A.G. asks from Albuquerque, NM on April 20, 2011
8Month's Old and Will Not Eat Solid Food- I Need Ideas Please
My 8 month old son will not eat solid food. I have tried differant brands of both ceral & baby food, even making my own baby food. Ive tried differant spoons, feeding him when i know he is hungry and he wont even open his mouth. All he wants is the bottle. His twin sister is a great eater. Any ideas on getting him to at least try the food??????
I dont think its what we are feeding him ( at least i hope its not) but the idea of eating in general
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D.P. answers from Pittsburgh on April 20, 2011
Until a year, most of a child's nutrition comes from formula or breast milk. Right now it's all about practice and experimenting for him. Just keep that in mind so you don't get super stressed.
Keep in mind that you might want to offer things BEFORE his bottle when he may be at his hungriest.
Just keep offering things and one day, he'll get VERY interested in solids! Good luck!
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D.P. answers from Pittsburgh on April 20, 2011
Until a year, most of a child's nutrition comes from formula or breast milk. Right now it's all about practice and experimenting for him. Just keep that in mind so you don't get super stressed.
Keep in mind that you might want to offer things BEFORE his bottle when he may be at his hungriest.
Just keep offering things and one day, he'll get VERY interested in solids! Good luck!
2 moms found this helpful
J.S. answers from Dallas on April 20, 2011
Sounds like he just isnt ready for them. Give him a break for a week or two and then go back to the basics; cereal first and then the homemade baby food.
1 mom found this helpful
J.G. answers from Springfield on April 20, 2011
My son was the same way, so we quit giving him baby food and trying to "feed" him. We gave him a graham cracker, a biter bisket, whole wheat bagel, basically finger food. Worked like a charm. He started eating like a champ. After awhile we began giving him foods with a spoon. We started with yogurt and ice cream because they stick to the spoon. After awhile we gave him apple sauce. He's now 2 and can still make a mess with a spoon, but he's getting the hang of it, and he loves to feed himself.
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D.M. answers from Denver on April 20, 2011
Don't stress. Just keep trying, let him explore and play, but dont' push. He'll get there. My daughter didn't eat solids until almost 9 mos and she's just fine at 4.5!!!
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S.H. answers from Phoenix on April 20, 2011
1) Some babies hate pureed food and start off with real/table food (of course the things he cannot choke on).
2) If you really think it is an eating problem ask your doctor about it at the 9 month visit and call your states early intervention and they maybe able to help with eating issues.
Don't worry right now if he is getting solids or not....he can still get all the nutrition he needs from breastmilk or formula.
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S.G. answers from Norfolk on April 20, 2011
Have you tried sitting him in a high chair and letting him just try things himself with his hands? Be prepared for a mess, of course, but maybe he's not into the spoon. 8 month olds are so tactile maybe he'd like to grab at some mashed up sweet potatoes or carrots and feed himself.
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S.H. answers from St. Louis on April 20, 2011
since he's 8 months old, try some finger foods!
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F.W. answers from Cumberland on April 20, 2011
You could always take a break from trying for a few weeks and then try again or let him watch his sister eat and pique his interest. Another method of feeding that I found interesting is called "baby-led weaning".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby-led_weaning
Don't confuse this with the idea of letting a child nurse and wean from the breast or bottle on their own.
Basically--instead of pureeing and trying to spoon feed, you give the child large pieces they can palm and suck, gum to introduce them to new tastes and textures.
Here are some other links--maybe your child will just want to jump right in with table food! Many children insist on table food after a few months on puree. My daughter and daycare child both switched to table food around 9-10 months old.
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