Introducing Solids

[kazeil]

Can anyone assist me,

I have a 6 month old and due to reflux we couldn't start on solids until now. She absolutely refuses to put anything in her mouth...we have been trying for 5 weeks now....I have tried, cereal, apple, potatoe, pumpkin....to no avail...HELP!!!! :o

[cwsmum]

Have you tried giving her rusks? Or anything similar? Maybe she just wants to feed herself. Try giving her pieces of soft fruit like banana or rockmelon. My son ate these sort of things at around this age and loved them :)
Don't worry if she hasn't got many teeth either, my son got his first tooth at 17mths, but was eating almost the same as I was at 12 mths, just cut into small pieces he could chew/gum easily.
Good luck, hope you little one starts to enjoy food soon :D

[xkwzit]

Hi
Some babies still have a tongue thrust reflex at your DD age. This makes them push food out of their mouths (designed to prevent them choking - so its a good thing really :o ). A friend of mine had DD who didn't really get into solid food until around 8 months due to this. It is completely fine, as baby is still getting most nutrition from milk - solid food is just an experience at this age.

Don't feel like you've "missed the boat". The world health org actually recommends not introducing solid food until 6 months anyway. (This caught me out, as with DD1 recommended starting age was 4 months, but with DD2 it was 6 months - I don't think that the babies had changed that much *shrug*).

Just keep trying - perhaps only once or twice a week (to minimise the cleaning up :p ), until she's able to take (or interested in) the food.

Best of luck

[Jayne]

Hi Kazeil,

I had to put my 3 1/2 month old onto solids when she was only 8 weeks old because she I was feeding her every two hours and she was still hungry!

When we first started, we used the plain rice, and all she did was scream her head off at me, so I know exactly what you are going through and you have my sympathy!

All I can recommend is sheer persistence! I put up with the screaming for over 2 weeks, but with the persistence she is now a wonderful eater and has 3 solids everyday, and makes sure I don't let her go without!

Try rice, I use Farex Pear and Banana, that works a treat :)

Good Luck!

Jayne (Chenae's Mum)

[alicesmum]

mushed banana with a little paw-paw, or banana with mango is my 7 month old's favourite!!

[mumof2girls]

A friend of mine had the same problem and I suggested (as the baby was bottle feed by this stage) that she give the baby pureed food through the bottle (cutting the nippleopen a little more) and gradually over a few week the baby (6 months) became use to the food and then proceeded to a spoon. Hope this helps!