8 Month Old Not Eating Very Much

My son is very small (less than 3rd percentile) and he just recently started eating much much less. He used to eat at least 3 jars of second foods or a third and a second at each meal. Now he will only eat about 1.5 second foods at each meal. The doctor said that this is normal, as he is not growing as fast now as he was before. He said that if you look at the growth chart, the curve drops off at about 6 months and then drops off steeper as he gets older. He said that it is no big deal as long as he tracks along on a curve. It worries me because so many of the doctors (Navy medicine) have been concerned about his size, but this doctor says that as long as his curve tracks along at about the same rate, just lower, than the others, its okay. Only if he falls off of his curve is it a big deal and it is normal for his eating to slow down. Hope that is helpful.
K.

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Coleen, is she more mobile lately?
This can be a factor too! Around that time my babe started eating less because he just wanted to be down cruising and playing.
So I just tried to give him whatever he likes best, like bananas or his favorite snacks, orany fruit. Not the baby food, the real deal!
Also, around 9 months we switched him to toddler entries because he just didn't want to eat mushy baby foods anymore.

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Hi C.,
I've heard that when they start to get teeth that it's extremely painful and that it's very normal for eating to be less than the usual. What I would worry about is whether or not she's getting enough fluids. She'll be fine without a ton of food but the fluids are really important so I'd just keep an eye on that. My 9 month old likes carrotts that have been in the freezer for those sore gums ;-).
Good Luck & Take Care,
T.

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My doctor reminded me at my last appointment with my 10 month old that this is the age when they start being a bit more picky when eating. He said that there will be days that it doesn't seem as though you can feed him enough, and then there will be days when it doesn't seem as though he's eating anything, and wondering how he can survive. SO, I'm guessing this is probably just a phase...??? You can always call your doctor and ask...that's what they're there for!!

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Teething can DEFINITELY affect appetite. Also, the Gerber foods are so bland - I started my kids on grinding their foods up (same foods as we were eating at the table) with the food grinder you can get with a Kitchen Aid mixer - I don't know if you have one - or you can grind some food in a blender. Because it has the food flavored the way you like it, she may enjoy that a lot more and eat more as a result. Plus I think kids don't get turned off their vegetables as much because they don't associate them with being bland if you cook them your way then mash or blend them. My grandmother taught me to mash carrots and potatoes together with a little butter and salt. Boy he loved that! My 8 month old at the time who was hardly eating anything and actually looked kind of sickly. Before I knew it he was eating very well, and filled out and looked much better too. The jarred babyfoods also lack a lot of enzymes the body needs so make sure you have lots of fresh bananas and other things on hand that she can eat by hand.

Also, a tip for teething - freeze some grapes in the freezer (but cut in half first to avoid choking) and give them to her.

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My daughter did the same thing when she was cutting her first teeth, as well as all her subsequent ones. She was disinterested in solids and wanted to nurse all the time. As long as your little one is still nursing or taking a bottle enough for her nutritional needs she'll be fine. My daughter just now finally started eating solids really well again, and she'll be a year next week. So just hang in there. Good luck!

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Everything I've heard and read says that babies will eat what they need, so my advice would be to feed her as much (or as little!) as she wants whenever she seems hungry and try not to worry about it. I know our daughter has gone through multiple bouts of not eating much and also many episodes of eating way more than we thought possible. We've just tried to go with her cues and continue offering her a variety of foods. Good luck!

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Good Morning C.,

I am a mom to 6 kids (all but 1 are on there own) It is normal for kids to have a huge appetite then not eat very much. This could be a combination of things; teething, in a growing spurt. I would not worry unless there is weight loss. Let her doctor know this is happening. She may note it in her file for follow up at her next appointment. Try not feeding her as often, most kids should have 3 meals and 2-3 snacks per day. Check with her doctor on how much formula/breast milk she should be drinking. If she is drinking more than before she may be filling herself up on formula/breast milk.
Hope this helps.

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Hi C.-

I am a child care provider and mommy of an adorable 3 1/2 year old. Between 8-10 months I swear all appetites, tastes buds and things change. When my son was little he loved green beans. Then at 8 months he decided he didn't like them anymore. He hasn't ever touched them again. My son was a little underweight but the doctor said as long as he stayed on his curve he was fine and not to stress about it. Don't push your little one to eat. Babies have this wonderful mechanism that tells them when they aren't hungry anymore so they won't over eat. If she's teething, her gums are probably very sensitive. Also, at 9 months I start introducing all my daycare babies to table foods and start weaning from the baby food. I mash up the steamed vegetables and even steamed some apple slices last week. Maybe your daughter is getting ready to be introduced to feeding herself. Talk to your doctor at her 9 month check up. Good luck.

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