Timing of solid mealtimes and BFing

[lkmiscnet]

I have 12.5 mo old who is still not eating much in the way of solids and is still mostly on purees, with a few chunks of fruit that he is learning to self feed. In fact, he typically cries when I put him in his high chair or put a bib on him, as I think he has developed an aversion.

Sometimes I can get a first bite in him and he will be fine and eat more, but other times he will turn his head away and put up his hands and will refuse to eat.

I'm trying to get more solids in him, but seem to be hitting upon a timing issue.

We co-sleep and he will nurse in the early am and I don't always know if he's going to go back to sleep or be up for the day.

So, if he nurses and then doesn't go back to sleep, he is then full and won't eat solids first thing upon waking. Then if I wait 2-3 hours later, it's time for his nap, so he will be fussy and won't eat solids again and I have to nurse him to sleep (he has to be nursed to sleep).

But lately, I will nurse him for his attempted morning nap, and he won't go to sleep, so again, he'll be full and I have again missed the opportunity of giving him solids.

I just can't seem to get the timing down to find a window of opportunity to feed him when he's hungry and not fussy from being tired.

Dinner time seems to be the only time he is most receptive so he's only eating 2-4 oz of food total a day.

I have been attempting to start to wean (I have a large stash of frozen BM), but with him not eating much solids, it's not going very well and I'm getting very frustrated.

[Bebe's Mom]

does he have any teeth yet? Are you spoon feeding him and he is refusing to take the spoon? Have you tried solids other than fruit? Can you BF him for a few minutes and then give him solids? I was having trouble spoon feeding my DD, and my lll leader suggested self feeding. Now I just give her chopped up bits of whatever I am eating and she goes to town. I put her in the high chair when we have meals and just give her a bit of whatever we are eating-within reason. I don't give her much meat and I stick to mostly unseasoned food. rice is a good example of this.It is hard to get in the habit, especially when Bf'ing is so much easier and less messy!

[lkmiscnet]

He has 6 teeth (4 on top;2 on bottom). I do use a baby spoon to feed him. He has eaten a wide variety of vegetables, beans, and fruits but all pureed. He started on solids 6 mo ago.

He will not eat finger foods and has never, ever reached for any food we eat during meal times.

He will self feed cheerio-like puffs and I just started giving him very, very small chunks of watermelon, cantaloupe and mango that he has started to self feed.

Meal times are typically filled with crying.

And when he turns his head away and refuses the spoon, I'm never sure if it's because he is full from BFing or just is having issues with food itself.

I'm just not sure what is a typical schedule with BFing and meals of solids.

I thought the thing to do was to start with solids first and then top them off with BM if they are still hungry, especially since he is over 12 mo old now.

[Bebe's Mom]

Try Bf first and then offer foods..That is the advice I have been given, and it works for me. Sounds like he is not ready to wean, and maybe you are both getting frustrated, hence the crying. I would also lose the spoon and the purees. If he has that many teeth he should be ok with just self feeding. My DD just HATED being spoon fed. I don't even try any more. Maybe try backing off foods a bit and just self feed for awhile after bf and see how that goes? I have friends who say their babies were not interested in solids at all until 14 months, so this sounds normal to me..Good luck!

Here is my schedule:

Morning

Wake up-breastfeed

breakfast-I have raisin toast or cereal or egg Mcmuffin(homemade)
DD has some raisin toast and Cheerios, fruit, and some water
Breastfeed

Between breakfast and lunch we will probably BF again and hopefully DD has a nap

Lunch

I have leftover what ever or ham and cheese sammich etc.
DD has some of whatever I am having, Cheerios, possibly some sweet potato or bread or fruit-whatever I have around. I always try to give her some food when I am eating. also has some water from a cup.

Breastfeed.

If no morning nap, possibly afternoon nap. When she wakes up, we BF again.

Before dinner we usually bf again at least once.

Dinner-
We give DD some of whatever we are having-potato, veg-while we are making dinner she sits in her chair and eats cheerios or chews on a pickle or something. More water.

Then we bf again.

And then bed, I nurse her to sleep...

Hope this helps somewhat. My DD is a bit younger, so she may bf more, but that is a typical day for us. I have also had success with feeding her from my plate-if mommy is eating it, it must be good!! This works especially well if you are holding her and eating.

[karika]

If he is crying and turning his head away, please stop trying to feed him. He is giving you clear signals that he is not interested. There is a lot of good advice in this thread that you started (about the same issue) that I saw yesterday.

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...359&highlight=

My guess is that he is having issues with food itself at this point. He may even have allergies from having solids force fed to him when he did not want them at a too young of an age for his gut to be able to handle it.