Infant Transitioning to Table Food

I would try a "mashed potato dinner." Serve everyone at the table (including you and Dad!) with a plate of buttered and/or seasoned mashed potatoes and put some on Emily's tray. Forget about the spoon -- allow her to explore and play/eat with her hands. This is close to a puree-like food, so she may be more willing to give it a try. Obviously, everyone else will need to eat something from the other food groups, but start out with the potatoes only. If that goes okay, you may want to try very small pieces of meatloaf with a bit of ketchup. These are foods that need very little chewing. Let her see all of you eating the same foods as she is.

It sounds like your Dr is waiting until 15 months before referring you into the Early Intervention process. You don't *have* to wait until 15 months old, if you really feel there is a problem. (Is she talking at all? Saying Mama and Dada?) I don't know how long you've been working on food, but I would definitely try to put in several weeks of trying before assuming there is a serious problem. Yes, it could be sensory processing issues, but it also could be that she is just not taking to table food. However, if your head and gut is screaming that something is wrong, go ahead and call EI. Good luck to you!!

Hi J.,

Just a few things you may want to try. Try giving her table food when she is hungry before you try the baby food. Somethings that my daughter (also 12 months) likes are small pieces of fruit (apples, peaches, bananas, pears) toast, noodles, scrambled eggs, pancakes, macaroni, green beans, peas, cooked carrots, broccoli. I wouldn't give up, just keep offering bits of what you are eating. You may have to give her the first bite or two. My daughter is not a big fan of meat and will eat anything but that. I would have her try to pick it up herself. Maybe she hasn't mastered the pincher grasp yet, picking up small bits of food is great practice. If none of this works in the next couple of months, talk with your dr again and see if Early Intervention would be an option.

you need to schedule an appointment with an early intervention specialist for an evaluation IMMEDIATELY. She is showing signs of poor muscle tone in her mouth, or possible texture issues (probably both). This can affect her speech later and as you know, she needs to eat so something has to be done now too.

They will tell you what you need to do and help you do it, so that she gets over this. I work with babies/kids for a living and this is one that I would refer and have the experts in that field teach me how to handle.
N.

Have you been giving her fruit? Pear is a great easy to chew, non-offensive first solid. Cooked chunks of apple is good too. How about sweet peas? Yogurt? If I was you, I'd throw sweet, ultra yummy things at her, like the fruit and peas, and then start mixing them with other things. My daughter, for instance, loves cheese and avocado, so I use both to introduce new, 'not so yummy' things.

Maybe you just need to find that thing she loves that you can then use to get her eating other things.

Also, introduce the new food to her three times over the course of three days. My daughter usually spits out new food, but if I keep giving it to her, by the third try she usually is willing to eat it.

Happy 1st bday to your little one!