Daughter Will Not Eat Babyfood

My nearly 2 year old was the same way. He loved the baby foods the first few times. Then they seemed to grow old and he refused to eat them. I eventually just went back to exclusively breastfeeding and would try baby foods off and on. He refused to eat baby foods until he was able to eat the Gerber Graduates Toddler foods, which are more like soups and stews than baby food. Once he could eat those and table foods, he was good to go. Take a break from the baby foods and try again later. She'll let you know when she's ready.

Good luck!

Neither one of my sons would eat baby foods. They were growing and did not need additional vitamins so the doctor told me not to worry. I did offer them adult foods shich were pureed and sometimes they ate that and other times not. As long as she doesn't act hungry or is loosing weight I wouldn't worry overly much. She will eat when she's hungry.

try letting her feed herself. it'll be messy, but practice makes perfect. put her in her highchair, give a bowl with a little food and her own spoon. just see what she does. my little girl is very independant and started wanting to feed herself when she was about 4 months old...granted i did still have to help her till she got the hang of it.

well if she likes watching you eat and wants your food then, get some of the yummy baby foods (*the fruits*) dump them into a normal bowl you would eat out of, use a normal spoon you would use, and eat some yourself, when you notice her looking at you like she wants some of what your eating then give her some, maybe that will break her of it lol. My son is only 3weeks old so I am just guessing!

My daughters never ate babyfood. We bought frozen vegetables boiled them and then put them in a blender with formula, juice or water. They loved it. To this day they prefer veggies over dessert. They are 10,8 and 4.

K.,

Just because she is only 6 months old, does not mean your daughter does not have her own will. Stop trying to force her to do what you want her to do. Have you ever tried any of that stuff? I wouldn't eat baby food, either!

There is much evidence that food allergies are caused by introducing foreign substances into a baby's intestine before it has matured enough to digest properly. Our pediatrician recommended no solid food until at least 9 months--I nursed exclusively until 10 months, then introduced home-grown blue hubbard squash, which both boys absolutely adored. Neither one of my sons ever actually ate any baby food. I just gradually introduced them to things I was serving already, and made sure it was not large enough for choking.

Maybe the next time you are eating something "squishable" on your own plate, you can give your daughter a small sample. Otherwise, breast milk or formula should provide all her necessary nutrients until she grows ready for more.

Best wishes,
K.

Hey K.,

I completely understand your concerns...my daughter also refused cereal and jar food so I got creative. I would mix a little applesauce or pearsauce with a sprinkle of cinnamon in her baby cereal, and I ended up just mashing up bits of whatever we ate and putting it on her high chair tray. She may be a picky eater and she may want to feel the food before she eats it. Like others who have commented, let her explore. There will never be another time in her life where she can "play with her food"....

Good Luck,
R.

Let her eat table food! My daughter refused baby food as well. We didn't start cereal until she was 6 months and she hated it. She is now 10 months and eats pretty much what we do. It's absolutely ok to let her self feed, my daughter loves white rice, mashed potatoes, small pieces of turkey and chicken, sweet potatoes, carrots, etc. Steam the veggies until soft and let her go. Just go slow at first and watch her discover the new textures and tastes of the food. Just continue giving her formula, which is where most of her nutrition and calories will come from.

My son started cereal at 4 months and we did the jarred food until he was 10-11 months and started him on "toddler" meals with the little green beans, raviolis, etc. He was a big eater going through 2 jars of food eat meal. So every child is definitely different!

I had the same problem with one of my own kids. When they tried to eat off my plate and grab food I simply made baby food at home. simple foods like oatmeal, mashed potatoes, rice etc. I ground the oatmeal finer and mixed it up with formula and fed her from her own plate. greenbeans,yams and other vegetables can be boiled and then mashed with their own juices. Baby food from a store has NO taste after a cold she may not be able to taste anything yet. it is ok to give them home cooked foods mashed up. and they may just have enough flavor to tempt her. Be foreworned though she may never go back to store bought afterwords.

It sounds as though your daughter is ready to feed herself instead of take food from a spoon. My son did this. I would place tiny nibbles of soft food on his tray and he would go to town! At the same time I would sneak in a few scoops of veggies or fruit while his mind was focused on the food in front of him. Maybe try some puffed rice cereal...easily dissolves in mouth. My kids loved sweet potatoe. Just microwave a whole potatoe until soft, pull the skin off, cut into small cubes and serve onto the tray. You'll find foods that she can pick up and easily mash with her gums and she will be sooo pleased! Don't worry about the cereal. It's just a filler. The nutients are in the formula and the food that she will be eating. Have you tried the teething biscuits? This is about the right age. She will have fun and enjoy doing it herself, plus she'll get a little food into her belly.
Happy Eating!