Advice needed: Fussy baby!

[crystal7]

My daughter is 9.5 months old and we've had some issues with her weight gain (dropped from 25th-4th centile, health visitor not happy etc.) and although she seems perfectly happy, healthy and active it's difficult to get her to eat 'proper food'.

She'll eat loads of yoghurt with fruit puree, rice cakes and cream cheese, breadsticks, hummus, weetabix and tomatoes but anything else is a bit hit or miss. I started weaning her with purees but now she wont let me spoon feed her (unless it's yoghurt or weetabix!) so I'm trying finger foods. She refuses all meat, potatoes, pasta and our meals. I eat with her but it seems to make no difference.

Perhaps I need to stop worrying but surely such a limited diet isn't good for her? I return to work in January and am dreading her refusing food all day with a childminer.

So any great food ideas of fussy babies? I feel like I spend my life preparing food for her to chuck it all on the floor without tasting it!

Thanks!

[trinity]

Sounds to me like she's eating quite a variety of stuff!

I never prepared separate food for my lot just gave them anything chopped up or squishy from whatever I was eating. Most did go on the floor or was rejected but I don't think that was a problem.

Some things my lot liked at that stage were fish fingers, peas, carrots, every type of berry, mozarella, toast, broccoli. The vegetables I cooked until a bit squishy but not pureed.

My lot didn't want to be fed with spoons so I just gave them a plate of food and let them tuck in.

[Pickle]

Agree with Trinity that she is getting quite a variety in the foods you mention. At 9.5 months you don't need to worry too much, as gradually her eating will improve, and she won't starve herself. My son was a model eater, whereas I have the opposite with my daughter who would happily live on a diet of yoghurt, raisins and cat biscuits if given the chance.

I don't prepare separate food for her anymore (stopped when she was about 10 months) as found it was stressing me out more to be preparing special food for her only to have it thrown round the room. She will now happily tuck into a plate full of roast lamb with the trimmings, and is happiest with "adult" food.

You may also find that when she starts with the childminder she starts eating more/a wider variety as a lot of kids I know acted completely differently with regards to food when they were out of their home environment.

Good luck x

[The Nappy Lady]

Hi Crystal,

I agree with Trinity and think your little girl is doing really well. Remember as I think Pickle said in another thread regarding food - under 1 it's just for fun. Are you still breastfeeding? Whether breast or bottle this is still where she is going to be getting most of her nutrition from, she's just getting used to the textures and flavours of food in her mouth, so keep giving it to her even if most of it goes on the floor (demoralising I know - I hate that too, but at least I have a dog to hoover it up!!).

It is very common for them to start off well on purees, then suddenly start refusing to be spoon fed - I had the same thing, now some days she will and some days she wont, even at nearly 14 months. I guess the novelty wears off basically. Sometimes she spoon feeds herself with a couple of mouthfuls but she isn't great at it yet.

My little girl is with a childminder now 3 days per week and has good and bad days eating wise - yesterday pretty much all she would eat was some cheese, despite being offered plenty of other stuff. Plus she has water all day of course. But she was fine, came home and had a little beef casserole puree, a yoghurt and then a really good breastfeed at bedtime.

I do appreciate that because your little one has dropped down the centiles you probably feel under more pressure to get loads of food into her, but again, it is really common for breastfed babies to follow this path.

I know quite a few babies who will not be spoon fed, but will 'suck' the food out of the Pouches you get (can't remember the make, but they are the ones with the screw tops - oh Ella's Kitchen I think)...you could try those with her. They are easy to give when out and about too, so you can try to give little and often rather than in one big meal if you find she is better snacking rather than trying to get bigger meals into her.

Agree also about giving bits of whatever you are eating that is soft. Mix vegetables with some butter to make them really tasty - they can take the fat at this age! Broccoli was a favourite for us, but is now a complete reject. Carrots she will eat until they come out of her ears. Strange. Rather than putting it on a plate I'd tend to put little bits in front of her on the table (get an oil cloth table cloth if need be). That way they can't just pick up the plate and throw it all on the floor, which is enough to make any Mum go into meltdown! Or, let her pinch bits off your plate - sometimes the novelty of that can get them eating.

I was only thinking this morning how much I dislike this phase compared to either exclusive breastfeeding (so easy and no work involved!!), or later - my 5 year old now eats like a dream, while we sit and actually have a conversation, it is so nice....a good few years 'til the baby gets to that stage!

So, good luck, keep going and don't despair.

Molly

x

[EmilyE]

Sometimes unlikely things go down well. My daughter, who resists most veg, loves spinach and mushrooms. She's not too good on meat, but loves fish and prawns.

You could try thinning purees too into soups, that they can drink, if independence is the key.

[The Nappy Lady]

Crystal,

Just remembered another tip I picked up somewhere - put pieces of fruit in the bath with baby and let them catch them 'like fish' and eat them. Obviously just water, no bubble bath etc.

My little one seemed to quite enjoy it, I guess it was the novelty value!

Molly

[Fuschia]

That was my idea about the fruit in the bath, lol. Mr F wa sjust chortling the other day saying he bets noone else feeds their kids that way, i said he'd be surprised, I've started a craze!

I agree with the others...

9.5m is early on in the process. Novelty passed, goen off being spoonfed but not able to feed themselves very well and focussing on some familair favourites.

Have you read Gill Rapley's book Baby led Weaning?

http://213.86.249.168/TalisPrism/doSearch.do;jsessionid=E3DCAEDA441A517251D167EE62474F2D.worker1

Lots of lovely sensible reassuring advice

[The Nappy Lady]

The littlest Dilnot has a tummy bug this week :'( almost exclusively breastfeeding...just doesn't want to eat 'proper food' other than the odd raisen & blueberry (that was breakfast) and maybe a bit of cheese.

It doesn't get any easier....sigh....

[crystal7]

Thanks for all the advice! I neeed to stop worrying, it's just that she seems to survive on so little!

An added problem is that she wont be spoonfed (except yoghurt) but is nowhere near being able to feed herself with a spoon so everything has to be dryish so she can pick it up (and throw it on the floor). Also my OH and I don't eat meat but we want her to so separate food is necessary sometimes...

2 hours in the kitchen the other day making Annabel Karmel's chicken and apple balls only to have them swept of the table- urgh!

[The Nappy Lady]

Hmm yes, been there got that tshirt. Her recipes are great but she must have more time on her hands than most of us Mums!

X

[EmmaCC]

I'm so glad that I read this thread, particularly your post Nappy Lady ...my baby is 14 months and her eating hablts have changed completely in the last 4 weeks. She used to be a brilliant eater, literally anything I put in front of her... spoon fed and finger food. But 4 weeks ago for no apparent reason she has become really difficult at mealtimes... she will eat weetabix, youghurt and toast until its coming out of her ears but all the other much more nutirtious dishes she loved before (literally used to purr with delight at spag bol, chicken and veg etc) she now refuses to eat (and particularly hates being spoon fed, literally turns her head away and pushes spoon away without even tasting what's on it!) ... it is soooo disheartning when you have slaved over an AK recipe for it to end up all over the floor...tonight I gave her pizza with fresh veg on top (seems a waste at the moment defrosting a fresh meal from the freezer!) which she would previously have LOVED but she threw 1/2 across the room and mushed the other 1/2 into her tray as though polishing it! Honestly, its so frustrating that for the first time in 14 months I actually felt quite angry with her... until I told the story to my mum (doting granny!) over the phone who thought the whole thing was hilarious and I actually saw the funny side!

I think as mum I see it as a really important part of my job to make sure she's getting fresh, healthy food and feel I'm failing on this at the moment...

I think this thread has actually put my mind at rest that she's just going through a phase... she's lost a bit of weight, but not a worrying amount .. I think it's just the frustration at why she's changed from being a brilliant eater into this... but I guess that's the joy of children once you think you've got something sussed they change just to keep you on your toes! x

P.S.She is drinking more milk (cow's milk) surely as a result of eating less ... not sure if I should cut down on this in the hope she'll eat more though seems a buit cruel to do that and not sure it would even work as she sometimes refuses lunch even though it's been 4/5 hours since bottle of milk .. any views anyone?

[Pickle]

Hi EmmaCC,

In similar battles with my daughter (who now eats quite well as long as she's allowed to do it herself) I'm still struggling to get her to eat breakfast, so have started cutting down her milk (she's 17 months). Although because I don't want to risk her not sleeping I've cut back on the pre-breakfast and early afternoon amounts, but am still giving her a full bottle at bedtime (she has about 9oz at that time).

So she now has around 5oz pre-breakfast, 4oz after her nap (about 2.30pm), and 9oz before bed - and I do think she's been a bit better with her quantities at breakfast. Would be interesting to hear what others around the same age have in terms of milk - she was BF until just a few months ago so I really don't know whether what she's having is "normal" or not!

It does get better. I'm finding my nearly 3yo (who's always eaten well) is now starting to develop little likes and dislikes, but it's been funny "testing" him to see whether they're genuine. Tonight's conversation while I was preparing dinner...

"what's that Mummy?"

"courgette"

"I don't like courgette do I?" (he's been refusing it for a couple of months)

"yes you do, just not courgettes in circles - these courgettes are rectangles"

"oh yeah, I like rectangle courgettes, they're yummy"

... then happily tucked into his courgettes like they were the best thing out. Similarly he happily eats courgette "worms" (grated).

[The Nappy Lady]

Tee Hee. My 5 year old's default position tends to be that she doesn't like whatever I am cooking.... I find quite often if I reply "Yes you do, you ate this the before and loved it silly", she then goes...."oh yes, silly me!"

It doesn't work every time of course, but still....quite good reverse psychology.....school dinners have also really helped with getting her to try stuff, and of course exposure to different types of food.

Slightly better day with baby C today....small bowl of porridge, 5 spoons of casserole for lunch, a bit of brioche mid afternoon and later a lump of cheese (she will ALWAYS eat cheese), and then another 8 spoons or so of casserole for dinner. She was eating more than that for breakfast a couple of weeks ago!

EmmaCC I think it is so much easier to be more relaxed about it 2nd time around...my instincts this time tell me that she isn't going to starve herself, and may simply not feel like eating if off colour, teething etc. so at least I don't worry quite so much..... But have to admit I too get cross sometimes when they don't eat (but never let them know it pushes your buttons or they will use it against you one day - trust me!!). Best advice I was ever given for 2 year old plus is give a set amount of time and then if they haven't eaten just take it away (calmly) and don't offer anything else until the next meal time. Tough love! Different with babies though. Glad you were able to see the funny side later - good for the soul. Must feel like sweet revenge for our parents when they see us agonising over all the same stuff we once put them through! I am always convinced every one elses children eat better than mine, but I think they all play up at times, keep telling myself that anyway.

Molly

[snowboarder]

crystal7 Wrote:

> 2 hours in the kitchen the other day making

> Annabel Karmel's chicken and apple balls only to

> have them swept of the table- urgh!

Huh - yes - I spent ages the other night (night! This has to be done in the evenings!) making some cod/veg/cheese sauce AK dish. Took ages and used every pan in the house and got totally paranoid about fish bones. All the time I had my mother's voice in the back of my head saying...'don't make too much of an effort for them...then you won't be cross when they don't eat it....'.

Well....he ate it (YEs!), but he didn't LOVE it....

[Mellors]

The joy of second children is you don't have time to faff about with ruddy Annabel Karmel. I (like everyone else) sweated in the kitchen preparing organic purees and all the chicken balls etc with No 1. I even took my blender on holiday once!

No 2 (now 15 months and still alive) has always just had to have a bit of whatever we're having, and is expected to feed herself or starve. She seems to be in one piece, and will always shovel down some cheese on toast (toast bread in toaster, cheese on and in microwave for 20 secs), or microwave scrambled eggs with butter if its something that really is unsuitable for her.

I have so much sympathy though - I've had so many dinner times of having to leave the kitchen to cry when No 1 chucked yet another lovingly prepared meal on the floor....

[snowboarder]

Oh no - since this thread began babySB seems only to want to eat toast, pasta with tomato sauce and organix fruit puree. Is refusing everything else that has previously eaten - even yoghurt. Is fussiness/binging (?!?)a symptom of the first few months of weaning? And should I pander to it or just keep offering (and throwing away) other stuff. Have a freezer full of previously gulped down cheesy sauce dishes...

(cod/veg thing not accepted again...sob...)

[Sanne Panne]

Does she eat omelettes? That's a great finger food in which you can hide lots of finely chopped greens and other foods you're worrying she isn't eating enough of! It doesn't really help in terms of teaching her to eat those foods but at least she gets the nutrients in the meantime if you're concerned... You can also hide some pureed veg (and grated cheese) in the pasta sauce.

My daughter also went through phases while weaning (in fact until about 14 months), sometimes happily eating broccoli florets, sometimes refusing everything green, sometimes refusing the spoon and so on. The spoon refusal actually lasted 2-3 months... very annoying but it will improve again at some point!

Edited to add that they sometimes like the weirdest things that you'd only consider adult food such as garlic shrimp...

[SteveT]

1st child runs in from the garden "mummy I have just swallowed a penny" mother quickly feeds the child some bread to assist the potentially overtaxed gut, rushes off to phone GP.

5 years on 2nd child runs in to say mummy I have just swallowed a penny, who promptly looks over the top of her magazine from the sofa "right that comes out of your pocket money"!

Stimulated by Mellors post.