10.5 MO still uninterested in solids

[spmamma]

We introduced DS to solids about a month ago and much to my ped.'s dismay at a recent well baby visit, he's still completely uninterested in them.

I offer every day (self-feeding) but he is only interested in playing. I've made a few half-hearted efforts to feed him myself, but those have simply ended in him gagging... even though no food entered his mouth.

In total, I think he's eaten one lick of avocado. Today, a smidge of cheese made contact with his tongue and he gagged until he threw up. (I was watching so I know this wasn't an issue of him trying to swallow it.)

Obviously, he's not ready. I'm all for allowing him to wait until he's ready, especially since he's EBF. I suppose I'm just wondering if any other mamas out there have experienced the same thing with their older (10+ months old) baby? When did your babe finally take an interest in solids?

[ShwarmaQueen]

Only very recently (within the last couple weeks) has DS become REALLY interested and can actually ingest more than a crumb of what I put on his high chair.

[scottishmommy]

My dd didn't eat solids until 12months. My ped said that I should offer her food and if she eats great, if she doesn't, no biggie. She'll get everything she needs from breast milk.

[LadyCatherine185]

Liam didn't become interested in more than a bite here and there until closer to 14/15 months. Then he discovered food and has been a fantastic eater ever since.

[~Demeter~]

My daughter was closer to 2 when she finally had a real interest in solids, she would play and nibble but really wasn't interested in actual consumption until she was much older. She nursed a lot and that was good enough for me. It's not developmentally off or inappropriate for a 10 mos old to prefer mama milk to solid foods.

[StoriesInTheSoil]

Mine wasn't really *eating* anything till about 14 months but once he started, he did pretty well with most anything (except chewy/gummy things which he still doesn't like)

[Knitting Mama]

I wouldn't worry, mama. I know lots of kids who didn't become more seriously interested in solids until well over 1. Just keep offering, like you're doing. The adage is "under 1, just for fun," but it's not like a magical switch will automatically flip in 1.5 months and your LO will be devouring entire meals. If it takes longer, it takes longer. Though I would say if there's zero interest in solids by 15 or so months, if it was me, I would probably want an evaluation for possible sensory disorders.

[spmamma]

A big thanks to everyone who responded. It's so nice to hear from others who have been there. DD wasn't really all that interested in solids until she was closer to 14 months, but she never refused them like this so I've just been wondering where he falls on the range of normal. Sounds like he's just fine - as I suspected.

Originally Posted by Cecilia's Mama

Though I would say if there's zero interest in solids by 15 or so months, if it was me, I would probably want an evaluation for possible sensory disorders.

I did wonder if he's uncomfortable with the texture or taste of food, since he refuses it completely and gags when it even comes near his mouth. He's still young, though, so I agree that it's best to wait until he's much older to start thinking about sensory issues.

[Sfcmama]

Just wanted to share that I know what it's like for the pediatrician to be disappointed... Our DD is only 7 mo and her ped is insistent that we try solids twice a day. Don't know if you're looking advice, my DD loves chewing on ice in the mesh feeders and just recently started taking frozen pears in it... Just one more trick.
Good luck, mama! You know what's best!

[St. Margaret]

Some babies just aren't ready until a year or so. Gagging says to me, not ready! DD would gnaw on apples and have nibbles of soft stuff I was eating, and loved some stuff, but also clearly was not REALLY eating until quite close to a year. Probably around 10-11 months she started getting into it. There's no rush! I think (I'm saying this as my general take, not for OP's baby) as long as food is being offered, and there aren't other issues like severe weight issues or other developmental stuff that could be interfering, it's all good. Baby will get there

[cappuccinosmom]

My youngest did this. Not interested in solids more than a bite or two at a time up to a year. He was still 75%-90% (depending on the day) nursing at 13-14 months. He was getting all the good stuff he needed from his beloved "noonies".

[Mom2M]

DD2 is now 10 months old and tomorrow has an evaluation scheduled for eating/swallowing. I asked if I should be concerned that she was gagging at everything she tried since she was 7 months old and he said it wouldn't hurt to have early intervention check it out.

She's way up on the charts, no growth concerns or anything but she has choked till she turned almost blue and choked to the point of throwing up even though she want the food, picks it up and puts it in her mouth.
I tried purees just to see if that would work and it doesn't.

DD1 never ate solids very much till she was about 13 months old but the difference is the gagging and I am a little worried.
We'll see what happens tomorrow.

[spmamma]

Originally Posted by Mom2M

DD2 is now 10 months old and tomorrow has an evaluation scheduled for eating/swallowing. I asked if I should be concerned that she was gagging at everything she tried since she was 7 months old and he said it wouldn't hurt to have early intervention check it out.

She's way up on the charts, no growth concerns or anything but she has choked till she turned almost blue and choked to the point of throwing up even though she want the food, picks it up and puts it in her mouth.
I tried purees just to see if that would work and it doesn't.

DD1 never ate solids very much till she was about 13 months old but the difference is the gagging and I am a little worried.
We'll see what happens tomorrow.

I hope everything works out well for you and your DD! If you're comfortable sharing, I'd be curious to hear what the tests involve.

[P.J.]

I'm sorry I don't have time to find a link for you right now, but just recently I was reading somewhere that technically speaking, a baby can be 100% healthy and nutritionally complete on only breastmilk for up to two full years. I was surprised to hear this, as we are always told 6 months is like some magic date where babies should start solids. But apparently as long as they're getting enough breastmilk it is not an issue. Not sure how many pedis would go along with that though.

[Lauren31]

Originally Posted by P.J.

I'm sorry I don't have time to find a link for you right now, but just recently I was reading somewhere that technically speaking, a baby can be 100% healthy and nutritionally complete on only breastmilk for up to two full years. I was surprised to hear this, as we are always told 6 months is like some magic date where babies should start solids. But apparently as long as they're getting enough breastmilk it is not an issue. Not sure how many pedis would go along with that though.

I was always under the impression it was one year, possibly longer, but towards the second half of the second year babies need more, especially Iron. Kelly mom says, "We like to see breastmilk making up the majority (around 75%) of baby's diet at 12 months. Some babies will be taking more solids by 12 months, but others will still be exclusively or almost-exclusively breastfed at this point. It is normal for baby to keep breastmilk as the primary part of his diet up until 18 months or even longer. An example of a nice gradual increase in solids would be 25% solids at 12 months, 50% solids at 18 months, and 80% solids at 24 months. "

[mom2happy]

Originally Posted by scottishmommy

My dd didn't eat solids until 12months. My ped said that I should offer her food and if she eats great, if she doesn't, no biggie. She'll get everything she needs from breast milk.

Same thing with both of my kids. They were not interested until they were over a year. They were full, I guess.
At under a year I wouldnt worry about anything.
I wasted time worrying that my first baby wasnt eating when everyone else's were eating 3 meals a day. All the moms were thinking it was a crisis that my DD didnt want to eat. Meanwhile she was the healthiest, happiest, and chubbiest of all.

[spmamma]

Originally Posted by P.J.

I'm sorry I don't have time to find a link for you right now, but just recently I was reading somewhere that technically speaking, a baby can be 100% healthy and nutritionally complete on only breastmilk for up to two full years. I was surprised to hear this, as we are always told 6 months is like some magic date where babies should start solids. But apparently as long as they're getting enough breastmilk it is not an issue. Not sure how many pedis would go along with that though.

That's awesome! I'm going to have to look it up. I've always wondered how long babies were exclusively breast fed a thousand years ago. I bet it was closer to two years!

Originally Posted by Lauren31

I was always under the impression it was one year, possibly longer, but towards the second half of the second year babies need more, especially Iron. Kelly mom says, "We like to see breastmilk making up the majority (around 75%) of baby's diet at 12 months. Some babies will be taking more solids by 12 months, but others will still be exclusively or almost-exclusively breastfed at this point. It is normal for baby to keep breastmilk as the primary part of his diet up until 18 months or even longer. An example of a nice gradual increase in solids would be 25% solids at 12 months, 50% solids at 18 months, and 80% solids at 24 months. "

This is great info - thanks!

[Dov'sMom]

Originally Posted by spmamma

That's awesome! I'm going to have to look it up. I've always wondered how long babies were exclusively breast fed a thousand years ago. I bet it was closer to two years!




This is great info - thanks!

Don't know about 1000 years ago, but Jewish texts from 2000 years ago discuss pureeing food for babies, which would not have been necessary at two years.

Well not pureeing exactly -- Jewish law mandates that a person wait several hours after eating meat to eat dairy. The question addressed is the status of a woman who chews up meat to get pieces small and soft enough for her baby to eat but does not swallow any of the meat -- does she have to wait for dairy?

So according to the Talmud, babies were given solids before they could chew them themselves -- presumably in the first year of life. The Talmud also advises trying to wait two years after giving birth to get pregnant so as not to interfere with milk production for the baby, so obviously babies also got breastmilk for at least 2 years.

[Dov'sMom]

OP -- my own kids have all clamored for solids from before 6 months and taken right to eating as soon as they were offered. But my nephew didn't eat at all until 14 months and even then very little through 18 or 20 months, and he's just fine.

[Terrilein]

Jumping in late, but wanted to say that my dd didn't touch solids until she got her first tooth at 10 months. Coincidence???