My 6 month old daughter has NO desire to eat solids. I've tried infant oatmeal, sweet potatoes, applesauce and squash and all she does is let it sit on her tongue or 'razz' it back out at me! I didn't have this problem with my older two; once they realized that food came from the spoon too, they were very enthusiastic. But my youngest couldn't care less and seems bothered by the sensation. Up until about 2 weeks ago (when we started trying solids) she was exclusively breastfed.
I'm not looking for tips on how to get her to eat; I know she will when she's ready and I'm not about to start forcing the issue. I just want to know if anyone else's babies did this and at what age did they finally take the plunge?
My son didn't eat any solids until 12 months, and even then it was very little (he was also breastfed.) He actually didn't really seem to enjoy food until around 18 months. And believe me, it wasn't for lack of trying, or variety!
My girls were much better eaters, both starting around 6 to 8 months.
I'm glad you're not forcing the issue, food should be enjoyable, not a chore :)
My son didn't take to solids till right around his first birthday.
Handling solids is a different tongue motion than breast feeding (and different from a bottle, too).
They get the hang of it sooner or later.
There's no rush.
I wouldn't worry about it.
I wouldn't stress about it. With our oldest, they didn't even recommend solids until around 9 months. We tried solids with our youngest at 6 months after recommendations changed and she wasn't very interested. It took another month or two before she enjoyed solids and that was only when we gave up on the bland rice cereal and tried fruits and veggies.
My friends son refused pretty much everything until 9 months. Then he went straight to finger food.
My kids are/were pretty picky too...pretty much would only eat sweet potatoes. Lol.
No worries.
Food is pure experiment until 1 year.
Sounds like you know that though. :)
Only apx half of all infants have digestive systems ready for solids by 6mo. Most are by 9mo. Very few *aren't* ready by a year. Actually, that was the old rule of thumb (before formula, and the need to get babies off of formula as quickly as possible -because formula back when was dangerous and even less nutritious than table food-). Babies were traditionally given their first table food on their first birthday. It was usually cake or pudding. It's becoming the 'new rule' as well... as we learn more and more about neural development. We saw the initial switch back toward the old rule about a decade ago (the whole 'breastmilk or formula being the primary source of nutrition until 1 year') and more and more researchers are saying, and new grad peds are recommending not starting solids until after 12mo. There's no need to. Formula isn't dangerous any more, and working mums also have laws now that protect their job if they're pumping.
We did tasting whenever kiddo wanted, but stuck with the 'old' rule, and he had his first real meal on his first bday. Ditto, that's when we started adding solids after formula. AKA eat until full with formula and then offer table food.
At a year, he was perfectly ready. No gas, constipation, fussiness, sleep disturbance, weight loss, or refusal. We did the switch over a period of about 6mo. The bulk of the switch over the first 3 mo and then just continued formula as asked for, and switched to cows milk at 18mo.
My nephew was not interested in solids at all until he was almost a year old. I know my sister tried on a pretty regular basis, mainly because he was a bigger baby, formula is expensive and she was tired of being woke up in the middle of the night to feed fat baby Max = ) Since Max turned one he is eating with gusto, there is not much he does not like. Some just start later, I would not be too worried, just keep trying. Try different times during the day as well as varying the consistency and temperature. Ask your pediatrician if yogurt is ok, all my kids loved yogurt. Also instead of oatmeal you might try the rice cereal ( maybe mix it with breast milk)
Good luck, I would not stress over it.
Probably just too young. Every baby is different.
Have you tried infant cereal mixed w/breast milk or regular milk?
Try the infant cereal and if no go. Try again later in about 4 weeks.
If no go then, try again a month later after that.
Don't worry and don't force the issue. It will come in due time. :)
We have DD on video putting more back on the spoon than what went in her mouth. We just kept trying little bits and eventually she learned to keep it. By 7 mo. she was eating her solids better.
I'm not sure if this applies to you, but my sister found that my niece was averse to the pureed foods. My sister thought that she was just rejecting solid foods, but it turned out that she wanted something chunkier and with more texture and would eat that stuff up. She skipped the smooth, pureed food stage altogether!
My daughter didn't like solids until 8 months, which was fine because I was all for exclusive breastfeeding until then. All children are different!!
Had this problem with my ds. He has some texture issues (still at 3.5) and would spit everything back at us. He did like the Baby MumMum rice crackers, though. They are crunchy and he finally started eating more at about 8 mos. We would try the purees and cereal every couple of weeks and it took awhile, but he eventually got there. His gag reflex with textures is fading now, but we still have some issues with soft foods like potatoes and overcooked pasta or pasta with gravy like liquid. He went so far as throwing up at school one day with some overcooked pasta in some type of sauce. They thought he was sick and he had to sit out of class until I got there 20 min. later. It is getting better and he said that he would eat beans and other foods when he is 4. We will see.
Just be patient and try every now and then. You might want to just mash up some avocado and try that. It is a very good first food, too.
My twins are 9 1/2months old. My daughter started eating at 5 months, she will eat anythuing i give her. My son on the other hand will not eat more than one bite, He will take the spoon and than spits out whatever was on it and will not open his mouth again. I have also tried feeding them the baby snacks ( like the yougart meltaways) and he will pick it up, put it in his mouth and spit it out. He just isnt into food. It is frustrating & Im hoping he starts eating soon. I would love to take them off the bottle completly.
Our 2nd didn't start any solids till 9 months old. And STILL chose to only breastfeed some days after this.
Our 3rd is 9 months. Within the last month I've tried baby food two times and a couple small scoops of table food. He could care less. Not one bit interested! So we'll just wait until he lets us know he is ready.
Our 1st was given baby food and cereal at the 6 month mark and loved it.
Yes. My daughter was slow to be interested in "food". She was breasfed too - until 8 mos, and really didn't start eating solids until she was 9 mos. I wouldn't be concerned at all - they are all different! She's doing just fine now at 4 and 1/2.
All three of my children have been over one year old before they're truly interested. They're all very healthy and I've even heard that it's best for them nutritionally to breastfeed exclusively for the first year. I always introduce solids around 7 months, but I don't push it and they pick it up when they're ready. Full weaning has been around 16 to 17 months. Hope that's helpful!
My daughter just went through this. We tried the first cereal at around 6 mos and her gag reflex was just too strong. She was happy enough to sit and try, but her little tongue just automatically pushed everything right back out. We gave it a rest for two weeks while just letting her use biter biscuits. This was great for teething as well as still sitting at the table with us for meals.
Well, like I said two weeks later we tried again and she ate with no problem! I think the biter biscuit helped train her to let things in, but that's just a guess.
