8 Month Old Still Not Even Eating Cereal or Baby Fruit

From my understanding babies can live off mother's milk for a year without a problem...as my daughter did. Just make sure mama is eating well and nutricious meals for two reasons...first is that baby eats what mama eats and second baby will get nutritional needs even if depleting mama, including calcium. And be sure to keep baby's teeth clean. If mama has sugar so does baby, and once their molars come in they need to be brushed and cleaned properly or cavities will develop. enjoy!

Stop trying to give him that awful tasting cereal! ;-)

How about some avocado? Cooked apple, over ripe pear?

Those were my daughter's first foods.

Hi, A.. I hope this is helpful. With my last baby, who just turned 1, I bought one of those mesh food holders with the handle. Can't remember who makes them, but you can get them in the baby aisle at any store. I actually put in some sliced cantaloupe for him and he loved it! It was good for soothing his aching gums because of the cold, he could hold it himself, and he sucked all the juice out of it until all that was left inside was a pulp! You could also try with honeydew and maybe watermelon if you are sure all the seeds are gone. I'd never used those things before and I wish I had. They were so helpful with the transition to solids. Just make sure you double bib him because of the mess! Good luck.

Mine is also 8m. I exclusively nursed until 7m and hten introduced baby food and he liked the idea of holding food like us but wasn't particularly interested in eating it.

I found that he likes textures and not gerber baby foods. so if i diced a mango TINY like half the size of a cherio, he liked that, and same with watermellon. He also eats cherios whole and gets a kick out of picking them up with his 2 fingers. Cherios were the first solid food he ate successfully.

Try textures. I've also read that you can add certain herbs with an 8m old's food but i'd check which herbs before adding any.

I have two ideas for you, hopefully you're getting some other good tips. I would try really sweet fruits--my six month old loves mango, pineapple, pears, and watermelon. She's a big fan of avocado too. the other idea is to get one of those things that's like a mesh bag with a handle (there are many different brand names of these) and put the fruit in there, so at least he's getting used to the flavors, while he just thinks he's playing with a toy and putting it in his mouth like he normally would. Good luck!

Hi A.!

My third son was like yours, exclusively breastfed with NO interest in food. I kept offering it every few weeks from about 6 months on, never pushed it, and around 14 months he started accepting food. He's currently a perfectly healthy 16 year old who eats everything in sight. :)

It's normal to worry about these things, but if your son is thriving and content he doesn't need anymore than what you're giving him.

S.

Hi A.!
Sounds like you are really enjoying being a mom!
Those little buggers are smart, aren't they?
My third HATED baby food, and infact refuses ANYTHING with a spoon! He has to handle it himself.
So I put him in the hichair, piece whatever we are having or chop up some noodles and just let him sit with us at the table. What ever he eats is fine. I let him have control, and the experience of eating with the family. He still doesn't eat much, but he does eat it.
I started with the Gerber puffs until he was more confident with self-feeding, then peaches (slide right down), diced bananas and strained soups (just fork out the veggies and noodles and heat a bit).
He will eat eventually so I wouldn't worry about the time frame. If it is not this it will be something else (they all have their control issues: sleep. potty, eating, etc).
Best of luck to you!

My kids never really likes baby food. They only liked when they could do it themselves. Their fav as babies...frozen peas! Works great when they are teething too! They survived just fine on finger food :) Just have to get creative.

Sound like you are a great normal first time mom.
All of the suggestions I have read from other moms sound great.

I am a grandmother, who experienced the same situation with my first child. I was blessed with a wonderful pedititrician, who advised me that "he will eat when he is hungry", and suggested that I offer one meal per day. I did, problem resolved. However, you must make sure that the child is not getting too much breast milk. Many of the suggestions you have received will probably work. Remember, baby food did not always come in a jar. I truly believe in feeding with the rest of the family, finger food. A child does not need as much food as we think.

Relax, you are a good mom.

Dear Alison,

Food sure feels funny in your mouth when you first start eating! My kids both didn't really start solids until near
12 months and they are both healthy and eat well! I remember we went to Mexico when my son was 11 months and he ate bananas for breakfast and guacamole for lunch and dinner! He also loved my husband's homemade mashed potatoes.

Good luck. Remember, there is nothing more important than the feelings they pick up from us! Don't worry and enjoy!

Barbara

Hi mom I think he is fine every baby is different they are little people with their own ways be calm some doctor's suggest babies should not eat food until they are 12 months. Good luck

It may be that he prefers he breast to food and that's why he won't eat. Maybe it's time to get him off the breast and start developing the chewing muscles aroung the mouth. How about homemade mashed potatoes? I've never seen a child toss them aside. Buttery and creamy smooth (a lump here and there will help his chewing). Then sweet potatoes mashed like white with a little brown sugar or honey if dr. says is o.k. Next, cream corn. Make sure you get him on the bottle so the breast is no longer an option.

HI A.:
Oh I can relate! My daughter just turned 1 and STILL would prefer to nurse over any type of solids. You are doing it right, he will turn a corner. The key for us is consistency. We try to have her in her highchair 4-5 times a day and a max of 30 minutes each time. (your son at 8 months would only need 2-3 times) This allows her to recognize that there is a purpose for meal times. About 9 months we did try regular slow cooked quaker oatmeal with a little dash of cinammon and vanilla. (her dr. gave permission) This did help her. Try eating with him as well, take a bite and then encourage him to try it. The most encouraging is that your dr. said he is still growing well. Some kids just adapt slower to solids than others. The other wonderful thing is that he sounds like a great nurser! Good luck!
J.

Don't worry.. he will get interested over the next few months. Your email could have been about my now 11-month old daughter a few months ago. She wasnt into food until well into her 8th month. Now she eats like a champ, but prefers to feed herself vs having me spoon feed her. So... we do lots of finger foods - small bits of cut up fruit, veggies, meats, rice, toast, cheese quesadillas, etc. Just keep offering him a variety of things at regular intervals through the day and he'll catch on. At this age breastmilk is the most important thing.

I wouldn't worry, it sounds like your doing everything right. I know a lot of moms who breastfeed whose children don't take solids for a while, some past a year. What I've done with my 7mo. old who is also exclusive breastfed is that I only make a tablespoon of anything if that. And she loves carrots, and avacado. With the avacado I make some for myself on a sandwhich and then I give her pieces with my fingers which she loves and she eats a ton that way. She likes to do what mommy is doing, and she thinks it is so cool I take if off my sandwhich to give to her so she eats more that way. But overall if he is healthy and you are trying it don't worry!!!

A.,
Congrats on breastfeeding this long! I know Drs try to push intoducing cereal and solids very early. Just follow your son's cues. My son hardly ate any solids til he was almost 11 mos (I did try to introduce the gerber puffs for teething at 8 mos but it didn't really sink in til 10 mos.) By the time we introduced the rice cereal he was ready and devoured it. So I don't believe the whole "introduce now otherwise they won't eat it later". Does he use a pincer grip yet (picking up food w/pointer finger and thumb)? That's one sign that they're ready. Just go at his pace and remember that breastmilk is all you need for the first year.

My son didn't like fruits initially. He preferred sweet potatoes (steamed then blended with a bit of water) and squash at first. Maybe try something like that? Good luck!

First of all, don't worry about "too much breastmilk." It is the BEST source of nutrition for little ones and should not be cut back just to get your little one to switch to solids. Some kids are exclusively breastfed until after 12 months. Also, there is no medical reason to stop breastfeeding at 12 months- both the American Academy of Pediatrics and American Academy of Family Physicians agree that you should breast feed for AT LEAST 12 months and there is no harm (emotional or physical) in BF after their 2nd birthday! It is interesting to note that the content of breastmilk changes as the baby ages. It actually increases its caloric content. So it may seem like they're not eating any more than a month ago, but they are actually getting more calories per serving.

KFC is filled with MSG (monosodium glutamate). AVOID! Check the nutritional on their website if you don't believe me.

I agree that when he's hungry he'll eat. Giving him control sounds like a good idea. Once per day is a good place to start until he's doing it consistently. If your pediatrician presses the issue, get a second opinion.

From one mom to another, I think you're doing fine! Remember, no one knows your baby better than you. If he's happy and healthy, trust your instinct. You are so ahead of the game to follow his cues!

Breastmilk is the absolute perfect food, and you have a VERY smart baby! :)

Neither of my two breastfed boys were interested in solids much before 9 months. Don't worry. Solids are just for fun before they are one. Just offer them and if he doesn't want them, good for him! He's fine. He knows what he needs and he will get interested in them soon enough. No rush. :)

I don't know where you heard that they longer you wait, the harder it is for them to get used to new things... that's just not true. My kids eat EVERYTHING... and they really didn't eat solids much before one year. They played with stuff around your ds' age... but really not EATING it until one. Just offer it and don't stress if he doesn't want it. He is very smart and knows your milk is the best food there is!

ETA: GIna H's advice above is awful. DO NOT WEAN YOUR CHILD TO START SOLIDS!!! Oh my gosh. Breast milk is the best thing in the world for your baby, and to wean at 8 months is crazy. Babies should have breast milk AT LEAST for one year... and then hopefully a good long time after that.

Truly, he's OK. Breast milk is great stuff, way better than any food he'll be eating. Let him keep playing with the food. Let him grab it with his hands and put it in his mouth. If he's nursing, he doesn't need food. It sounds like he's just not into it yet. He will be. My daughter was late to eat as well. She HATED cereals. She loved mashed avoado, especially if I left it a little lumpy, disks of unmashed banana she would gum herself, halved blueberries, Stonyfield organic yogurts, cooked mashed fruits. She did better when I let her touch the food and grab some with her hands. Messy, but she did start taking an interest in the stuff as food instead of just a toy. She also liked to gnaw on a peeled appled. I think it felt good on her teeth. She would scrape off tiny bits and eat them. Worry less, mom. It doesn't really matter when he starts to eat, there's no true deadline. Trust your instincts and the cues he's giving you, and don't worry about what other babies are eating when, or what he's "supposed" to be doing. Have fun! He sure will.

Have you tried making the food instead of the jar food. Have you tasted it in front of him? Have you tried veggies? Cook them and put them in the blender and feed them.
Squash & Zuccini were some of my sons favorite. (as well as avacado)

My daughter was breastfed and didn't get into eating until she was like 9-10 mos and then it wasn't three times a day until closer to a year. She just wasn't interested. She nursed until 16+ mos and she is totally healthy and is a better eater than her brother who started eating at 6 mos. Breastmilk has all your baby needs and the food will come...he has the rest of his life to eat table food....

I have a 7mo. old who also mastered the tight-lip thing. She's exclusively breastfed & a good size baby. My husband thought we were giving her too big of bites. She would push most of the food out of her mouth. I gave her smaller bites and what do you know, she started eating more! She's had a full jar 2 days in a row, and that's a lot for her! I also watched the times I nursed her prior to giving baby food. I think my breastmilk was filling her up so much that she wasn't hungry for baby food. I would suggest making sure 3 hours go by b/t the last nursing & offering baby food. Maybe that has something to do w/ it. Good luck.

A.,
Congratulations!!! Don't worry...my 4 year old did not eat until he was almost 1 years old(11mos.). I was so worried,but this last year and a half he has been making up for lost time. Just introduce different types of food in small amounts. Kentucky Fried Chicken mash potatoes did it for my child.

All the Best,
D.

1st he WILL eat when he's hungry!! if he is not going for fruits try the beginner veggies....if he is not into the "sweet" things how lucky will you be!! Our son ate veggies and meat before he wanted fruits...so that is what i gave him..I now have an 8 yr old who will eat EVERY veggie there is his fav BROCCOLI!!! As for "new" foods if you adopt the "NO THANK YOU BITE" policy...everyone must have at least one bite of all foods at each meal, new foods are not an issue. For a while our son would not try anymore than that 1 bite...my husband started the "that's MY favorite, you better NOT like it" and that worked too. We also went through the "only thing" he would eat was peanut butter on a spoon fro 3 weeks (seemed like a year). Doc said that was what his body wanted (with a touch of stubborn thrown in) and he would go back to eating everthing....and he did. Pick your battles and this one is not worth the energy. If he starts biting while breast feeding...THEN battle.

Our son didn't like those fruits at first either, especially banana which I thought he'd love! He did go for some of the veggies though...carrots, sweet potatos, squash and peas, so maybe try that. Our's did the tight-lip, head turn too. Finally one day, he just opened his little mouth and started grabbing for the spoon. If he even gets a little taste, he may be willing to try it again. Good luck!

A., I think your son is pretty normal and you're correct to follow his cues. One thing you might try that you didn't mention is smooshing food off your own plate and letting him try it. Some babies just want to eat what everyone else is eating! Our first wasn't really interested in food until she was 13 months. Our second had absolutely no interest in food until 8 months, then ate anything and everything we put in his mouth until 11 months. Now he's a typical toddler - eats on his own terms.

You are doing everything right. Do not worry!

Just a couple quick thoughts...

Have you tried using a mesh bag feeder, so he can try putting a piece of real food (i.e. banana) into his mouth? Maybe that will give him a little more control over the situation and he will like it.

I don't think I had my children on 3 baby food meals a day until closer to the time when they were about to lose their forumla/breastmilk (12 months). The baby food is just practice! Don't feel too much pressure about this one -- you've got at least 4 more months until he needs to depend upon nutrition from food!

Sounds like you are doing everything you should be doing! Keep it up and try not to worry!