My 6 1/2 month old doesn't want to eat solids

[TMJM]

Hi there,
I have a six and 1/2 mth old son. I'm breast feeding him and I started introducing solids 2 1/2 weeks ago.
He doesn't seem interested in food at all and doesn't want to try it. When I put it in his mouth he gags and becomes grisly.
Iv'e tried rice cereal, bannana, apple and advacado.
I've been trying 3 times aday for 2 1/2 weeks now and it's not getting any better.
Has anyone else had this problem, or have any solutions that could help?
Thanks heaps

[lil monkey]

Sure did have that problem with Tayla - she is now almost 7 months and has only accepted solids in the past week.

In the end I tried her on pear puree (from the tin) and she accepted that pretty much straight away. Then iO had the rice cereal (pear and banana flavour) and mixed it with some pear puree and formula and she loves it now. She wasn't too phased to start with but now she has gone off her bottle and wants the food.

DOn't try 3 times a day but start off slowly once a day and then build it up when they accept it. Some babies aren't interested in foods until 8-9 months old!

[WeThree]

hi , matilda was/still is the same, dont worry about it at this point, leave it for a few wks and then try again, it is such a misconception (especially amongst our mums/grandmothers generation, and they are the ones we usually go to for advice!) that babies need all this food - they dont, 6mths is merely a recommendation, any earlier than this and it is no good for bubs, but it is certainly safer to start them later than this. I was worried to when matilda was 6-7 mths and wouldnt eat, because all these old bitties kept putting their 2 cents worth in and telling me that she had to eat, keep forcing her, dont give her the breast, she'll eat when shes hungry blah blah blah - yeah right what a load of crap! tilly is nearly 9mths and still not interested, she likes to occassionalyy gum a milk arrowroot or a bit of vegemite sandwich, but other than that she doesnt want to know about it! a little bubba at our playgroup is the same age as her and exactly the same, and they are both big fat happy rolly babies! relax and try again a bit later, as long as he is not losing weight or anything like that(which would obviously indicate other health issues and would definetly need to be looked into) then all will be well :)
ps if you do still want to keep trying though, offer finger food, alot of bubbas much prefer this :)

[Foxymoron]

Don't stress too much, my DD didn't start solids until nine months. I offered them, once a day. They will let you know when they are ready. I've had bossy MCHN's tell me my kids should be doing this or that, or else..... :rolleyes: I've yet to meet anyone in this life who hasn't taken to solids ;) Try mixing whatever you are offering with a bit of the usual milk, be it formula or breast milk. It may add a bit of interest, if the taste is familiar to start with.
Best of luck

[AM]

My son was exactly the same, and I was a bit worried, but he ended up taking to solids when he was about 8-9 months old, and has never looked back since.

The important thing to remember is breast milk still remains the primary source of nutrition up until 12 months, and solids really are just for practice, and interest.

To be honest, my ds didn't really increase his solids intake to anything really significant until he was about 14 months old.

Angie

[Miss_Vicki]

i wouldnt be to worried , as long as he isnt loosing weight ,some bubs Just dont want food early

jaz wasnt really interested in Food all the time , most nites went to bed with a bottle , an wasnt Really into solids till about 9months ish
she kept growing well didnt loose weight so i didnt seam a probs
I think bubs know when they are ready to Want to eat food

[TMJM]

Thanks soooo much everyone. Info was really good and I feel as ease now.
I'm going to give the solids a break for a few days and then start to introduce it slowly(once a day).
I feel relieved knowing that he can go without solids for 9mths or so.
I have the same problem, in that my mother in law is Italian, so u can imagine her horror that he is not taking solids yet!!!
The only other concern I have is that I've heard that around 6mths breast fed babies iron levels are low and thats why they need to start solids, inorder to get supplement iron. Is this true? Does anyone know if u can get iron drops or somthing similar for this problem?
Thanks heaps again!
Tina

[lil monkey]

If your bub is on formula then majority have a formula type for 6 months onwards.

Tayla is just over 6 months so I am going from the NAN ha 1 gold tin to the number 2 tin for bubs 6 months and onwards and the only difference between the two is the level of iron. Not sure what the case is for breastfeeding although I know you can take iron tablets to increase your own levels which then flows through in the milk.

DOn't worry too much about what you read about or hear or what the CHN tells you. As long as your baby is happy, putting on weight then all is ok. The best piece of advice I can give you is to trust your instinct as you are the bub's mother and you are with them all the time and know them better than anyone else. Each baby is unique and won't necessarily fit into the 'text book' scenario. :D

[Foxymoron]

I've never usd a supplement, but if you are concerned you could ask at your local chemist or whatever. If you are breastfeeding, perhaps increase your own intake of iron rich foods, and vitamin c, which aids absorbtion.
An italian mother in law eh? LOL I'll bet she's just aching to cook a three course meal for bubs. My brother in law is Greek, and his mum is the same with their kids.

[mimi]

The only other concern I have is that I've heard that around 6mths breast fed babies iron levels are low and thats why they need to start solids, inorder to get supplement iron. Is this true? Does anyone know if u can get iron drops or somthing similar for this problem?
Hi Tina

No - there should be no reason to get concerned over the iron levels unless your doctor/nurse think there are signs of anaemia [listless, pale, getting sick all the time etc]. There have been kids who haven't eaten anything and survived only on breastmilk up until 12 -14 months of age, with perfect iron levels [when tested]. As others have said, breastmilk is still their main source of nutrition until 12 months of age, and so long as bub is putting on some weight and not looking unhealthy, there should be no cause for concern. Breastmilk iron is absorbed better than from any other food [almost completely, as opposed to only about 10% ...I think, just from memory ... from other foods] and this iron absorption is only reduced when other foods/fluids are introduced and interfere with the unique transfer factors in BM.

Our own DD didn't start eating until she was about 11 months old!!!! and I don't know a healthier child than herself [presently 2 1/2 years] ... and she can now be a right little glutton sometimes too!!

You have been given excellent advice here I see, but I also see that convincing your MIL may be more difficult than dealing with your bub's food refusal! LOL
GOOD LUCK!

[lucyp]

I am so glad you wrote this post...as I was honestly about to do something very similar! One of the early childhood nurses told me , my bub is just one of those who "feeds to live - not lives to feed" . He is formula fed ( 7months this week coming) and just has not really taken to the solids thing - in fact I get screwed up faces and pursed lips!
So after reading the advice the others gave you - I think I will just try once a day - different things and hopefully eventually he will want it:) Good luck to you in your endeavours also

[TMJM]

Hi guys, thanks again for info.
Thanks Mimi, your info was really interesting. I'm just going to continue with the breast feeding untill JM seems interested in the solids. I feel happy doing so thanks to all the great info.
Wait till I tell the mother in law that he won't be eating for sometime yet!
Nah seriously, she's pretty cool.
Tina