8 Month Old Refuses to Eat

Hi L.! It could be many things, and maybe even nothing at all. My daughter is a little over 2 now, and she has gone through many phases!!!! She could be teething which is making her feel very uncomfortable, or she could be bored with her usual foods. My daughter used to LOVE milk, and all of a sudden one day decided that she never wanted it again. My husband and I were so confused. Doctors said she was fine, and just to replace it with yogurt, lots of cheese, etc.. for her calcium. 6 months later, she is begging for milk all day again. If you would feel more comfortable going to the doctor for a check-up, than do what makes you feel you should do. Or... you can ride it out, and listen to what your daughter is telling you. Try some new foods, and you'll see, she'll probably go right back to her old routine. Good luck with everything, and God Bless!

Hey L.. I agree with everything that has been said so far. I have a daughter who is about to turn 1 and at 9 months she did the same thing. I was extremely paranoid because she is already very little (5% for weight) so when she did not want to eat or take bottles I got really worried. First thing I found was, feed her what she wants. I probably have fed her peaches everyday for the past few months because at times that is the only thing she will eat (even though she used to eat all the fruits and vegetables). The other thing I found helpful (and still have to do this) are distractions while she eats. I give her spoons and empty baby food containers to play with in her high chair and as she plays she will open her mouth for me to feed her. Same thing with her bottles...I put her down on a pillow and if she will not hold the bottle, I hold it for her and give her something to play with (a stuffed animal or a book seemed to work pretty well). But as everyone else said, try not to be overly concerned. We went to the doctor a few times about it and she kept telling me, don't force her to eat (she will eat when she is hungry) and she is fine as long as she is not losing weight (so maybe see if you can go in for a weight check to ease your mind). Hope that helped. Good luck!

Is she teething? Her gums may be sore.

Could she be teething? Try rubbing some baby teethers gel on her gums about 15-20 min. before feeding her. I would offer her just a little milk in her bottle first to wash any after taste from the gel down, then try her on her regular foods.

Other than that, I have 4 children, they are all different and they do go through phases of eating and not having much if any appetite.

it is most likely teething, try freezing her fruit and letting her suck on a wash clothe that has been wet, and frozen. just put it in a baggie before putting it in the freezer , and take it out before giving it to her. Mortin is better for oral pain than tylenol, Hyland's teething tablets and Gumomile oil by herbs for kids are 2 homeopathic helps for teething. The tablets just disolve in her mouth and the oil is rubbed on her gums, works better than origel.

Sounds like teething to me too. As long as she is thriving and happy, I wouldn't worry about it.

Is she eating baby foods? Maybe she no longer care for the baby foods we buy at the supermarkets.....Try giving food you prepare at home.....You could start by giving her some chicken, rice, etc Fruits and cereals good luck

Hello L. H,

The curious thing about children is that they usually know their bodies pretty well. It is possible that her eating just has to go on hold till her bowels are clear. It happened with my daughter when she was an infant. Try yogurt to help with the possible digestive concern and if she still does not want to eat then I would go to the pediatrician. I hope that all goes well.

Best Wishes,
N. S.

One of my sons did this as well. He just nursed for a while and then went back on food later. They have growth spurts and eat only what they need so that could be a factor too. I think we stress a bit too much. You can keep an eye on her weight to know if it is really effecting her. As long as she isn't loosing she is healthy and will eat and drink more as needed. Hope that help a little. By the way it was our second child that this happened with and we now have 11. Every child will be diferent and no advice or experience will be the same from any of us for that reason. K.

The same thing happened to us at seven months. My daughter stopped eating all baby food and was only nursing. Just as several of the other people suggested, it was teething. She was getting all four of her top teeth at once. It lasted about 3 weeks and then once her teeth got through she started eating normally again. If your daughter is getting teeth, then I bet that is the issue and she will start to eat again soon.

Hi L.,
Since your child likes fruit and a bottle, try mixing the fruit with cereal or veggies. At least then your child will still get the nutrients. Do you give her fruit juices yet? My daughter is almost 7 months old and loves fruit juices between meals. Water in a bottle is also a safe option to keep her hydrated. Check with your doctor to see if Pedialyte drinks are for her.