8Mo Old Refusing Baby food.....need Suggestions

Stephanie named a lot of foods that I was thinking of, too (all three of my kids *loved* cooked broccoli chunks and shredded cheese at that age).

Cheerios and similar cereals are fun and easy to eat. Cooked and cooled rice and elbow macaroni (even mac & cheese) or other noodles (cut into small bits) are tasty. Canned fruits (in their own juices or at least "light" syrup, not "heavy") are good choices--mine loved mandarin oranges, although they are hard for little fingers to pick up.

For veggies, you can usually find "no salt added" canned green beans, carrots, corn, peas, beans, and even diced tomatoes if they are chopped small enough. Also consider some things you can give him if they are cut up so he doesn't choke on them... like grapes, blueberries, melon (very ripe!), mango, kiwi, cooked squash, canned yams, and boiled or baked potato chunks with the skin removed (russets are nicely "mushy" when cooked, or tater tots work, too). If allergies aren't an issue (check with Dr.), you could try chopped fresh strawberries. If he's eating meat, you can also offer chopped-up cooked hamburger bits.

As long as he's still gaining weight and seems healthy, there's no reason to worry about him not eating enough. What seems like "enough" to us adults is usually a LOT more than they actually need! If you are concerned, you can ask the pediatrician to check him over and weigh him to be sure he's on-track. HTH!

--A.

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Neither one of my kids ate baby food...they hated it! I gave over 100 jars away with each kid (I didn't want to assume that because the first one didn't like it the second one wouldn't either)! I got a $10 electric food chopper/grinder (I think I have seen them at Walgreen's still) & pureed everything from fresh/canned fruits, cheerios w/milk, pop tarts w/ milk, vegetable beef soup, vegetables and fed that to them & they both did well. the youngest really liked it, I couldn't grind his table food fast enough LOL! Ive heard the magic bullet (the as seen on tv one) works good, but is pricey - still cheaper than baby food! Also try things like creamy soups, mushroom, chicken, yogurts, maybe even cottage cheese or malto meal. If you look at the label on baby food there's really not that many nutrients in it.

Feed him what you eat. Get a cheap food processor or just cut it up really good. My baby stopped eating baby food at 8 months. Also, feed the baby before you or anyone else eats. That way he won't want what you have.

It has been a long time since I have had a 8 month old, but if he eats with his fingers, try cutting up ripe fruits and vegetables or pasta that can pick up and eat. Also, it may be messy, but let him have the spoon, maybe he'll get some in himself. I'd be willing to let my kid try anything if it led to them doing something by themselves!

Most importantly, don't stress. He will not starve.

Good luck

I used to steam broccoli and carrots really well so that they were pretty soft. My kids both loved those.

Give him the spoon and let him 'feed' himself. He'll probably get it everywhere but in his mouth, but it will get him more comfortable with the spoon. You can give him one to use himself and then try to feed him as well.

you can try putting his hand on the spoon and guiding it to his mouth maybe he just wants to feed himself, you said he does great with finger foods. You can try cheerios and they also have gerber foods that dissolve in the mouth.

HI! I know it is tough but do not stress - they seem to go through this phase. My daughter refused to eat until she was 9 months! She is now 1 in August. 2 of my other friends babies did like your 8mo too. I would suggest avacado, banana, blueberries, any fruits or veggies. What I do is steam them, then cut them up in slices and freeze them so I will have them on hand and the fruit will not go bad so fast. Another thing we did we she refused to eat was let her feed herself the food I made (I make all of her food)- it is messy but they want their independence sometimes. Even if you grill some chicken or beef to get the iron. Hope this helps :)

Oh also, cheese, cooked pasta spirals or little bits of toast.

Hello,
Have you tried mashed potatos? My daughter was eating that and peas and steamed carrots at that age she didn't care for baby food either and at 9 months she was eating steak and chicken just make sure you cut it up small, also you may want to try cutting up bananas and strawberries and sliced apples are great plus they can teeth on them also. My daughter is almost 11 months and she is eating everything we eat for dinner. Our babies gums are strong, my lil girl has two teeth and she does just fine.
I hope this is some help. Take Care
M.

I also have an 8 and a half month old right now. He also doesn't want me to feed him. Now that he can do it (sort of) he doesn't want me to help. He also only has 2 teeth. Here's what we offer him. Pasta, sliced peaches, cantelope, hard boiled egg yolk, cubes of sweet potato, cheese, califlower (cooked until soft), cut blueberries and strawberries, cheerios, bread, slightly smushed peas, fish (tilapia and salmon), basically anything. I cut veggies into small cubes and throw them in a bowl. Add water, cover with a plate and microwave for 2 minutes. Drain the water and add ice cubes to cool it down. Then it is usually soft enough for him.

The sitter also lets him have animal crackers.

Good luck.

Hi A.! Just keep trying. On average a new food has to be introduced about 10 times before it's actually 'ingested'. Also, some children refuse foods early on that they may have an allergy to. It's sort of natures way of protecting them. Keep offering, but don't fret if it takes some time!

Hello! A friend of mine suggested getting cans of soup like Prgresso with soft veggies in them, draining off the broth, and letting them eat that. The thing I love for my 10 month old is a teether feeder, which has a little mesh bag that you can put food into and they can chew on but it doesn't allow them big chunks of food. My sons uses his almost every day for veggies and fruits. Hope this helps!

I have a nine month old. I buy the little cans of fruit (such as pears and peaches), applesauce and he eats green beans, peas and corn from the can. Also, the Gerber diced fruits and meat sticks are good too. My little guy has his two bottom teeth and just now got one of his top teeth. The Gerber "puffs" are great too plus Cheerios. Those are our staples. Oh yes, and i cannot forget the Baby Mum Mum bars. The are rice husks that melt in their mouths. They are great for eating out. Hope this helps!

Have you talked to his pediatrician about this? Kids will not let themselves starve. They will eat eventually. As long as he is not losing any weight, I would not worry about it. he could be one of those children who is expierencing his independent stage a little earlier that most. Try offering him foods that he can pick up with his fingers - The Gerber Puffs are great and although they dont taste good to me - all of my kids love them! My 6 year old still eats them. Small foods that are soft and easy for him to mash in his mouth are your best bet. Give him a spoon and just let him go at it. My 2 year old nephew hates to have anyone feed him anything most of the time, until he gets frustrated enough with a particular food and then he will allow some help (but not too much). :) Good luck with your kiddo! E.

Hi A.,
Let him feed him self with the spoon. Get a little plate or bowl and baby safe spoons and make sure you are on a washable surface and let the little guy go to town! My daughter was always very self sufficient and independent. She didn't, and still doesn't want me to help her with anything. She will be 4 at the end of August. Honestly she does more for herself than my 8 year old nephew because everyone always did everything for him, so now he just says I don't know how, or I can't do it and people just do it for him. They make take and toss spoons, bowls, plates, and cups. These work well because they are small and bendable. Good luck!

M.
32 year old Mother of 1 gorgeous almost 4 year old daughter. I am currently a full-time college student.

My daughter did the same thing at the same age. We just moved from baby food to table food. Babies with no teeth until they turn one can eat table food just fine and many types of it. As long as you cut everything up small enough he should not have anh problems (well, maybe stay away from the steak for now! ). Pastas, rice, fruits, steamed veggies, lunch meats, cheeses, yogurt, are all good things he can eat. My daughter liked the gerber graduates meals/ravioli's.

Gerber (I think) makes these freeze dried yogurt bites. They melt in your mouth, and my 16 mos.old loves them. You can also try bananas (cut into very small pieces) or any fruit that comes from a can. The fruit in the can is very soft, but make sure you rinse the fruit to get rid of all the sugar. As far as veggies, peas and green beans are great finger foods. Also, shredded cheese works well for babies.

We just went through this, don't worry! Just offer only finger foods, as someone else suggested. My daughter only feeds herself now (10 months) and it is actually a God-send. We feed her whatever we're having for dinner and it works out great! You want to be careful with high allergen foods like citrus, strawberries, and eggs b/c they're not supposed to have those until after one year. Other favorites in our house include frozen waffles, lunch meat, bananas, oatmeal (Quaker Oats just heated with a little water so it turns out lumpy and she eats it with her hands), asparagus, carrots, and sweet potato. I also recommend the frozen bags of mixed veggies (or any veggies really). I steam them and then freeze them and it only takes 30 seconds to defrost a reasonable size for her to eat.

Good luck!

You can steam almost any vegetable to make it soft enough for him to eat-sweet potatoes, peas. broccoli, carrots, etc. Avocados are a great source of the healthy fats that most of us don't get enough of. You could cut it into small pieces. Any soft fruit could also work.

I would stay away from processed, packaged food, like those little meals for toddlers that come in packages. They probably have added preservatives and other things that are not healthy. Also, it is much healthier to steam food rather than micro-waving. I read an article recently on how the actual micro waves denature the molecules in food and can sacrifice nutrients. (I'm sure you know how to steam, but you just get one of those metal baskets at the grocery that fits in a pot with a little water to steam veggies).

A.,

The doctor put both of my boys on table food @ 4 mos...everything except milk & red meat. My first one was no problem to feed & would eat anything. Second one was a little more difficult so, we bought Gerber Graduates. These were wonderfull!! They're healthy meals & my son loved them. Also, though probably not as healthy, he loved the little microwavable bowls by Hormel (spaghetti, chicken & noodles, stew, lasagna, etc. They can usually eat everything you eat as long as it's cut into small cheerio-sized pieces.
Hope this helps!
Good luck,
J.