Help 9Month Will Not Eat Solids.

You might try breast milk in a bottle with a little baby food mixed in. I did it with my daughter and she loved it. It was a little easier for me because I breast fed and formula fed due to me not having enough milk to satisfy her. But once I started putting the spoonful of food in the bottle, she got to like the taste of sweet potatoes, yellow squash and such. Then giving it to her in a spoon was easy. Just up the amount of food you put in the bottle every few days. Soon you will just be feeding it with a spoon. Good luck!

Not eating solids at age 9 months is ok. Many children who are nursing decide that they are not ready to eat solids. My son almost one when he started to eat solids. One day it was as if a switch was flipped and he wanted to eat food. He still nursed, but he ate. Another piece of information that I can recall is that he could not stand jarred baby food. Instead I would take what we were eating and before I added any real spice I would seperate just a little and smash it up for him. He liked that alot.

Best piece of advice, relax. So long as he is growing all is ok. We put alot into being moms with out having to stress ourselves out about it also.
M.

Relax, Mama. At this point (before a year) eating solids is just for practice. His sole nutrition should come from breastmilk. You should not offer solids over breastmilk. They are not as nutritionally dense as breastmilk.

Just keep doing what you're doing and eventually he'll be into the solids more. Just remember that he's getting all he needs from you and at this point he does not "need" solids.

Also, it is not uncommon for babies to reject solids at this age.

I had the same problem with weaning my 9 month old off the breast. I enjoyed breastfeeding but I plan on going back to work soon, so I figured I needed to wean her off the breast. Then I had to take medication that would be transferred to my milk so I had no choice but to give her formula. She hated it at first but once she realized that was all she was gonna get she began to drink the formula.I had to fight with her a little but it was well worth the effort. This happened within the past week. Have you tried fruit baby food? I know this might sound harsh but if you wait until you know he's really hungry, then you can try to feed him the solids. Good luck!

Does he have any teeth? Maybe you could interest him in a soft cracker such as arrowroot or a sugar free child-safe lollipop. My second child was like this and I think she just didn't understand good-tasting stuff could come from other sources! It took a few samples of some not so good food for her to realize there's a variety of tastes out there. I will tell you that she just did not associate solid food with eating and being full. She just thought the only way to get full was from the breast. So try these "snacks" in between feedings, not when he's hungry. Good Luck!

Hi A.,
I hear that you are both worried and frustrated with your son not eating soilds. You are also blessed that you are able to stay home with your son.

Your son is wise, he know what his body can handle. He is telling you that he is not ready to eat soilds. Some kids bodies just take longer. Just like learning to sit or walk- everyone has their own time table.

Your son is blessed to have a mom who is nursing him. My suggestion is to wait on the solids. Then try offering solids again in about 2 weeks, unless he looks interested in your food before then. This will give you and he time to relax. As long as you are nursing frequently and food is available, you are doing your job. Remember, people who are hungry eat. Your son is telling you that he is not ready.

I suggest that you find other SAHMs who are also nursing older babies and toddlers so that you have the support that you need.
La Leche League and Atachment Parenting groups would be good places to look for other moms.

I promise you that while it seems like he will be little forever, I am sharing with you that this time will feel very short as he grows older.

I wish you well.
Take care,
R.
Doula and Mom to Ben 16 yrs and Daniel 12yrs

PS Both of my boys started soilds late and nursed long.

my son was the same way...your lil guy will start eating when he is ready.. oh yeah and if you can make his baby food.. it is sooo easy... put peas in the grinder, make a little apple sauce but most of all just give him time and definently do not stop nursing...i started to stop johnny at about 17 months and he was not happy, or ready yet and it put a little rift between us for about 6 months.. and yes you probably think i am nuts for nursing so long, but he wanted food and the breast.. but weaning early will cause problems later on..not to sound weird but so many mothers push their babies to do things way too soon. as to quiting nursing so many women just want their breasts back, well ladies first of all you'll never have them back, and second of all if a baby doesn't want to stop nursing that means they have not had enough of the good stuff that will build their little immune systems yet.. always let a baby wean themsevles.. hope i could help...
sincerly,
S.

Hi A.. If you can feel comfortable enough to continue nursing, then don't worry about it. I know nursing can get tiresome. My daughter ate very little solids until she was a year old. Despite being 7 wks premature, she was healthier than her cousin who took formula and ate solids at 6 mos.

If nursing is frustrating you, is it possible you can express and try a bottle or sippy? Maybe before baby's dinner time you can cuddle baby, then express and let daddy feed him milk? Also, you might try cuddling with him right before lunch, then offering a solid before nursing. What kind of solids have you tried?

Babies stomachs are only about the size of their fist. That's not very big at all for a 9 month old, so don't expect him to eat very much at one time. I dealt with this problem with my first baby, until I learned this information through headstart. At age three, headstart was serving the children portions that would equal only a bite or two of each food for an adult. If you are worried about him not getting enough nutrients, the vitamin drops are wonderful to put in formula or juice.

Well, first, stop comparing your son to your friends' babies. It's hard, I know. But, every child is different (even in the same family!)

It sounds like little one just isn't ready to take solids yet. It could be he doesn't like jarred food. My middle child would spit out anything from a jar, so we gave him homemade babyfood. There are tons of recipes online!

Good luck! Just relax.

Main thing I can think of is that the less breast milk he gets, the more solids he will consume. do you feed him before he nurses, or after? Maybe he's still full. Not sure if i'm much help here, my two were chow-hounds at this age, LOL

Hi A. how are you? I was reading what you had written about your baby boy. Let me tell you something.When that baby gets ready he will just stop. There is another way you could try. It helped my daughter with my grandchildren. Have you tried a sippy cup? Sometimes those help. Maby he wants to be a big man now.As for solids I would start with potatos then go up. It sounds mean but he will eat sooner then later. I promise he will.

Hi A..
I nursed all three of my children and when it came time to introduce solids, our Pediatrician said to start with Rice cereal (box) and mix it in with my breast milk. This gets them used to "eating" and not "sucking". The consistency should be like stage 1 baby food. Soon after, I introduced a new "flavor", every two weeks. I started with stage 1 oatmeal, then stage one applesauce. You introduce a different type every two weeks so that you can monitor whether or not your son has any food allergies. For example, we found that my Daughter is slightly allergic to peaches and strawberries, through this method. She broke out with a small "rash" (red bumps) in and around the mouth area. As you introduce more "solids" mixed with your breast milk, your body will naturally lessen how much milk you will produce, therefore, your son will naturally ween, himself.
Take Care
D.

HI A., MY BABY WAS ABOUT THE SAME. THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT HE ONLY WANTED FORMULA AND I THINK THAT'S WORST BECAUSE I HEARD THAT BREAST MILK IS BETTER. I AM A FIRST TIME MOM TOO AND I GOT FRUSTATED TOO BUT THANKS GOD MY SON IS A HEALTHY BOY. BY THE TIME HE WAS 11 MONTH HE WAS EATING SOLIDS. DON'T WORRY WHILE THE DOCTOR TELL YOU HE IS FINE EVERYTHING IS GOOD. NOT ALL BABIES DEVELOP AT THE SAME TIME. LIKE SOME BABIES MAY WALK AT 9 MONTHS OTHERS WALK WHEN THEY ARE 14 MONTHS. KEEP TRYING ON GIVING HIM SOLIDS. BE PATIENT. GOOD LUCK

If he's shutting his mouths after a few bites then it sounds like he's getting all he needs from your breast milk. Although you may be ready to stop nursing exclusively, it sounds like your son is not. Continue to feed him a few bites here and there. Babies love to graze, especially at this age when the world around them is so much fun! Try offering him bites every time you turn around and maybe over a day he'll eat more and more; don't get discouraged that he's not sitting down and eating a lot all at once. This is only for a season, and it will come so be as patient as you can! Try different foods too - maybe you have not hit something he really likes. Put him in a high chair to eat and try other things a well - let him watch YOU eat the food and over enjoy it yourself. Fly the 'airplane' into his mouth and make it as enjoyable as possible. Good for you to not let him show you how frustrated you are - sounds like you are a great mom and may not even know it!

Have you tried a variety of baby foods? My daughter was very picky about which baby foods she would eat. She loves veggies and hates the fruits. Have you tried regular foods? My daughter loves mashed potatoes. She still doesn't have any teeth (at 1 year old) but she can eat most foods if I give her small enough pieces. Just keep offering different things until you figure out what your little one likes. Good luck.