Eating

Hi J.,
I didn't have this problem, but a mother in my playgroup did with her son. He is 14 months now and just starting to try solid food. He has been eating baby food just fine though. His mother just kept trying, I think a wide variety of choices is key. Now he will eat a few bites, but mostly "on the run" and not in his high chair. I guess my point is you aren't alone, and just keep trying, as long as she is eating something. Good luck.
L.

It sounds like you are doing everything you can. Keep at it - she'll come around eventually. Try offering her new foods when she is good & hungry. My daughter is hungriest at lunch, so that is when I try new foods.

Have you tried baby yogurt? Cottage cheese? My daughter is 1 and she likes food she can feed herself, so I've made zucchini bread, sweet potato fries, wheat toast with jam and chunks of veggie burger with cheese. Sometimes she'll try that (and sometimes it ends up on the floor - depending on how hungry she is). Some of those have eggs in the recipe - so make sure to call your pediatrician about feeding your daughter eggs. Good luck!

My daughter (2.5 now) was a fussy eater from the moment she was born. My 9 month old son has been a great eater since birth and will eat anything you put in front of him. So, based on my own experience, all kids have their own quirks when it comes to eating. If you daughter is going to come around, it will be at her own pace. I would suggest that you continue to present her with small bits of different foods at each meal time, like no more than 2 OR 3 (max) small pieces at a time on her high chair tray. Such as cheerios, cut up fruit or soft veggies, puffs, shredded cheese, etc. I would also suggest that in front of her you put them in your own mouth and chew and swallow in an entertaining manner. She might just get a kick out out of it eventually and start imitating you by eating what is on her tray. I would stress again that you only put a couple pieces in front of her at a time so that, #1) you are not wasting as much if she doesn't eat them, and #2) she won't be so overwhelmed by the experience. She isn't too young for eating games either, like the airplane or choo-choo train. You may have already tried these. Just relax, you will be looking back on this moment only a year from now when she is happily eating her mac & cheese all by herself and wondering what was all the rush! Good luck!

J.,
You're doing a great job. Keep making her new foods, changing the textures slightly, and offering it. Every time you offer it, she is one step closer to accepting it. It takes offering it 12-20 times for a child to finally accept a new food. So just keep on going with it. Be sure you are eating it yourself- she'll accept it more readily if she knows you love it, too!

Hi J., I too had the same problem with my daughter. Just continue on what your doing. Introduce to her solid foods everyday along with the baby food. Eventually she will eat the solid food it does take some time. My daughter was finally around 13 mos when she finally started eating solids and not the baby food anymore! Put on her tray a variety of food at a time. What I did was put 3 to 4 portions of food at a time on her tray, and I let her explore it for a while. (believe me it got messy,lol) Eventually she will pick at it. I know she will make a mess but if you give it time she will eat it!!! Hang in there she will come around!! Hope this helps, Please let us know the outcome!!!!

R.

a few questions for you...does your daughter have teeth? 2 things might be going on....either she is teething and having a really hard time eating because of that, or if she doesn't have teeth yet, you might just want to wait till they come in. The other thing is..have you tried making your own babyfood, pureeing food to meet the same consistance. It may just be a texture issue. I used to take the food we had for dinner and put it through a baby grinder. That seemed to work for my son. Also, avocodos are easy to mash up. Hope this helps.

HI J.,
I am a mother of 4 with step children as well. As far as your daughter only wanting baby food I think FOR HER she will decide when she is ready for more choices. Try eating with her (you bite your meal then give her hers). Sounds like her personality is going to be a strong one! She will call the shots on that one. Every child is different on how they respond to new things. She also sounds like she will decide when shes ready to potty train too. She's definitely getting the proper nutrients she needs so I wouldn't worry. Good luck!!

It sounds to me like you are doing everything right. My daughter now 17mo old was the same way. Even early on with the first cereal, the different textures and tastes were very hard for her. I truely think you just have to keep trying new and different things for her. Dont give in and just give her what you know she will eat. I think my daughter ate babyfood veggies and fruits til about 15mo old, but in addition at meals I'd give her some finely chopped meats and other stuff from our dinners. I dont think anyone should set an age limit on baby foods. Best of luck.

Hi,

My son is mild/moderately autistic with Sensory Processing Disorder. The SPD he has is called Defensive Mouth. He is five years old and we are still trying to teach him how to chew. He eats baby cereal mixed with pureed fruit, yogurt and up until a year ago ate mostly 2nd Foods. When he was your child's age no one I talked to (and believe me I talked to EVERYONE!) told me to just keep trying, etc. Please talk to your doctor and have her evaluated. It may be nothing but I wish I'd known about Early Intervention and feeding programs when my son was that age. The feeding issues don't necessarily indicate autism just that their may be a 'transmission' problem. I wish you all the best!

Sounds like you're doing everything right, keep at it. Are you eating at the same time you are feeding her? My son is 13 months and he ALWAYS wants what my husband and I are having and it's a GREAT way to get him to try things. When I was transitioning my son from baby food to table foods I made a large batch of different foods and froze them in small portions so they would thaw quickly and i wouldn't waste much if he didn't eat it. Bananas, avacado, steamed carrots, oatmeal, applesauce are all good things to start with and that you can make smooth and then increase to more chunky textures. I also would put something on his tray that he could pick up and i KNEW he would eat adn while he was busy picking it up he was very willing to open his mouth and I'd pop in spoonfulls of something else :-) Hope these are some helpful ideas. Let me know if you want more!

it sounds like you're doing great---making a variety of foods available to her & being conscious of the fact that babies like all of us like having time to adjust to new experiences. have you tried soup? i've had great luck with brothy & pureed soups, esp those that are nutritionally complete. bon appetit!