10 Month Old Son Refuses to Eat Solid Food at All

The only thing I can add.. is definitely try to make eating a fun part of the day.. Do not feel rushed into forcing him to eat because he is at the age to do so.. ease into it slowly and definitely try to make eating a fun messy process. even playing with food is building a relationship with it. Good luck.

Ps. is he also seem to hate the sweet stuff? my son sometimes refuses food, but he never seems to refuse the fruits. then I mix the rice/vegs with the sweet and he will eat it.

I agree that you are probably feeding him to much milk. I also agree that you should stay away from the highchair (even put it away so it is out of sight)
My daughter was in a booster seat very early on. (at a year I think) Believe me, if he is hungry he will start to try foods....on his own. Cut back on the milk and you might find that he will be more open to try foods.
just give him very soft finger foods, and let him play with them. Show him what to do with it and then leave him alone to do it himself.
I hope all the info from the moms helps you.
Don't worry, he will eat eventually.
Good luck!

I know it's tough, but you just need to be patient. If you start to force him to eat solids, it will be harder in the long run. Just offer a little something a few times a day and don't make a big deal about it. If you make and freeze food in mimi cubes, you won't feel like you're wasting it too!-www.weelicious.com

Dear A.

I know you want to do what's best for you son. Eating is not something you want to fight with your child about. Stop putting him in the high chair. You don't want him to associate food with crying and anger. Relax and let him go at his own pace. Let him see you eat. Let him sit with you at dinner. When he starts reaching for food - then he is telling you he is ready. Until then use all that time you are spending making his food playing with him. I have a healthy 8 year old boy who didn't start on solid foods until he was over a year.
Good Luck
kati

No worries. My 11.5 month old still doesn't eat solid food. She JUST got her first 5 teeth this month. I'm still breastfeeding 100%.

My first son got teeth at 8 months and started on solids at 8.5 months. My 2nd son got teeth at 4 months and grabbed my Chile Relleno burrito and couldn't get enough - he never had baby food.

I don't give my kids solid food until they have teeth. I figure that way, I know their digestive system is ready for it. I use a little logic, rather than protocol or some made-up date by doctors based on.....???? When my husband was a baby they started babies on solids at 3 months and now it's recommended 6 months. Who knows? I figure the baby does. My kids don't have the food allergies that so many other kids have either.

Juice is terrible - full of sugar, as natural as it is. My kids ONLY drink water. Sounds like he knows what he's doing. Maybe solids hurt his stomach? You never know? One thing is for certain - he WILL eat solid foods someday. ;)

My nephew had formula from birth and wouldn't eat solid food until he was 1.5 years old. He's a robust, healthy guy and almost 2. Every child is different....go with it. he's obviously here to teach you something....all of our kids have taught me life lessons. it's funny that we have preconceived notions on how life SHOULD be. It is what it is. He's healthy and is listening to his body....he should be praised for that...and so should you be praised for allowing it.

A.,

If he doesn't have teeth yet, then he doesn't yet have the enzymes that will allow him to digest solid food. Let him be the judge of his own tummy! At least he knows when he is hungry, and what he is hungry for ;)

This reminds me of something I wrote for another mom on my blog:

We all know that our children are not reflections of us, but every once in a while we get tricked into that lie again! It sneaks in, and we spring into RE-action, rather than mindful response. That way of "reflective" thinking is a trap that often leads us to seek approval from the random parents around us. It can throw us into a tizzy of self-judgment: Oh my gosh my child is screaming (at me)! What is that father/store clerk/woman thinking about us/me?! Instead of, "Oh my gosh my child is screaming... what does my child need that I can give him?" The irony is that those parents who we are trying to please in that hot moment of crisis don't actually matter to us as much as our children do, nor are they even in line with our own core values!

That self-judgment is probably the most difficult thing to overcome in being parent. It seems we are never enough: we never do enough for our children, we don't do it well enough, we don't love them enough, we aren't patient enough with them, we aren't energetic enough for them, we aren't sweet enough for them. The JUDGE inside us tells us in so many ways how we simply aren't enough for our children.

Perhaps the most important thing about being a parent is to know that we are mentoring all of the time. As Joseph Chilton Pearce says, "We must be the person who we want our child to become." So if we want our child to love themselves as they deserve to be loved, and to respect themselves with the respect they deserve, and to be OK with being "less than perfect," then we have to offer that same regard to ourselves first. Ease up on yourself when you are less than "perfect." (What is, IS perfect, because it IS!)

You have all of the answers your family needs. When in doubt, tune into your your inner compass. You are the guiding light of the house; "mother (father) knows best." Your child chose you for the answers you have for her. Your child chose you for the parent you are right now -- not some perfect parent you will become someday. So the great news is that you get to relax and trust yourself! You ARE enough!

Our children are here to teach us as much as we are here to provide guidance to them. Who else in your life has the ability to take you deep within yourself on a journey of self-discovery and re-ignite that fire within?

Parenting from balance is as simple as taking a step back, and responding to life. How refreshing and so much easier it is to relax into your own family groove, than to keep a stiff upper lip and stay in that grueling race with the Jones'es!

Hi A.,
You should try sitting your son on your lap while you're having a meal. He might be interested in what you're eating and start picking off your plate. Let him pick off your plate. If he continues to show more interest in your food, after a few days of him sitting on your lap, place the high chair next to you, while you are at the dinner table, and only place a few pieces of food directly on his tray. Gradually start serving him on a plate, and then the use of utensils. I think he might be happier as he mimics what you're doing. Good luck!

A.,

First of all, I'd quit forcing food on him. You've started a power struggle you can't win. Second, just because he doesn't have teeth doesn't mean he can't eat. My son has eaten chicken cut into small pieces, frozen cooked veggies, noddles, etc... from about 8 months on. He was always much more into self-feeding than the gross purees.

Last but not least I'd google "facial defensiveness" and "sensory integration disorder" and read up. If your son meets the criteria for either I'd get an appointment with an occupational therapist who specializes in feeding issues right away. My older child has autism and sensory integration disorder and he's facial defensive. He's had feeding issues since he was an infant. If I would have known then what I know now I'd have gotten him into therapy at a very young age. Even now (he's 5.5) he eats fewer than a dozen different foods and getting him to eat at all is a constant battle.

My younger child eats everything he can get his hands on and has since he was pretty little. In my experience, having a child who won't eat is NOT a normal thing. It isn't necessarily an autism thing (there are actually many reasons kids won't eat and almost all of them can be really helped with appropriate therapy) but the sooner you identify the problem and start working on it, the better the potential long term outcome.

Good luck! As anyone who has had a child who won't eat can tell you, it really isn't a fun thing to deal with.

T.

A. - Sounds like you have a handful. My son also wasn't really into solid food when he started. He would clamp his mouth closed and fuss for his bottle. But, he did eat. I was astonished at your son's formula intake. My guys are in the 97th percentile for height and at the 75th for weight and they average 24-30 oz.per day. I wonder if that could be part of the problem. The books say that when you introduce solids it helps if the baby is hungry. Here is what I would do. Give the whole thing a break first. Then when you're ready to try again, give him much less formula the meal before you give him solid foods. Wait the 3 or 4 hours, then when you know he's really hungry try the solid food again. Maybe he'll be more interested.

Good luck.

Babies will not eat unless they are hungry. You have to start slow with introducing solid foods. I started with my son as 5.5 months old, and started with breakfast. Per his pediatrician, I offered 4oz. of formula at waking and then, a small bowl of cereal while I ate my breakfast. Babies learn from watching and mimicing, it's how they gain interest in learning. I continued every week to offer an additional 'meal', so one week just breakfast, then next week breakfast and lunch, then added dinner during week three.

You have to remember that while Infant gear like high chairs is great and handy, it may not be where your child likes to eat. I ended up giving the high chair to a friend when my son was 7 months old, because he hated eating in it. I bought a booster chair with a back and he loved sitting at the table and eating with everyone.

There is not timeline for eating or being ready to eat...kids do things at their own pace. I always offered a bottle of formula first before food and then, the food was just tsps. and not full meals. Talk to your pedi about getting a guide for infant feeding or check out www.babycenter.com, as they have great tools and tips for feeding.

Good luck and I hope this helps!!

Sounds like this has become a battle of the wills. I understand that you want him to have good, nutritional solids. I can tell you want the best for him.

Since he is healthy, I recommend that you stop offering him solids and stop the battle of the wills. Use psychology...start slowly...

For example... After a couple of weeks, you could be snacking on Cheerios while reading or watching tv. You could feed a couple to your husband or your dog or a baby doll. Make it fun but don't offer him any until he shows interest. It won't be too long before he will want to join in the game. When he does, offer them but don't make a big deal out of it. Then, slowly expand the menu (bits of banana, taste of cereal).

Keep emotion and the battle of the wills out of it. He is a growing boy and his appetite will grow naturally if it's not forced.

My son was exclusively breastfed for 12 months and I introduced food when he had enough teeth to chew and the desire to eat...about 1 1/2 he really began eating solids. He's as healthy as a horse. They simply don't need solids until their body says "I'm ready!" Part of that is having teeth the other part is grabbing for it.

My son's pediatrician had one boy who was exclusively breastfed till 4 years old. He grew up in an area of famine, so food was hard to come by. The doctor told me that he never saw a healthier child.

Your baby is not ready to eat solids and is telling you so. Follow your baby's cues. He'll let you know when he's ready for food by trying to grab it from you and stick it in her mouth. These little people are very good at communicating their needs.

Relax. He'll be on solids before his wedding day. That's a promise. A few months here or there don't matter in the long run.

Good luck!

First, Relax! He is not hungry, so he is not eating. NEVER NEVER NEVER put food in his bottle. He can choke on it. My daughter was resistant for a long time, but I would eat with her in her chair and would offer her what I was eating then yank it away and very obviously enjoy it. My mom told me not to tease her, but it worked. I would then offer her a spoon of her food and if she didn't eat it, I would yank it and pretend to eat it with just as much enjoyment. I would then offer it to her again, and she would often try it...
Your son probably has a schedule of how he likes his day to go, say wake up have bottle play bottle nap. Wake up have bottle play bottle nap. wake up have bottle play bottle bedtime. or something similar. Remove one of the bottle feedings and offer food instead. Babies need to taste something 15 times before they are sure they like it or not. I was told to offer one thing at a time, offer something three times to see if they are allergic, and just add it to the cycle of what I fed her. I gave her the gerber puffs and cheerios. biter biscits (slobber cookies) some toast. Be aware of the diapers. My daughter would get a rash on some things, so I wouldn't feed her those again for a long time (if ever).
Remember, relax. He will eat when he is ready. You could try starting with applesauce, something you will eat, that you can offer him or eat yourself. try to use different spoons for him, as you can introduce germs from your mouth to his.
Good luck
R.

Hmmm....maybe he is teething?
Or, have you asked your Pediatrician:
1) how many ounces of Formula he should have per day, per his age?
2) since he rejects anything besides "liquids"... have you discussed this with your Pediatrician?
3) Have you asked your Pediatrician how to start solids?

At what age did you try and introduce solids? Or have you introduced it only at 10 months?

Does he still have his "tongue thrust reflex" or "gag reflex"? This is where a baby will "push" out anything in their mouth, instead of swallowing it. Usually young babies have this reflex... usually by 10 months, this reflex disappears.

Now, among all the other advice you have gotten here... SOMETIMES... a baby is sensitive to "textures" and sometimes they have real eating problems... ie: dysphagia etc. Or they are sensory sensitive.

Perhaps you can contemplate these possibilities, in conjunction with your Pediatrician.

Does your son show ANY interest in "food?" ie: when you and your Husband eat... does he try and grab what you are eating? Does he make "mouthing/chewing" motions with his mouth? Does he seem to want what YOU have on your plate?
Does he seem to want to feed HIMSELF at all? Some kids want "control" over this, and want to feed themselves and not want someone to feed them.

Or, try different textures with him.
Or he is just not ready for 'eating.' I would not force him into the high-chair. He's already traumatized by it.

Ideally, I would discuss this with your Pediatrician. If he/she is not worried, I would not worry about it either.

Also, your baby does seem to be growing just fine. AND, for the 1st year of life, the PRIMARY source of nutrition for a baby is from breastmilk/Formula... NOT solids, NOT other liquids. This is per our Pediatrician. So... your son is doing that.

Also, if he is hitting all his developmental milestones, and developing normally overall, I would not worry.

Here are some links that pertain to this:
http://parents.berkeley.edu/advice/eating/refusing_solids...
http://www.babycenter.com/400_my-10-month-old-doesnt-like...

All the best,
Susan

My first immediate thought when reading your concern, was is food eating being modeled for him. In other words, does he sit at the table when others sit down to eat their meals. My experience with our darling she would reach out to grab the food off the plates, just merely curious probably not hungry. We quickly learned to keep all hot drinks in the middle of table out of reach. She was curious much younger than when we wanted her to start on solids, so we would let her play with it and take it away if she put it in her mouth (she was only 4-5months) By the time she was six months we started her on one new food and slowly introduced a new fruit about every 4-5days. My friend was a nanny and began worlking with an infant at 9 months, he would refuse to eat as well. For him he was not being modeled for everyone would eat their meals while he was napping or away from the kitchen, so had zero interest. He soon became interested when he saw others enjoying what they ate. Gerber has some cereal snacks that are designed for infants getting introduced to solids, they start to dissolve when wet. This was a favorite snack of my daughter's and still thinks of them fondly when we're at the grocery store. Good luck enticing your angel.

Hi! I have an almost 11 month old with no teeth. He gets 3- 8 oz bottles a day (dr recommended no more than 24oz a day at 9 month check). 40 oz is probably way too much. And, despite having no teeth, he eats everything. I have a 3 year old too and they basically eat the same things, the babies are just cut up smaller. He gave up eating baby food at about 8.5 months and doesn't want me to have anything to do with feeding him, he wants to do it himself! Babies gums are really hard, having no teeth never stopped my boys...maybe try starting with a few cheerios and see how he does, working your way toward other things (pasta, chicken, cheese, fruit and veggies)...he may really enjoy it! Hope that helps!

I would call Cynthia Epps. She is a pediatric food specialist. Her comapny is called Mother Work. She will come to you or you to her. She is kind, warm and nurturing. She is renowned in the industry. I am a mom of a 13 month old and she has been incredibly helpful. Her number is ###-###-####

I agree with all of the advice below about offering cheerios and other soft solids he can mash with his gums. And the teething biscuits can be gummed on, too and are big enough that little hands can really hold onto them. And if you can eat together and offer foods from your plate, he might show more interest (even if you just nestle a little pile of cheerios or cut up banana on your plate somewhere)

The only thing I would add is to try a new location other than the high chair. Maybe try a picnic on a (washable) blanket outside together. Or try another seat or booster chair somewhere in the house.

Good luck!

My baby also didn't want solids till pretty late. I was really anxious and found the book "My baby won't eat" very very helpful (by Carlos Gonzalez, a pediatrician). It talks about honoring the baby's pace, readiness, and how to prevent traumas and battles around food.

Even though he doesn't have teeth I would encourage you to offer solids anyway, like cheerios- baby gums are shockingly sharp, not like ours. One of my friends' babies didn't get teeth till a year but she ate everything (much more than my baby did even with teeth! Also, my baby did fine on cheerios even when she only had 2 front bottom teeth. The cheerios just sort of dissolve in her mouth.

Your baby might hate the pureed texture (mine did) and prefer the solid finger foods.

Good luck!

My 8 mth old doesn't eat food from a spoon either - neither did my som (now 4 and healthy and eating!). She doesn't have any teeth, but she eats bite sized foods just fine - remember even though toddlers have teeth (six in the front) they aren't the chewing teeth (molars). Go ahead and give him one cheerio at a time and let him get used to it (he'll probably gag the first few times) but he'll probably eat them because he can do it himself. For my kids, it's a control issue - they will only eat what they can shovel in themselves! My daughter eats peas (squish them so they're not round), bits of carrots, brown rice, wheat toast strips, cheese, corn, apples, pears, cherrios, gerber puffs, gerber veggie crackers, potato, sweet potato, yams, zuchini, banana, oatmeal (just scoops handfuls of it into her mouth - dripping down her arms and face - this is a meal for right before bathtime!). Obviously all of this food is cooked to be nice and soft - even the apples, and not all of it ends up in her mouth, but it's the experience that is most important at this age. So give it a try, he'll eventually eat something!

I wouldn't worry too much because he is still at the age where he doesn't need the solids for nutrition..but more for practice. I also tried to make all of my baby food from scratch and I ended up with a freezer full of fruits and veggies that my baby wouldn't touch. I hate to say it because I realize the health benefits of homemade foods...but my baby LOVED jarred baby food. Once I started buying her store bought, she couldn't eat enough. They do have organic brands which are a little healthier. I also gave my DD finger foods that desolve before she got teeth and she was fine. She especially likes Pirates Booty, Dried Apple from Costco (it melts in their mouth) and cheerios. Save the baby food in the freezer for later..I was finally able to use it and make soups and smoothies for her after 12 months or so. Good Luck!

40 ounces of milk is WAY too much. Cut back on the milk to 3 six ounce bottles and he will start eating. My child did the same thing and once I cut back on the milk, she had room for food. And remember, babies stomache's are only the size of THEIR fists! Don't expect a baby to eat a lot more than that.

Check with your doc, he may need therapy. I have a friend who's son did, but yours still seems young. Your doc can guide you better. My dd did not eat solids until 8 months old, but she is doing great now. He may just need time, they are all so different. They say you have to try up to 10 times with a new food, but it sounds more like you got into a battle of wills with him and that is a loosing battle. Good luck and I am sure he will come around soon enough.

Some children have textural issues with food when they are first starting out. A friend of mine actually had a daughter that would not eat baby food no matter how hard she tried to get her to eat this and that. When the time came when she could and would eat soft finger foods, that's what she went for. Now that your son is 10 months old, there may be some really soft foods that you can give him that he can eat with his fingers. Checked with your doctor but I would think your son is near the age when foods like the Gerber snacks maybe okay for your son to eat as well as things like roasted chicken sliced very finely against the grain, boiled peas and small bits of bread. If he can feed himself with more solid textured food, this may help end the battle between the two of you.

Hope this helps.

Hi A. -
My daughter wouldn't eat solids at all until around 7 mos, and then very little, and it has been a struggle! What finally worked - my husband got her to eat a little rice cereal mixed with apple juice. And the daycare provider got her to eat veggies mixed with oatmeal. THEN I was able to feed her those things. But she wouldn't take them from me at first (maybe I'm the breast/bottle lady to her). Maybe have someone else try to feed your baby and see what happens.
Also, she HATES sweet things - both veggies (like peas and sweet potatoes) and fruit. She'll eat green beans and spinach though. Now, when I try to give her something new that she doesn't like (cherries or prunes, for example), she just won't eat at all that meal. Maybe your baby is a very picky eater?
Good luck! You have lots of good ideas from all the mamasource moms. :)
R.

Have you tried an Infant Feeder? It's basically a bottle with larger holes to get thicker liquid or food through. A lot of doctors don't recommend them anymore, but they're still on the market, and it may help him & you! A friend of mine had triplets and they were lifesavers for Mom because she could get them each eating at the same time. Just a thought! Good Luck! Below is an blurb I found online as to why they're not recommended anymore... just thought I'd show you both sides!!

"Developmentally, eating solid foods helps in the maturation of a new set of muscles in the tongue in order to swallow, which were not used in breast or bottle feeding. Proper development of these muscles help to promote clear speech patterns later in life.

If your baby is not developmentally ready to eat from a spoon, then she is not yet ready for solid foods. When baby eats from a spoon, she starts becoming aware of the process of eating: taking a bite, chewing and swallowing the bite, waiting a moment before taking another bite, and stopping when satiated. Infant feeders do not allow this process and drastically increase the amount of food your baby eats, which may cause problems with overweight and bad eating habits."

-R. :)

It sounds like he is full most of the time , and so solids are not appealing to him. Cut down on the amount you put into his bottle at each feeding.
Also, stay away from the high chair. (It has become a symbol of the struggle).
With only half the amount of formula at the end of a feeding, he will be hungry. Then, you can offer him a (very small) portion of solid food.
(My kids ate Cheerios with no teeth - they just suck on them).

A., Tera has some good points. I also have 1 w/ autism and w/ food issues re sensory defensiveness. Try having fun in the high chair -- not at meal time, after a bottle perhaps. Let him sit there and play w/ favorite toy, read him a story, etc. Make it fun. Then try playing with food that you aren't actually trying to get him to eat. There are recipes for "play doh" that are safe to play with --- see if he will touch the dough -- my youngest would scream and cry b/c she didn't like the feel of it. Try building structures with bread sticks or pretzels (make them w/o salt of course). My oldest liked to finger paint w/ pudding. Try jello wigglers -- cut out w/ cookie cutters for ABC or small animals. You can try finger foods he can gum. Does he put toys in his mouth? They make those mesh bags with handles attached so you can feed fresh fruit w/o choking hazard-- you could try frozen fruit pops in one of these and see what happens. If nothing works, by all means seek professional help.

Hi. Considering that he doesn't have any teeth, he probably doesn't want to eat solid foods because it hurts his gums. Maybe try some more when he is a few months older, because if you try too much now, he won't be eating solid foods when he has teeth and is 2 years old. If you want him to try now, though, maybe try things like bananas or other mushy foods that aren't neccessarily solid, but also aren't liquidy like the baby fruit you find in the jars. Hope this helped you and good luck!!! :)

Hi A.,

Wow, how frustrated you must be! Please get and read "Child of Mine" by Ellyn Satter. It's all about feeding kids, from birth-elementary school. You'll get lots of ideas and feel much better, and more confident about feeding your child.

Even though he doesn't have teeth, your son can certainly gum around on cheerios or puffed baby bits. I also got a little mesh baggie that screws onto a plunger for my little one. You put soft-ish food (fruits, veggies, ice cube for when he was teething) in the bag, and the kids can munch and slurp on it.

You will need to get to the point of having him experimenting with food first, though. First thing is to relax and realize that your job is to help him be comfortable exploring food, rather than trying to get food into him. Read the book; it will explain much better than I can. :-)

Offer him a taste of anything he seems interested in (as long as it's appropriate) my son was uninterested in solids at all, until my husband was slurping some soup. Baby wanted a taste, and figured out that this could be good stuff.

Good luck!
C.

your baby CAN have cheerios, gerber snacks, etc. My daughter was 15 mo. before she had a single tooth, and she ate everything. Babies gums are very strong and they can mush food up pretty good.

Try a cheerio in your mouth, and see how quickly it dissolves. My 10 mo old boy has been eating cheerios for 2 mo (no teeth), as well as Gerber Puffs. He loves them. You might also try the biter biscuts or zwiback toast. Just make sure he is seated (even if not in high chair- since he hates it), and you are watching him closely.

some babies just take longer to enjoy the process of eating- and that is ok. He is still little, and may not be ready for solids just yet. but keep trying- one day it may all "click" and then he will be a eating machine!!
Good luck! :)