My 13 month old daughter still refuses to eat anything but canned baby food. She won't eat cheerios, puffs or anything. She will eat the stage 3 canned food with chunks of food. She will put gerber cookies in her mouth and suck on them, but she doesn't eat them. She won't eat things that we chop up. If we actually get something into her mouth she starts to gag and gets really upset. I can see the piece of food on her tongue, but she gags like she is choking. I'm pretty sure it's a texture issue, I just don't know how to help her get used to eating more. She also doesn't have any teeth yet. Her doctor says this is within the normal range and to just keep trying things. We try a new texture each meal, but she refuses most. We're wasting a lot of food and I'm running out of ideas to try. Any suggestions for types of food/recipes would be great.
When my daugher was about 1 1/2, her favorite food was bread and butter. That's all she wanted. I could usually coax her into something else.
At the same time, the only thing my older daughter wanted to eat was pizza.
Children go through food phases, just like they go through other stages. I wouldn't worry too much. As long as she is eating.
The most you can do is try new things. Maybe you could try fruit smoothies or something.
Hi R.,
It may help to get her an early intervention evaluation. It sounds like she may have a sensory defense issue, having trouble with the textures of certain foods. There is a lot that a speech therapist could help you with. Good luck.
make your own baby food and serve it out of the same used (but cleaned ) jar.... my parents used to get me to eat homemade cheeseburgers by putting it in a mcdonalds wrapper.
cook anything similar to what she eats now... and put it in the jar.Our son never got into purreed stuff like mashed potatoes, applesauce or anything similar to babyfood. He would eat yogurt though.
I just did not press it. His first food was turkey alphabet soup and the bottom bits from where you store the turkey with the stuffing and bits of meat that fall off. He started eating solids after Thanksgiving.
Hey R.- Have you tried to mix the new foods with the jarred food she is already eating? You may be able to start out with small amounts of new food and a lot of the old and then slowly work in more new and less old until she is able to eat just the new foods. Just an idea- God Bless.
You said that you try a new texture with each meal, but maybe you should stick with the same thing until she gets used to it. If you give her 'food A' ten meals in a row, then it's only new once. But if you only give it to her every sixth day, then it's new every single time she tries it. It takes a while to get used to something and eating is no different.
I'm not sure I can be of any help. But my 11mo old Daughter is sometimes the same way. She actually wont eat the stage 3, too lumpy for her. She only will eat stage 2. She does eat the cheerios and puffs, but only recently. I give her grilled cheese cut up tiny, pancakes cut up tiny. Maybe try the shredded cheese out of the bag? Or loose mashed potatoes? Or the pastina tiny pasta cooked in chicken broth? I'm sure having no teeth might be why she is this way. Just keep trying new stuff, and always talk with your doctor.
I remember someone telling me to make the food into a smily face or use cookie cutters to make animals or other shapes out of foods. Try a grilled cheese sandwich or even soft gingerbread cookies with a cutter to make something cute! She might even want to try something if it is on your plate so try cutting things up and letting her pick off your plate. Don't worry so much what she eats thou as long as she is eating. My nephew was still eating baby food veggies at 8 years old! Its perfectly fine.
Try giving her a toothbrush to chew on (while she's secured in a high chair). It will help her discover how her jaw works even though she doesn't have teeth yet. Sometimes they just need a little stimulation. If all else fails and you're still concerned, contact an Early Intervention center. They are a gov't funded program that helps kids who are lagging behind in their milestones. My son receives treatment from EI for a speech delay, but they cover such a wide range of development. One of my mom friends used their services for the same problem you're having and they came to her house and gave her the toothbrush advice (among other things, I'm sure). Look into it. Maybe your ped can refer you. Here in SE Mass, I use the Schwartz Center in Dartmouth.
You can maybe try making things you want her to try ad then pureeing them yourself until they are the same texture as the third foods and then the next time, a little less. It may work.
I would say it is definately a texture thing- you may want tog et a referal to a nutrionist- they would woul have things to try and helpfull info about healthy snaks for someone that may have an issue with food- if the docotr isnt helping- I wuold say try to make things that you know she likes- like I sneak in veggies and fruit into muffis and homae bread with wheat and stuff- that way you know she isgetting good things in the things she will eat. they do say they will do it when they are ready but- it is hard to think she may do it forever
