How Can I Get My Baby Interested N Food?

Updated on April 28, 2010
M.M. asks from San Pablo, CA
8 answers

Hello
My 8 month old is not very intersted in food. I have tried mixing my breastmilk, mixing formula and just plain itself, and no use.
If I offer him some pureed food, he'll probably eat 1 T the most, and I have tried finger foods, but he only eats veryyyyy little.
He's not teething and it worries me a little because he seems a bit thinner and my milk supply is kind of low.

Thank you

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M.P.

answers from Portland on

I agree with Denise. He'll eat solid food when his body is ready and needs it. If you keep insisting you may be developing a pattern of resistance that will be difficult to stop.

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K.M.

answers from San Francisco on

They dont need near as much food as we think. If He's hungry, figure out what he will eat, no matter what it is, and work FROM there. If all he'll eat is applesauce, then start adding nutrients. Pureed veggies, or even pureed meat (Pork and apple sauce is a good combo). Get him eating. Also, try to improve your milk supply. This never worked for me, but some people have great luck with it. As to your other post, I think he is hungry. Work on getting him to eat, but this may take a while. be patient.

1 mom found this helpful
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B.R.

answers from Sacramento on

I wouldn't worry too much about this... simply keep on offering him food and he'll eventually get the idea.
If you are using the premade baby foods, you might try making your own from things you are eating. Mashed potatoes are easy. You can puree veggies and fruits easily in your blender or food processor. Some of the favorites among my daycare babies are sweet potatoes, baked or steamed, then peeled and pureed. I usually serve them at the beginning mixed with a little bit of baby cereal and milk (whatever type milk the parents provide for the child), then gradually add less and less until they are eating the sweet potatoes by themselves. I also cook apples, or pears until just soft and puree those. Some foods don't need to be cooked before pureeing. Just figure out what works for you. The home prepared foods tend to taste better because you serve them immediately and they don't need all the preservatives that have to be put into the jars of food.
The only food I don't recommend making yourself is carrots, because if you don't know where the carrots were grown, there could be some harmful (to a child under the age of one) things they have absorbed from the soil. The baby food manufacturers have special places from which they get their carrots to avoid that problem.

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D.S.

answers from Tulsa on

if he isn't interested he probably doesn't need it. I would stay with breast milk and formula. I fed both of my kids cereal at a very young age but the reason why was they acted like they were starving to death literally. If I had one that acted like yours I wouldnt have put him on solids till he acted like he wasnt' getting enough from the formula. but he is oppisite of mine I wouldnt push the food just the formula. And I am one that believes in cereal at three months if necessary. in his case it just isn't necessary. so don't do it

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D.W.

answers from Indianapolis on

In my opinion, you're doing the best thing by continuing to offer. While breast milk should be the primary source of nutrition until 12 months, it shouldn't be exclusive according to the American Academy of Pediatrics:
http://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/f...

Both of our kids immediately took to baby food - both were also above the 90% in weight. Our son got his first tooth at 8 months, second at 9 months. Our daughter was much earlier (6 months). But, I didn't find a correlation between teeth and interest in food.

We started recognizing that both weren't really as interested in baby food as in what we were eating. So, we gave them bites of our yogurt, sliced cheese to gnaw on, thinly shaven deli meats (ham, turkey), slices of apple/pear to gnaw on, bites of scrambled eggs.

So, my advice is to keep offering it, let your child explore safely (AAP says anything that's a choking hazard or a known family food allergen should be avoided - otherwise, give them anything).

Finally, talk to your pediatrician to make sure you know how they feel about it and possibly learn any tricks they have for making the transition easier.

1 mom found this helpful
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D.W.

answers from Gainesville on

My exclusively breastfed daughter was almost 9 months old before she would accept solids. She would gag so I just followed her lead and offered something about once a week and once she finally started taking them she took right off and loved it. Just be patient. Babies know what they don't need. Solids are just for practice at this stage anyway.

Why do you think your supply is low? Is he still nursing several times per day? Are you not feeling super full? If not that is perfectly normal! You shouldn't feel engorged at this stage of the game. By 8 months my breasts felt just the same as when I wasn't nursing. And that was with both my kids. You body adjusts to nursing. Doesn't mean you don't have milk. Biggest thing is to be confident in your ability to feed your baby. As long as he is wet, is gaining weight (breastfed baby's weight gain slows after the first 6 months when they seem to pack on the pounds) and he is nursing actively on at least one side per session he is fine! Avoid giving him formula as it will start a cycle that will decrease your milk!

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S.C.

answers from Nashville on

I have a 7.5 month old who is also not very interested in food. I just offer him food whenever I am eating, and sometimes he doesn't eat any at all and just plays in his high chair. Other times he seems more interested and may take 6-8 very small bites or drink water out of my glass. But I agree with what the others said that there is nothing to worry about. I am just following his lead. I know he will let me know when he is ready and needs to eat more solids. At this point, he is still adjusting to the texture and experience of eating. Sometimes he gags, even on well-pureed food. But I never force him to eat anything. I just offer the spoon and if he takes it, great, and if not, it's not a big deal.

According to the pediatrician, as well as baby books I have read, until 1 year old, babies get all their nutrition from milk, and introducing food is just to get them used to it. Sort of like "practice eating." My son has 5 teeth already, so I wouldn't worry about teething having anything to do with it.

As far as your milk supply being low, I was wondering if you are feeding him formula as well as breastmilk, since you mentioned mixing formula with food. If you do this, it will cause your milk to decrease because the baby is getting some calories from the formula.

Basically, don't worry and listen to your baby's cues!

1 mom found this helpful
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I.T.

answers from San Francisco on

I wouldn't worry. My daughter wasn't a very good baby food eater either. She will eat about 3-4 baby spoon full and quite. Don't even give her the rice cereal. She gave me a look like I was trying to poison her. We gave her just one meal a day till about 9 or 10 months old and gave her breastmilk 3x. When she turned 1, we got the green light from our pediatrian to go ahead and give her the same food that we're eating - with the exception of choking hazard food ofcourse. She became VERY interested in food then. She's 20 months old now and loves food. There are still certain foods she's not crazy about but I still keep giving it to her to try. Sometimes she'll eat it and sometimes she'll spit it out (like carrots and cantalope) Ofcourse, we still include heathy food like steam broccoli w/cheese, string cheese, fruit with every meal, yogurt, alvocado, etc. to make sure she's eating heathy and she loves it.

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