Help on Feeding Baby Food

I just wanted to reiterate what others have said. It's not a big deal if she's not ready for solids yet. The 6 month thing is just a guideline. My little girl (now 3) didn't want solids until she was about 8 months old. About once a week, I'd open a jar and give it a try and she just wasn't interested. Try not to let it stress you out. She'll get there.

Hi B.
6 mo is a little early to start all that food. It may be that she is not liking either the feel of the spoon- the temp of the food or just not ready. She will eat when she gets ready- I would stay with the cereal and fruit- tho- and maybe try something she can hold in her hand , like a melba cracker -
when I was raising my litle ones I had a food feeder- similar to a bottle with a special nipple where they could suck like a bottle........they liked that a lot and eventually they would let me use the spoon. If these are not still available, you can just put the food in a 4oz bottle and cut a little larger hole in the nipple- that may work-
I would not rush her unless she is not sleeping- she just may not be ready for that much of a selection.
blessings

I supposedly spit out all the peas and still won't eat them. The spoon may be the problem, as it must seem very odd after the breast. You might try little bits of banana that she can pick up herself. This is all very new to her, so just be patient and keep trying a little every day. Maybe put a little on her lip and see if she tastes it that way. She'll start when she's ready. Good luck.

Hi B.-

Personally, I wouldn't worry about it. 6 months is still early and she should be getting most (if not all) of her nutrition from breast milk or formula anyway. At this age you are just introducing her to food, you shouldn't really be expecting her to eat a substantial amount yet. Some babies never do eat babyfood, they just don't like the texture or taste. Continue to try, but she may just wait until she is ready to try your table food.

Good Luck,
K.

Babies don't really need any food but breast milk for their fist year. Offer baby food, mix it with milk, but don't stress about it. My first child insisted on eating sooner, and he got some rice (real rice, not the mushy stuff) at about four months, and hasn't ever liked mushy food. Plain white rice is still his favorite food.

all babies really need for the first year is breastmilk. she's telling you she's not ready. take her cue, mama, and don't force it. she doesn't need solids for the nutrition; it's really only about the experience at this age.

it's ok to keep trying, but don't expect much. though i started when my daughter was 7.5 months, she didn't start eating much until 2 weeks before her 1st birthday!

Breastfed babies are used to sweet mama's milk. If you want it to be a good transition, start with bananas, sweet potatoes, and avocados. They are nutritious, but more sweet, like breastmilk. Also, she might not want it mushy on a spoon. I started my first son on solids at 7 months, but he didn't really want them until 10 months old, and I discovered that he wanted to feed himself only. Many babies don't eat much until they can self feed, so tiny soft (super ripe) chunks of banana, sweet potato, or avocado that she can pick up herself might be more in order. Just expect a mess. Oh, and banana stains like you wouldn't believe! Black mess!

Don't worry if you're not following the "regular" routine that some pedis suggest. Believe me, following my children's cues and introducing them to sweeter veggies and fruits more like breastmilk was the way to go - they love their veggies and have always eaten them. In fact, my son's favorite veggies have always been broccoli and green beans. Giving them "sweeter" first won't make them hate veggies! Also, rice cereal has very little nutrition. It was developed to compliment formula. They suggest it first because so few babies are allergic to it and it's easy to digest. When you wait until 6+ months like you've done, her little tummy and digestive system are mature enough to handle real food. She doesn't need the rice cereal at all.

She's not picky, mama, she just knows what's good for her and right for her. and that's breastmilk. THe American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization agree that breastmilk is all that's necessary for the first year of life!

Check out this link on kellymom http://kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/index.html If you've not visited it before, it's a site full of research-based information on all things having to do with breastfeeding. Kelly is an Independent Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and she quotes the leading experts in the world of lactation (like Dr. Jack Newman). This is a resource to trust, and full of great, helpful info!

I agree with the first poster. Don't push it. My son doesn't love baby food either. He eats it now, but still doesn't love it. He won't eat table food or anything with texture to it and he is 8.5 months old. I just think it takes some kids longer (my daughter started refusing baby food and only wanted table food at 9 months old). I would wait several days and then try again. She should still be getting most of her nutrition from breastmilk anyway....it's all an experiment at first, so just let her set the pace and keep working on it. Don't make it a battle, especially this young. Good luck! She'll get it eventually!

EDITING SINCE LAST POST: So, now that I have said my son won't eat anything with texture, he ate a handful of puffs today and kept opening his mouth for more (and I think I just posted the first response yesterday). What a difference a day makes! I also gave him a little shredded cheese, which he ate also. Just keep trying a little at a time. She'll get there! I was just shocked when he didn't spit this stuff out. I'm going to start trying some other small bites of table food now that I know he'll at least try to eat it. Good luck!

I know you have probably heard this one before, but when she gets hungry enough she will eat it. Maybe not breast feed say for lunch and see what she does. But she eat when she gets hungry.

She'll eat when she's fully ready. Don't worry, it's all just practice until she's about a year old anyway. One of my boys was constantly reaching for my food, but then refusing everything I offered to him. I gave him his own spoon to hold and then offered him some rice cereal (or peas, etc.) on a different spoon. Once he took a bite, we would trade spoons. I guess it made him feel like he was in control or something, but it mostly did the trick. If one of them refused something, I didn't push it, just tried again at the next meal (I have twins).

Hi- My daughter refused to take any solid food until I weaned her at about eight months. (She did take supplemental bottles). Then, I made much of her baby food in the blender and froze it in small snack bags. She is now fourteen, five seven and a half- gorgeous figure, hair and face; very athelectic- and she eats almost anything I put in front of her. MAybe her system just wasn't ready at the time to eat solids! Maybe the same is true about your daughter? My daughter would squeeze her lips shut and smile! Even no applesauce! Just relax- she won't starve!

BEEN THERE It sound strange but when you give her the cereal, put a small amount of other foods on the spoon at the same time half and half. She may react at first but it will be the same feel in her mouth as before.

OMG! I had the same issue. It went on until she was 9 months old. I had shedded lots of tears b/c it was so frustrating. I tried to never let her see my frustration.

Finally, my pediatrician told me to cut back on her milk. She went from 8 oz. 4 times a day to 6 oz. 3 times a day. This worked. Also, instead of her getting the bottle before the meal, she would get it after. I, actually, had to hide the bottle in the sink b/c if she saw it, solid foods time was over. She loved that bottle.

My daughter is now 13 months and she still has her moments on what she likes and does not but we all have learned.

Well, as with the other responses, I felt the same frustration. Just a few ideas though if you want to keep trying. My son would only try new foods off my finger. I don't know why. Sometimes I would just put a little on his lips. Mostly I just wanted to expose him to new tastes. I do know that, like the other responses, my son ate baby food I made much better than the store stuff. I used formula/breast milk to thin out something too thick and cereal to thicken things that you ground up. I know my son loved peas that ground up with some formula. It tastes so much better. It takes time. You just want to do the best thing for your child. It will come. Just have fun with it and often kids relax enough to try new things.
Good luck to you.
T. (35 year old parent of an 18 month old)

I know she is too Little to do a proper job herself but let her try. . . she may not like the spoon coming at her and may want to feel the food instead. . .let her try to feed some then you feed some . . .

Obviously you will want everything around covered in plastic or a washable cover and make sure you arn't wearing anything you want to be seen in public in . . .

Eating is just like anything else for a child. It is a learning experience and she just has to learn what she likes.

Hi B....If you baby is refusing to eat then she has decided that she's not ready. When I started my son on rice cereal w/rice milk or goat milk i stayed with that for several months and continued to breast feed whenever he wanted. I started introducing one food group at a time because babies systems are so delicate that they can have a food allergy. Stay with one new food for serval weeks and watch any reactions. I don't think your daughter is picky, she's just needs to adjust to a flavor at a time. Remember, fruit is sugar and baby food has fruit included in the ingredients. Take your time for her sake. Hope this helps!
God bless...
A little about me: 44 year young Mother of a 15 month son, 3 step-daughter and a pretty great husband of 7 years

Some babies just never eat baby food and that's a fact. Try Avacado, bake a squash, or sweet potatos steamed and cut into bites. These are awesome foods for babies, and try some of the finger foods that you are comfortable with like puffs or O's if she does ok with the softer foods. It very well could be a texture thing, if she doesn't take to any of these, then maybe she isn't ready and you can try again in a few weeks/month. Good luck, she will get it soon enough!

At this point "feeding" is just for her to get used to it - not really for nutrition! Don't make this a power struggle because the feeding experience now will last into her future eating life.

My now 10 month old did the same things - eat a few bites, then want NOTHING to do with the same thing that she loved the day before. All of her nutrition currently come from Breastfeeding and she will be fine. My baby is now gobbling down all kinds of things - early favorites and new foods as well.

Also, I recently heard on a news program that it takes children 12 times of tasting something to decide if they like it or to get used to the taste -- this was from Dr. Oz, he was saying that children's taste-buds are really strong and that what they taste is much stronger than what we taste and I have tasted my daughters baby food and it seems pretty powerful, so I can only imagine how strong it is to her!

Be patient -- it gets better.

blessings,
stacy

Try mushing up your own food to an appropriate consistency and let her see you do it so she know she is getting what you are eating. That is just fine as long as it is something she is allowed to eat. Some babies dont like baby food and want real stuff which is GREAT!

It could be a texture thing. My son is still to this day a picky eater. Even with the baby food 1 and 2's it might be too thick and she does not like it. With the cereal make it soupy at first and mix the peas or bananas etc with it to flavor it. It just takes a while for her to get used to food since she has had breast milk for 6 months of her life. Please Please do not put food in bottle. You are delaying the process of her getting used to eating from a spoon. I wish you luck!!!!

Little About ME - 40 yr old Full time working mother of 2 fabulous but busy children - DD is 8 going on 21 and DS is 7 both are a joy!! Married 10 years to my best friend and sole mate

Back off and try again in a month or two.

Just keep offering. Babies are stubborn! My son likes fruits better. I put veggies on the spoon and then put the tip in fruit. It is a slight trick but makes eating easier.

Don't rush her! She will eat when she's ready... Make sure she is hungry when you try to feed her, first thing in the morning (before breast feeding) is a great time to try for this reason. Don't force her, if she isn't interested by the 3rd try, give it up. You don't want her to start hating the experience. I wouldn't try everyday. Hope this helps and good luck!

She might not like the baby food. You could try putting real fruit or food in a food processor with breast milk and grinding it up. This is what I did for my son and he loved it. You could also try feeding her at the same time that you eat being as she will open her mouth when you take a bite. It will take a little time but eventually she will come around!

Put the food away and try again in a few weeks. It's not that important yet, so let her take the lead on trying out "real" food. I wouldn't stress about it until after 9 or 10 months, so you have plenty of time to make it fun and wait for her to be ready.
Next time try this: If you put globs of "whatever" on her tray will she touch it and try to put it in her mouth herself? Even to smear it all over she'll become familiar with the smells and textures, etc. Do you let her try out the spoon and let her play with it? If she thinks she's in charge she may be more willing to try. Sounds strong willed! I have a couple of kids like that...you're gonna have fun with her! :)

My third child was the same way. The first two loved baby food and ate everything that I offered. The third would eat a few bites then refuse anymore. We just kept it up and offered him some of our food (mushy veggies, mushy fruit) and he loved it. He is now 8 months old and eats only 'grown up' food. Sometimes we mix his baby foods with non baby food items (rice, yogurt, cottage cheese) and he eats everything. Just be presistent and patient and when she is ready to eat she will. Our pedi said at that age, baby food is to teach them when to eat a meal and how to eat and to get them use to the various textures of food. Good luck

Try putting the (heavily diluted) rice cereal in the same bottle you normally give her. Maybe have dad do it, if he is the one who gives her a bottle (as I think you said you are breastfeeding?), and let him do it in the same place he usually does, if they have a special chair or wherever. When we tried it with our daughter, it was like a lightbulb went off in her little head as soon as she tasted it, "You guys didn't tell me this was FOOD!" Maybe she just doesn't recognize it.

Then go back to trying to feed her the cereal out of the same bowl every time, and then later trying the other foods, fed out of THAT bowl. Your daughter is just starting to recognize the things in her world. Milk that interest.

I have one picky eater and one not. Don't worry... if she is breastfed that is really all they need and can go even to a year w/ just breastmilk and be satisfied. However they do recommend you start feeding habits at 6 months so they get used to it. Just give her time and try here and there and she will get the hang of it. Don't frustrate yourself that she won't eat. Some also don't like the flavor of baby food have you tried mashed potatoes or table food? My 2 girls always loved sweet potatoes in baby food cause it is sweet like breast milk.
Hang in there...

Hi B.! I would try one of two things that helped me with my daughter when we started her on solids and she didn't want to eat. I would give her her own spoon and put some of her food on the tray so that she could practice herself to put the spoon in the food and put it in her mouth. We also sang her favorite songs to her when we were spoon feeding. Also, you'd be amazed at how well the airplane trick too can work. Those seemed to work for us. Good luck!

Have you ever tried baby food? It's tasteless. Try taking food from your plate, and puree it for her. She can have almost any vegetable cooked soft, such as mashed potatoes, carrots, broccoli, peas. Just make sure to go very easy on any salt or spices, if use it all. The real thing will taste so much better than the jarred stuff that she might bite!

Just wanted to give you some encouragement! My son was the same way. We started at 5.5 months because he seemed VERY ready. But he gaged on it and spit it all out. I kept trying once a day for two months and then finally it was like the light went on and he was ready to eat. Some kids just aren't ready even though they seem ready. My son now eats a TON of baby food and loves to nurse (he won't really take a bottle at all). Maybe just try small amounts once a day or wait a few weeks and then once she's REALLY ready she'll eat. Try not to pressure her or yourself to make it happen. My ped. said that for breastfed babies food is an added bonus, so don't worry too much! It will come in time!

Be persistent, try a little each day. Make it a routine, maybe between breast feedings. Pears were the first food that I gave to my daughter. They are a little milder. You are right about the being totaly content with breast feeding. Good luck.

My first born, my son, was very laid back and followed the time tables of when to introduce cereal, baby food, etc. (except he did not like the peas, which he HELD in his mouth until he could hold no more.)
My second born, my daughter, would not take the bottle even if it had only a tablespoon or less of rice cereal, so I gave her formula and then when older, whole milk. When I asked the doctor about it, he said she was healthy and doing fine. She looked like a cute little cherib.
At about year, she started acting interested in food, so I got a few jars of baby food, which she refused. She wanted the food off my plate. When I put the baby food on my plate and tried to feed it to her, she knew that was not my food, so I would give her small bites of my food, which she ate...so she completely skipped baby food (and the expense)...and her daughter did the same thing.
They both are heathy, and my daughter is even in the culinary field of work, and my 4 year old grandaughter loves to help me cook. She will say that she does not like a food, before she has even tasted it, but she will do anything for a black olive, even taste a new food.