I'm looking for advice on getting my 10 month old, breastfed son to eat baby food. He is in daycare, and has refused a bottle of milk there for some months now. I work close enough that I can go there and nurse him in late morning and late afternoon, so the staff asked me if they could start feeding him solids for lunch.This has worked all right, except the willingness to eat solids has not come home! Currently, we are in a standoff where he will eat only solids at daycare (and whole servings at a time), and only nurse with me (and fight vigorously against every spoonful of solids)!
He seems to be interested in what the rest of us are eating at the dinner table, so I've at least been able to include him in family time by putting small pieces of cooked pasta, steamed carrots or broccoli, etc. on his high chair tray. He will be content for a while, though all of the food eventually ends up on the floor rather than in his belly. I've also tried baby puffs and cookies, but he always seems to end up with a piece stuck in the middle of his tongue which causes him to gag. Any suggestions about foods that might be more enticing (but still okay for a baby who hasn't really learned how to use his teeth properly yet), or techniques that get stubborn ones like mine to start eating solids in some form, would be most welcome! (My older child didn't do this, so I'm a bit mystified...)
Have him sit closer to daddy. Mommy means breastmilk, so he may take the solid foods better from daddy. He eats them at daycare because you are not there, he may take solid food from daddy.
I think that what you are doing now is just right. Breastfeed him, because that's the healthies thing for him right now. And put him at the table when you eat with small pieces of soft food on his plate (pasta, green beans, carrots, etc). If he picks at it great. If not, that's fine too. Just don't put a lot on the plate at one, in case he dumps it :)
My oldest didn't really want solid food until about 14 months. Then he started eating like a champ. It's totally normal.
What exactly is he eating at daycare? I would find out exactly what they have and have it at home, just to have something familiar that he's already eaten. Good luck!
I would not worry about spoon feeding at all. It's such a pain and if you can just avoid it all together it's so much easier! Trying just giving him finger foods. Things like banana and avocado can be given raw and other fruits and veggies can be steamed to soft and given in tiny bite size pieces. You can also try some of the prepared finger foods like puffs and yogurt/veggie melts which are designed to melt away quickly even if baby doesn't chew. It's more about getting him used to flavors and textures so spoon feeding is really a waste since you'll be transitioning on from that soon anyways.
Try & try again,do smaller nursing sessions before meals begin then add him to the dinner table offer smaller portions of diced foods,mashed,pureed.
Just keep offering it, it will happen when he is ready and willing. One if mine had no interest in food until about a year old, and then at 6 months one could eat full meals, although on average the kids were closer to 8/9 months before they showed interest.
He'll get it.
Sounds like a battle of wills. He has the ability to eat solids but knows you will give in and give him the boobie. I think it's time to start pumping and have him start using a cup and give him nothing but table food. This is a trial period before age 1. If he's hungry, he will eat. He's proven that he CAN now he must be put in the position that he MUST. The moment you give in the moment he wins and gets the boobie.
K. B
mom to 5 including triplets
Your breast milk of course is total nutrition for him so I wouldn't worry about this too much.
He's getting enough nutrition.
The food is a secondary need. He will start to show more interest in foods as he gets older. He's still young to be chewing and swallowing chunky food. If you can get him to eat table food use a food chopper or processor to make it smoother. Then he might show more interest.
All kids are different. One of mine didn't eat much solids only nursed until age two, the other one was eating everything by age 7 months old. Both kids eat healthy diets now. Don't push it just nurse him and he will start eating when he is ready.
