6 Month Old Refuses to Eat Solids

B.,

I wouldn't stress about him not wanting solids. It's entirely possible that he's just not ready yet. Developmental signs of being ready for solids include:

1. At least 6 months of age.
2. Able to sit up unsupported.
3. Devleoping Pincer grasp - NOT palmar grasp
4. Losing the tongue thrust reflex
5. showing an active interest in solids (mimicking the chewing motion, trying to grap food from your plate and eat it, etc.)

You may have better results if you stop offering for a few days or a week or so. It's also possible that he just doesn't want baby food. If you haven't seen the information on child led weaning, you might find it interesting. My daughter, 7.5 months, loves chunks of bananas and avocado. The theory, in a nutshell, is that if they are feeding themselves, they will only injest what they're capable of eating/swallowing and that they will stop when they are full.

S.

He may not be ready. My daughter's ped told us to wait until she showed interest in food. My husband and I couldn't wait for it to happen--it didn't until she was almost 8 months. She would do the same this as your son--just turn away from the food. When she was ready, she did fine. I know that it can be frustrating, but I would wait [even though it can seem to take a long time :)]. Good Luck!

If he's not interested, just try again in a week or so. It's just for practice at this point, not for nutrition so there is no rush. Remember to keep the experience fun. Always smile and say "yummmm" no matter what his reaction is and he'll eat when he's ready. My daughter's favorite first meal was mashed banana (use a very ripe one), she wasn't as excited about the cereal. Good luck.

PS-I was just reading some other responses and must add: NEVER NEVER NEVER FORCE FEED YOUR BABY!! Unless you'd like to foster future eating disorders.

I have a 6 month old son as well and we just started trying solid foods last week. My son does the same thing with turning his head away and clamping his jaw together. So, I have started holding his head (under his chin/mouth) when I feed him if he starts doing this. I also will do whatever I can to make him laugh so that I can put the food in his mouth. For him, once the food is in there he will eat it. I'm not sure if your son spits it out or not, or if the challenge is just getting the food in his mouth! He actually has been getting a little better since I started keeping him still! Good luck!

first make sure he is hungry. Then try bananas, applesauce, or cereal. Can be the consistency he doesn't like.

Few tricks I used were play, make him laugh and have spoon ready and put in his mouth and then keep spoon over mouth till he swallows or have bottle ready and let him have one or 2 sucks and then out and put in next spoonful. Once they get it 2 or 3 times they will eat.

My son absolutely refused all solid foods until he was 8 months old and got his first tooth. Your boy will eat when he's ready, don't worry too much about it. When he is ready he'll watch you eating with lots of interest and go for what you've got. Don't worry too much. It sounds like he's a healthy wee man.

If he is not interest, don't push it. He will let you know when he is ready. Especially if he is breastfed, he does not need anything else until he is a year old.

B.,
He just might not be ready. My oldest son didn't eat baby food until he was almost 9 months! Meanwhile my second started at 4 months. To this day my oldest (now 4.9 yrs old) is not much of an eater. Our 1 yr old eats more than him. So, take his cue and continue offering him food until he decides he is ready.

Hi B.--

No advice here, but I have tried everything for the past 2 months and nothing is working. (my son is now 6 months) He gags and throws up. We're just continuing to try and hoping one day it clicks. At least nutritionally at this stage they are OK without it, but they do need to eventually learn how to eat. My pediatrician told me not to worry about it too much yet. So don't worry, you're not alone!

Try to give him something really tasty, like fruit or sweet potatoes. My three always liked the sweeter stuff better. He needs to start eating now, or he will develope a texture problem. Wait until he is hungry, but not starving, because if he is really really hungry, he will just want a bottle. Make a big fuss to distract him from realizing it is food.

Once he gets used to the sweeter stuff, start introducing others. Don't get too frustrated. They have comfort in the bottle or breastfeeding. Good luck. ;)

I wouldn't worry yet. He probably just isn't ready to eat solids yet. Out of my four kids none of them have started solids at the same time. My now three year old didn't start until he was 12 month after many attempts.

I didn't so this this bc I read about it after my kids were older but it makes ence. Its called baby led eating/into to solids. Here a link
http://www.tribalbaby.org/babyLedEating.html
Don't be scared by the name "tribal" this is just one of many different websites that discribe it.

When my daughter was 6 months she would eat solids, but eventually she wanted to do it herself. Maybe give him a banana and let him hold the food and then maybe he'll let you feed him one he starts getting the taste for the food.

B.,
I liked that response from B.. Make sure he sits at the table with you for meals and pretty soon he will show an iterest in what you are eating. Let him try the safe things that he seems interested in and just give him little piles/bits of other things to try: Cheerios, cut up soft fruit, etc. You'll be amazed how it will quickly change once he's got the interest. My son eats everything! My only regret was that I think I spoon-fed him too much & for too long. If I had to do it over, I'd let him make the mess on his own so he would be a more independent eater.
Good luck to you. There's no need to rush this--let him go at his own pace. All kids are different.

You shouldn't be pushing solids yet. Your child gets what they need from formula/breast milk, whichever you are using.

Hi B.!
My daughter was the same way. Have you tried to mash up your own food? My daugter didn't like any of the prepackaged things. I bought a food mill from babies r us and put whatever we were eating in there. It worked great. She is 13 months now and eats everything! She never liked any of the cereals either. I didn't make a big deal of it, I would just mash her a banana for breakfast with some formula in it. He will eat before you know it. The breast milk or formula is his main nutrition now anyway. Hope this helped!

Dont be afraid to wait. My little boy is 8 months old and he is only just now taking off with baby food. He loves breastfeeding and I think thats why it took him so long to adjust. I had to make it super runny at first and it was just a few bites at a time. By 7 months the only cereal I oculd get him to eat was Mixed grain cereal made with baby fruit juice. Everything has to be warm or he wont eat it. On days where hes tired, growth spurts or teething he wants to breastfeed and nothing else. I just let him. Hes gaining well and is happy.
I also tried different times to feed him, when he was hungry, really hungry, a little hungry. Nothing worked, he was not ready till he wanted to do it! I just kept offering it and eventually he took it one day. Now he loves his morning cereal and lunch time fruit. Vegetables are so so for him but I keep offering him them. (I started with vegetables first but if I waited till he took them we would have never started on fruits! We have a very stubborn little boy!)
We've tried coarser textures becuase I thought possibly he may prefer real food and he would gag on it and coundlnt swallow or mush it in his gums. I'm presuming hes just not ready for that yet and it will be slower going on htat side too.
Good luck