Problems adding new foods

[mamachops]

I've been giving DD solids for 3 weeks now. She took to rice cereal really well and rapidly progressed to eating 2 tablespoons. I added carrots and she enjoyed those too, but everything I have added since she is not interested in. Apple, pear, banana, sweet potato, sweetcorn, pumpkin - she takes one or two tasters each time then closes her mouth and no more goes in.

I know it can take 10 or more tries to accept a new taste, but I'm a bit bothered that she takes so little each time. I've been coaxing her to laugh or something to open her mouth and then shoving in a mouthful, is that a bad idea??? Will it cause problems down the line?

Any suggestions welcome.

Ta

[bigglet]

My DD was exactly the same and got to the point where she would only eat rice cereal and then there was a phase when she refused food for days.

She ate extremely well at childcare but yet wouldn't eat for me (except rice cereal) and I worked out that it came down to texture and I wasn't pureeing enough at home I had just mashed the food up whereas at childcare they had puree'd it quite soft.

[the pero clinic]

Dear Mamachops,

I am not sure how old your little one is to be able to give some more specific advice. It is very common for there to be some uncertainty on Baby’s behalf when starting solids –everything is new from learning to take and swallow the food from a spoon through to the tastes and textures and even the experience of being in the highchair.

It is great that you are trying to introduce your daughter to a variety of tastes, but bear in mind that even when pureed, rice cereal will have quite a different texture to sweet potato to apple to corn – and the tastes are also much stronger than bland rice cereal!

Formula or breast milk should form the primary nutritional intake for babies until approximately 7-8 months. Before this age, the role of solids is to provide some additional filling for hungry tummies, stimulate oral development and satisfy the curiosity about eating!

I would avoid too many sneaky tactics to get food into her mouth. It is much more positive and productive if baby is an aware and willing participant in eating. Some simple strategies to increase her interest and intake of various purees would be to try alternating mouthfuls of the rice cereal with new tastes, or to mix rice cereal into the new foods and gradually reduce the amount of rice cereal you add.

the pero clinic