7 and 1/2 month old won't eat solids!

[Mya's Mommy]

My 7 1/2 month old eats very little solid food. She'll have a few spoonfuls but then keeps her month shut tightly and starts crying! I've tried rice cereal, veggies, fruit, meat, lentils, but she doesn't seem to like anything. She is breastfed. Her weight gain is slow, she weighs 18 pounds, 5 ounces right now. Any advice on how to get this little monkey to eat??? I get very frustrated with her when she starts crying in her high chair and am afraid she is going to view eating as a negative thing...

[mom2brooke]

Mine wasnt eating solids at 7 1/2 m. Actually neither of the little 2 were. 18 lbs at that age seems perfectly fine to me. My almost 2 yr old is jus over 20 lbs, and my 4 yr old only weighs 28 lbs. My 8 yr old is about 45. Sounds like you're about on target, and I wouldnt personally push the solids. Sounds like she's just not ready, and that's ok. Booby will do her fine.

[bandgeek]

7 1/2 months is still really early to expect them to eat, and even if they do, a few bites here and there is perfectly normal. My kid didn't eat until he was 15 months and then it was only a few bites.

I think the mainstream idea is that they should be eating 3 meals a day by 6 months (since so many people start at 4) but it's really not developmentally appropriate for most kids. SOME will want to chow down on everything at that age. Most will only play with their food and eat very little of it before about a year.

Don't worry too much! And consider baby-led weaning (basically letting her choose how much solids she's ready for and when). Don't forget that breastmilk typically has more calories ounce per ounce than solid foods. And that 18 lbs isn't small for for a 7 month old. And that weight gain normally slows drastically at that age because they become much more active.

[dogmom327]

DS didn't eat any solids until 10 months and DD is 7.5 months and about the only thing she "eats" is a dried mango (the no-sugar variety)--but she's really just gumming it.

[JoyMC]

i wouldn't worry.

like the previous posts said, 7.5 months is really little for solids. for more information and backup, try searching the terms Baby Led Solids or Baby Led Weaning (which does not actually refer to weaning from breastfeeding, except that as soon as you offer any solids you are technically beginning to wean).

[TiredX2]

First, to MDC! I'm sure you're going to like it here

Congrats on your baby and sup for nursing her for 7.5 months. It shoulds like she knows the goods stuff. I am another person who wouldn't be worried about her slow intro to solids.

A major advantage of bmilk is that it changes with babies changing needs. While formula stays the same at 2 weeks, 2 months, 8 months so you need to add food to make sure baby is getting everything he/she needs.

Have you tried letting DD feed herself? She might enjoy that more.

Also, even according to the CDC charts, 18lb, 5 ounces is just over 50th% for a 7.5 month old baby girl. It sounds like she is just perfect. Is there another reason you are concerned with her weight gain (is she meeting milestones, head growth, getting taller, etc...)?

DD ate virtually no solids until 15 months. DS got into them earlier, but his intake stayed low longer. They were both 95+% bfed at one year (less than 5% of calories from foods other than bmilk). What I read at the time, was that the *OPTIMAL* diet for a one year old was getting at least 75% of calories from bmilk. At least. My goal was under 75% of calories from bmilk at 2 years and they made that goal as well

[Adamsmama]

My baby was the same way ... I think by 9 months she started eating baby food ... she was late in eating table food as well (according to what I've heard and even compared to the boys) but now she is a way better eatern than they are and loves grains, veggies, meats ... you name it! I wouldn't push it or worry too much.

[Mya's Mommy]

Thanks to all for the encouragement! To answer Tiredx2's question about my concern for her weight gain- I have always been obsessed with her weight gain because she was such a slow gainer in the beginning- my milk was low- I did 6 months of domperidone, fenugreek, blessed thistle and pumping...and now her weight gain seems to have slowed down again- she was up to 75% for weight a couple of months back...
I feel much better about her eating habits after reading all these posts though, thanks again, what a wonderful forum! :-)

[bandgeek]

Originally Posted by Mya's Mommy

Thanks to all for the encouragement! To answer Tiredx2's question about my concern for her weight gain- I have always been obsessed with her weight gain because she was such a slow gainer in the beginning- my milk was low- I did 6 months of domperidone, fenugreek, blessed thistle and pumping...and now her weight gain seems to have slowed down again- she was up to 75% for weight a couple of months back...
I feel much better about her eating habits after reading all these posts though, thanks again, what a wonderful forum! :-)

I can understand being worried about your supply especially since you had trouble in the past. If she's recently started sitting, crawling, or scootching around, she's probably getting as much or more than she was a month or two ago and just burning some more of it off. Completely normal. Soon you'll be running after a skinny toddler.

[almadianna]

Hello mama. I think that you have gotten some great responses! This thread makes more sense in Life with a babe because it is geared towards mamas with babies the age of your little one so I am moving it there.

[AFWife]

Welcome!!

My DS is almost 10 months and just recently started really "eating" a month ago. We gave him bites/tastes of foods starting around 6 months. When he was 7-8 months he liked food because it was new and the textures were cool (we do Baby Led Weaning) but he didn't care to EAT, YKWIM? He was happy to just play with a piece of food or even a spoon while we ate and then he'd nurse. Around 9 months is when he started mooching. His feelings get obviously hurt if we dont' share food with him. (He grabs at us and our plates and cries if you don't share) That's when we knew that HE was ready for solids.

Every baby is different. Some start mooching at 6 months. Some of the wise mamas on here have babies that didn't care about solids until 12 months or later!

[hakeber]

My little guy just ate solids for fun at that age. The first time at about 5 or six months, He grabbed a stalk of broccoli out of my bowl and went to town. He wore more than he ate, and he loved squishing food between his gums and cheeks and then spitting it out. Playing with the textures and stuff. He didn't really EAT solids until he was about 18 months, and even then only nibbles and snacks, no real meals. He began to join us in actual meals around 3 yo, but only because we were staying with my ILs who were obsessed with him being on a schedule and joining the family for meals...like a 3yo really wants to sit at a table while the grown ups talk for over an hour being forced to eat food even their own mother questions the edibility of.

But I digress

[MangoMommy]

My DD is 8 mo and not really into solids either. She is totally grossed out by purees and will kind of "eat" little bits of what I give her, but she's not really into it nor is she mooching for food. I guess all in time, right?