So Harrison is almost 8 months old and is the most stubborn person I have ever known. We have been trying to get him to eat baby food since he was about 4 months old. We worked on the cereal for about 2 months before he would eat it willingly. At our 6 month doctor appointment, the docotor asks "So what fruits and vegetables is he eating?" and my repsponse was "well... none so far, but not because we haven't been working on it," and then he told me to keep trying and that he should be eating them already. So ever since then, minus a few exceptions, we have offered him cereal and fruit for breakfast, cereal and veggies for lunch, and a fruit and veggie for dinner. As soon as he sees anything but cereal, he purses his lips and won't budge. I have been saying to myself "Okay, if I just keep trying, eventually he will take it." It has gotten to the point where he doesn't even really like his cereal anymore. Eating food is being associated with bad feelings for him, and I seriously dread every meal now. I have tried mixing the food with the cereal, feeding him the food on my finger, letting him try to feed himself, trying to feed him the solid version of the food and yet none of it is working. Today I decided that I was going to wait until he was seriously overly hungry and try to feed him carrots. It soon turned into a force-feeding session that left both of us completely drained and crying. Have any of you had problems with this? Do any of you have some good adivce? How long is too long to keep offering food with no success?
Elder Cornelius
1 week ago
8 comments:
K, Hill I truly believe a important key to parenting is distraction, try singin funny songs, daning, pretend to eat his food, do airplanes with the spoons till he smiles with his mouth is open & fly that spoon of food on in! if that doesn't work, I believe making a habit is important, 3 times a day sit him in his chair with fingerfoods in front of him, & if he eats he eats if he doesnt he doesnt. just a habit so he knows its food time. Also I heard just getting them in a diaper & putting a couple spoonfulls of yogurt or baby food on the try & letting them play with it & explore it, eventually he might put his fingers in his mouth & taste it & like it! I've tried all these things with Dax & they have all worked at different stages with him, he doesnt like to spoon feed but i think its cause he is independent. www.babycenter.com has a message board about this topic, just search, "my baby wont eat solid food"
P.S. My Dr. told me never to force feed because he will relate his high chair/eating eperience as a bad one. Also Eating with him makes him more curious. Hang in there.
Hello Hillary Paige-
Addison never has a problem eating she loves all types of food, so I can't really relate. I think she does ok because I bottle fed her. Also I asked my doctor at about 4 months when she could start eating baby food and he said as soon as she stares at you while you are eating, he says it is different for every child, some want real food right away while others won't for a while. Addison was already watching us eat and would lick and smack her lips, so we started real food. I also let her try pretty much everything I eat, if I know that she can swallow it without trouble then I'll let her try it. she loves pancakes, popcicles, mashed potatoes, I will even peel and cut up grapes for her to eat. Maybe let Harrison try what your eating. We also gave Addison Baby cereal with Banana flavoring in it (you can get it at Wal-Mart). And Maybe you have tried all this and I'm just rambling. He just might not want solid foods yet but he will come around (they get sick of just having bottles all the time). I hope it all works out for you.
PS. She has started to crawl, It's so hard to keep up with her. Babie are so much fun. We should schedule a play date some time.
Thanks for reminding me exactly WHY i'm not ready for kids yet :O) JK. Dang Hill, I obviously don't have any mommy advice but I SURE hope he figures out the food thing pretty quickly! Sheesh, what a little stinker. Anyway, have a gooood weekend! Maybe we will see you guys tomorrow if you're not too busy!
That is so frustrating! I understand. There is hope though! Braxton would never eat cereal, and actually still won't (He now eats big kid cereal like rice crispies), but Eric was always really good at distracting him while feeding him his veggies. After a lot of stress and patience, he finally decided he liked eating and now eats almost anything! I hope that everything gets easier for you soon. It is no fun, but you are such a good momma or else his eating struggles wouldn't be bothering you like they are! You are wonderful!
Just want to tell you to hang in there. Every child has different problems, but they always work themselves out. Don't stress about it (easier said then do, I know) because he is a healthy boy, and SO cute!
Hillary,
How are you? I found your blog through Tionas... anyway, it is so good to see how great life is treating you. Oh your little family is so cute. Anyway, I am so happy for you.
I'm sorry that you're having a hard time....we're not having great success with solid food either. Addie hasn't liked rice cereal, so it was hard to start anything else cause she didn't eat that very well. It seems to me that you just have to try with these little ones....but I don't think that you need to kill yourself 3 times a day trying to feed him.
Addie finally likes a few vegtables, but I have to mix a little applesauce or juice for her to eat cereal. She always only eats a little of any of them though.
I guess you just take what you can get with these babies. My only advice is to maybe wait a couple days and try again. We kept trying cereal and she hated it so I waited a week and we restarted the whole process and she did much better. They're all ready for this stuff at different times. Our doctor told us she should have cereal once a day and a vegetable once a day for now....so maybe he doesn't need a lot just yet. Haha, but I don't know- I'm not an expert either!
Hang in there!
I don't know that I have any great advice, but everything that Victoria said sounds good to me. Aiya is an eater, and doesn't know when to stop. I think Harrison is fine and he'll do it when he wants, but I understand that you want him to now. Just keep trying different things and then I'm sure he'll just see it's not so bad and it's kinda fun. He definitely doesn't look like he's not getting food!:) He's so cute! Such a little chub, and you know I love that! So I know I'm not much help, but if I think of something new I'll let ya know! And it was great to see you guys when you came. Even though it wasn't long enough! Your family is so cute! By the way, your blog is adorable!
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