probably getting most of the nutrition he needs. I'd strongly encourage you not to let him start dictating what he eats at this early stage as that can become a habit he will not easily change!! Just present what YOU want him to eat, and if he refuses it, so be it. Children will not starve themselves. Good luck!

Hi, A.!

How does he do with liquids? Maybe you could try to make a "smoothie" with fruit juices and pieces of fruit mixed up in the blender. Good luck!

C.

We would make our kids "shakes" and they loved them. Take an 8 oz bottle and fill it up for 6 ozs of formula or breast milk, then add 1 small jar of baby food (I think the smallest is 2 oz) and then top off with baby cereal. Shake it up and serve. If it is too liquidy just add more cereal. You do need to get a y shaped nipple or just cut a tiny slit in one of yours. But this was a great way for the kids to get their veggies and grains.

Good luck!

Hi A.,

If your son doesn't want to eat veggies or fruit right now, he definitely needs to at least drink some fruit/vegetable juice. Remember to cut the juices down with water so they don't burn his tummy. The key to softening his stool is fluids! (Of course fruit & veggies would be good too.) At least chicken is is good protein source for him. He's probably building muscle and getting ready to grow again:)

Good luck!

S.

Hi A.,
My daughter went through the almost the same thing. All of a sudden she didn't want us feeding her with a spoon at all, Miss Independent and picky with her food. We found that the Progresso chicken Noodle soup was her saving grace. Maybe your son will enjoy it too. It has the spiral noodles, carrots, celery, and CHICKEN. I get the low sodium kind. I slowly introduced things like cheerios with yogurt and the dole fruit cups (everything drained of course). To help with the hardened stools, my mother (bless our mothers) convinced me to try the ole' Kayro's light corn syrup trick. Just a little bit in each bottle, about a 1/2 tsp to start as see if it helps to soften the stool. Now she gets a daily regimen of 1/4 Prune juice, 1/4 apple juice and 1/2 water in ONE bottle or sippy cup everyday to help keep her regular. I guess it depends on how each child adapts, but Kayros light corn syrup and Prune juice have saved my babygirl from many hard stools. I hope this helps.