My just barely turning one dd is refusing to eat baby food. I'm not sure if it's because she's teething (she getting 2 top teeth - not the middle but the ones on the other side of those). She screams when I try to feed her baby food. She wants to eat whatever her big brother is eating. I know she can probably eat a lot of it but I still want her to eat baby food to make sure she's getting enough nutrition (that and I'm on WIC so I get it for free). I will give her a few bites of whatever big brother was eating on her tray and in between her shoving that food in her mouth I try to shove in a bite of baby food without her spitting it out or knocking the spoon away. But this doesn't always work. I'm worrying she's not eating enough (she's in the low percentile for weight anyways). I'm also going crazy at feeding time trying to get the right food on her tray so she'll be distracted enough to eat baby food also and so far hot dogs are about the only thing. Am I fighting a loosing battle? Should I give up and just give her real food? Anyone know how I can get her to eat baby food still? Please help me!
When my son was 1 year old, he transitioned away from baby food. I was worried that he wasn't eating much and getting enough nutrients because he was only in the fifth percentile of his growth. I started giving him Herbalife kids nutritional shakes and liquid kids vitamins and the next year was in the 65th percentile of his growth. Would you like to take a look at these shakes and vitamins? You can contact me at 800-850-0609 or ____@____.com
Sounds like you've gotten tons of great ideas already. I'd also recommend checking out this advice from the Dr. Sears website. I really stressed out about getting my little guy (now 14 mos) to eat nutritiously, and this helped so much! Some of it is probably a little to "old" for your little girl, but it has amazing ideas for helping kids eat nutritious solids. Good luck to you!
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/3/T030800.asp
Make sure that you give your daughter milk first. This way she still gets the nutrients she needs, and can use the food more for practice than for nutrition. Then, you can relax and let her eat what she wants. You can puree almost anything, and there is nothing wrong with her still only having milk at this time (I asked my doctor at that age because my son didn't eat much food).
I have a 10 month old and i began to give her baby gerbers she refused them so i made her her baby food and now she eats bananas grapes pineapple beans etc ans shes perfectly fine just change her food try it it may work
Neither of my kids were at all interested in baby food. They wanted what I was eating. So I chopped it up or mashed it up in front of them, so they could see that it was the same food I ate, and gave it to them. If you eat nutritious food yourself, then they will get adequate nutrition this way. Plus they'll get better tasting food. Have you ever tasted commercially produced baby food? It's gross. By allowing them to eat the same food that I did, I became a better eater myself, and my children developed into adventurous eaters who enjoy a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, and meats. I also spared myself the ordeal of needing to prepare separate "kid food." My children enjoy adult flavors.
My daughter just went in for her nine month check up. I know, we're still 3 months behind you, but he mentioned that around one year babies start to lose interest in some foods. They're less hungry, and favor other foods etc. Anyway, maybe this is the case here? When our turn comes around, I guess, I'll be less concerned but I'll still be shoveling in the food... Maybe try "pretending" to give your son some baby food. I know children learn by observation, so certainly seeing his example could fuel her hunger! Good luck!
I know EXACTLY what you are talking about. My 10mo old waves her arms in just the right way to knock the spoon out of my hand if I try to feed her baby food. We also get WIC and I have a TON of unopened baby food jars. The freecycle Idea someone mentioned is a good one, or also foodbanks at most churches will take the donations.
One thing I've done is to thicken the baby food a TON so that it really sticks to the spoon. Then I hand it to her and let her put it in her mouth herself. I also don't fight her every meal. I found that she will let me feed her about once a day. All the other meals, I give her pieces of ours or something mushy. If I feed her before everyone comes to the table, she does a better job. Once she sees us eating big people food, forget it. She only has 2 bottom teeth down front so I'm still a little paranoid about her choking on big pieces. Noodles, bananas, cheese, and green beans are always winners with her.
It's great you are worried about your daughter's nutrition.
Has your pediatrician given you a food guide to follow in regards of what your daughter can eat? My dd of 11 months has been eating solids since about 8 months. We still feed her baby food mixed with cereal, and she eats it up. I usually give her fruit, chopped up, and give the baby food and cereal mix as a snack, then give her whatever we're eating as a meal. She's always wants whatever the "big" kids are eating. If I feel she isn't getting enough to fill her up during the meal, it's the baby food and cereal mix (even if it's one of those "meal" baby foods). I think the thickness of the cereal makes her okay with eating it.
Another suggestion: Have you tried letting her feed herself? She might be wanting to do that instead of having Mommy feed her. Give it a whirl. She may eat more (even if it is a messy process).
Your daughter may also be at that stage. Has your pediatrician suggested anything to help her gain weight? There are a lot of nutritious meals out there that your dd and her big brother can eat together. It might take a few different tries of different things.
I know you'll find a solution!
Sincerely
P.
Mom to Alex (33 months) and Arianna (11 months)
www.4OurFamilysWellness.com
My little guy is 13 mos old and transitioning him to tables foods has been A LOT more difficult than I was expecting it to be! He used to LOVE his baby mash (rice cereal, baby food, and formula mixed) and chow it down three times a day with no problems, but now that he has been introduced to more table foods he has been totally rejecting the baby mash. I think its because it tastes so bland compared to some of the other foods he has tried. But meanwhile, he is very picky when it comes to other foods and I'd still love to have him eat just a bit of mash at each meal to make sure he's getting his nutrients that he needs since the finger-type foods dont seem nearly as filling. Well, we are struggling through it - he will spit out the baby food within just a few bites, or spit it into his hand then wipe it in his hair, or start sticking his fingers down his throat and making himself gag it back up - UGH. Sorry I dont have much advice, but I just wanted to let you know I feel your pain! I loved when mealtimes were easy!!
One thing I have found that helps up get a few bites of extra food into his mouth is to let him "feed" himself. I hold out the bowl and he grabs the spoon and then I help him move the spoon into his mouth. He gets so intent of feeding himself with the spoon that he opens him mouth for the food and swallows it without a problem... this lasts for atleast a few bites, its worth a try and it will help him get more used to eating with a spoon himself int he long run!
i know it seems wasteful to give up when wic is offering so much, but if you offer the baby food on Freecycle it won't be wasted. one year olds like to feed themselves. mine only has two bottom teeth but she is eating bananas, scrambled and hard boiled eggs, mashed potatoes, veggie crisps (costco), various crackers, soft canned fruits. walmart has peas and carrots in small microwaveable containers which i like because 1. they seem softer than even some canned veggies and 2. i don't waste much. she's even done well with some baked tortilla chips and very soft cooked pasta. go ahead and let go!
Yup, I'd give up and give her real food. My 10 month old is the same way. He wants texture, and he wants things he can pick up with his fingers. If I try pureed food on a spoon, he pushes it away.
It's a little more work, but I give him stuff like cottage cheese, small cubes of cheddar cheese, Cheerios, soft fruits (pieces of orange, banana, pear, etc. -- even apple if it's cut really small), soft cooked veggies cut into small pieces (broccoli, carrots, etc.), pieces of pancake or toast, macaroni, yogurt with fruit, deli turkey, small pieces of whaterver meat I cooked (e.g., he loves small pieces of meatloaf or chicken breast), etc. I agree that most of the baby food tastes terrible, but I think that mostly my boy wants something he can gum/chew, and that he can eat himself.
I do sometimes slide in spoonfuls of stuff he really likes that he can't really eat with his fingers (e.g., cottage cheese), but I couldn't do a whole meal like that.
Have you eaten a jar of baby food lately?? Your daughter has probably figured out that what her brother is eating smells and tastes better. Any food can be baby food. I have made all my own for my 3 kids .... just mash, puree, thin with milk or juice to get the right consistency. you can put pasta and alfredo or spag sauce in the blender....etc. My fist two kids loved baby food, but my last (16months now) gave up anything remotely resembling a pureed state at about 10months... it was purely a preference for her I think. Cheese, and cereal you should be getting on WIC, try those. good luck
I'm confused as to why you think "baby food" has more nutrition than your food?? I'm mean, if blended up peas are better for you than regular unblended peas, just put your peas in the blender.
Just give your baby what you're eating. If you're not choosing good food for yourself then change that and then let baby eat what you are.
Also, let me just suggest YOU eat the baby food. I'll bet you'll get one or two bites in that then have no more misunderstanding why your baby does not want to eat that tasteless slime. YOUR food has flavor and texture, it's pleasant to the taste buds, pleasant to the mouth in how it feels, and it's pleasant to the nose (the most important part of the body to stimulate appetite), that jar of gerbers doesn't compare in any way other than FREE.
Not only that, your baby is at a stage where she wants to do it herself, she wants to be in control of WHAT is getting in her mouth as well as HOW and WHEN. There's a whole dynamic that changes when baby is allowed to put her own food into her mouth and be big at the table with everyone else. Even if she doesn't eat much, there's developmental stages that are touched upon in socialization with the family and such that are valuable while being place at the table without someone shoving things into your face. Being allowed to model the behavior around her is quite important...even if you later spoon feed her.
Sounds like she is a little old to still be eating baby food. Seems like she is trying to tell you something here. She is ready to transition to big girl food. And that is a whole different question, of which there are LOTS of really good answers on this website. You just have to try different foods, things she can pick up with her fingers. My dd like canned soup that I drained the liquid out of. Or chunks of cheese, chicken, fruit, cooked carrots, the list goes on. Be creative, do some online research, and be patient. And most of all, get her off that icky baby food!
