my breastfeeding baby won't eat...

[kjmckenzie]

My son is 10 months old in a couple of days and I cannot get him to eat more than one or two bites of solids at a time. After eating a couple of spoonfuls he won't eat any more baby food, I think it is the texture. I recently got him to eat a bite or two of textured foods. But he only ever eats one or two bites and then he won't eat it at all, and won't eat it again. I read somewhere that babies get bored easily. But how do you get the quantity to increase? I am frustrated because he won't take a bottle of breastmilk and I worry so much when I have to leave him that he is hungry. I plan on continuing to breastfeed, but I need to have some independence away from him. Formula is not an option for me. Anyone have any ideas?

[Erin Pavlina]

What kind of solids are you feeding him? Fruit, veggies, rice cereal, etc?

Maybe he doesn't like the food you're giving him with good reason.

My daughter ate anything and everything she could. But my son had some major feeding issues. So I know what it's like when you're trying to feed your baby and you feel like they are practically starving.

[vegma]

Some babies, particularly those with food allergies, just aren't ready for solids at the "suggested ages". I'm glad formula isn't an option for you! :) I don't think you can (or should) force your baby to eat before he's ready. Is there any way you can take him with you (in a sling perhaps?) or not go? If that's not an option, have you tried letting your spouse or caregiver give him breastmilk out of a cup when you're not present?

[kjmckenzie]

I have tried both baby food, (including rice cereal) and textured foods such as avacado, banana, carrots, peas, asparagus, various soups etc. He likes them for two bites and that is it! So I guess I have to just keep giving him new stuff, but the problem is he only ever eats two bites, the quantity hasn't increased in the four months I've been trying. (Except for when I gave him some of my soy dream ice cream sandwhich which he isn't supposed to have, then of course he loved that and tried to eat the whole thing! He also liked really salty lima bean soup that my husband gave him before I nixed it based on the salt. So I guess he just has a taste for junk food already...)

As for breastmilk, I guess I could try a cup. I just know that it is really time consuming to get him to drink out if it and I worry that he won't be getting enough. He won't suck on sippy cups either, so we have to use a regular cup. Although recently, he really liked drinking out of my water bottle with a sports lid, so maybe we should try that! lol

Thanks for the tips though and keep 'em coming!

[Jergisen]

He is probably ready to feed himself! :D

[kjmckenzie]

I think you're right! I have been giving him food to eat himself, but he just mostly plays with it, which is of course the first stage, but he isn't filling up on it which is the problem. I'm not usually away from him that much, but this month I have a couple of longer times I need to be away and he prefers to breastfeed every two hours! When I made my plans, I assumed by 10 months that he would be eating solids. Silly mom!

[Erin Pavlina]

are you nursing him before or after you feed him solids?

If he is full on breastmilk when you offer him solids, he may just not be that hungry anymore.

But if you are giving him the solids before the breastmilk, then a full belly is not the issue.

Try soy yogurt. That's one of the first things my son ate and he had major feeding issues.

Also try fruit smoothies. I would try a sippy cup that has a good flow to it, not one that he has to suck out of too much, one that will just start pouring down his throat when he tips it.

[xmysticprincessx]

does he have any teeth? how about finger foods like cheerios? dd is 9 months old now and LOVES to feed herself. (we figured she would like finger foods when we noticed that she was picking up every little thing off the floor and putting it in her mouth.)

[vegma]

Really, at this age, solids are more of an adventure than sustenance. I would concentrate on finding a way to provide him with breastmilk instead of trying to replace it in his diet with something else. Good luck!

[Christa]

I'd try finger foods, as well. They can gum those pretty well at 10 months even if they don't have many teeth. We also had problems with dds taking bottles or drinking from sippy cups. My girls didn't seem to understand that you had to tip the cup and suck b/c you don't need to tip mom's breast to get the milk out - lol!

I had the best luck with cups with straws. I would suck some of the water/juice/whatever partially up the straw, put my finger over the top to hold it in and then put the other end into dd's mouth and let the pressure off the the other end slowly so that a little fluid dripped into her mouth. I then encouraged her to suck by making little 'sucky' sounds and letting more liquid into her mouth when she did it right. They got the idea pretty quickly and then I could give them cups with a straw and they'd suck whatever was in there right up.

[kjmckenzie]

Thanks everyone, definitely great advice!

Last night we gave him some rice noodles, peas, and carrots on his tray....and he actually got some in his mouth! Hooray!

But I do agree that food is just for learning and fun right now, and so I will definitely try the straw thing. We gave him some breastmilk in the water bottle with the sports lid, but he only liked it for two swallows. I think the trick is to give it to him when he is not hungry so it is a game, and then keep him from getting hungry with it, rather than wait until he is hungry and only wants me. So we will try that.

Luckily I only have to be away from 3.5- 4 hours, so I do know babies can go that long without food, mine just doesn't like to! lol So hopefully a combination of all these approaches will work while I am away.

thanks again!

[kjmckenzie]

Well, in true baby fashion to prove me wrong (I guess because I have been posting,) Benjamin showed an interest in my food today! So I caved and gave him some of my veggie dog because at this point, I am just happy he has an interest, even if it is modified soy...

So since it seems he only wants to eat what we are eating, my husband and I are going to have to start eating more baby friendly stuff that we can give to him off of our plates. Tonight it is sweet potato, broccoli and something with lentils (maybe lentil patties).

Unfortunately Erin, when I tried a smoothie today he wouldn't even taste it (I think he is off anything out of a cup because we have been trying to get him to drink breastmilk out of a cup, and he will have none of it! lol) However, I have put soy yoghurt on the list, and alternative cheerios :) as well.

A good start though!