6 month old not interested in solids

[sunflower.mama]

My 6.5 month old is not interested/not willing to eat solid foods.  I am mystified.  I EBFed her until 6 months exactly, when I began offering her "solid food" once or twice a day.  Purees (doing earth's best, not homemade) sometimes mixed with oatmeal or rice cereal to vary the texture.  So she's had a range of textures and flavors and she HATES it.  Purses her lips closed and turns her head.  She's a very agreeable baby so she doesn't quite cry, but I just know she's not into it. 

She's 85% or higher in all her measurement categories, so not worried about gaining.  Just want to introduce her to the world of food in a manner pleasant for both of us.  As it is I am spending 1/2 hour once or twice a day battling to get one TBSP into her.  With 2 older kids to care for, that's not easy or fun!  I almost want to bag it but I clearly need to teach her to eat, right?

It's been 2 weeks now, which isn't that long in the spectrum but I don't remember this at all from my other ones and would welcome tips/experiences.

[Knitting Mama]

It just sounds like she's not ready, mama. Not every baby is at 6 months. For that matter, not every baby is at a year! I would relax on it, offer every now and again, but don't expect her to take to it quickly. Remember, solid food under one (and sometimes over one) is just for learning how to eat, not nutrition. Your milk has way more nutrients and calories than any amount of solids she could eat at this stage.

Also some babies definitely prefer more solid food-- not purees at all. My baby is one of them. She never lets anyone spoon feed her, but she happily self feeds chunks of food (although she hardly ingests any, which is fine by me; see above ).

[Carolyn_mtl]

My dd is 16 months and still ebf. Refuses all forms of "solid" food...trust me, we've tried it all. She has only just started bringing food to her mouth, tasting it, and spitting it out. Never allows me to feed her... So at 6 months, I really wouldn't worry!

[onyxravnos]

defintly sounds like she is not ready. i would back off and continue EBFing her. for the first year there is NO need for any nutrition other then mamas milk

. My first son was not intrested at all until 14 months and then even after that didn't eat 'three times a day' until almost 2 years.

ds2 grabed food off our plates and shoved it into his mouth at 5 months. 

Let baby take the lead there will be years a years of solid food for her, no need to rush it.

[Peony]

None of my 3 were ready at 6 months, more closer to 1, and none of mine liked pureed foods. Can't say I blame them there! I'll second, or third the advice just to make off, give her time, eventually when she is ready she will eat. 

[P.J.]

Agree with all the PPs. It could be that she doesn't like being fed and may eat if you relax and let her feed herself. She also may be picking up on your stress about it, so try to relax and let her come to solids in her own good time. She will.

[MJB]

Just keep offering, try some big people food as well as purees and she'll eat when she wants to. There's no reason to force it. Try sweet potato fries and pear slices, they're usually big hits! 

[goinggreengirl]

My little one wasn't ready at 6 months. He still hates when we try to feed him purees at 9 months but he will eat avocado, banana, sweet potato and apple if we let him have control of it.

[AutumnAir]

Yeah, DD1 wasn't ready really at 6 months either.  I mostly did baby led weaning and just gave her chunks of table food which she played with and smeared all around.  I think it was round about the 9 month mark that a reasonable amount of food actually started going in - as evidenced by what was coming out the other end!! :lol

I'd say just back off a bit - offer occasionally but if she's not interested, don't battle her trying to get it into her.  If you're not comfortable with BLW you could just put some puree on her highchair table and let her play with it.  She'll get it on her hands and some might actually go into her mouth that way!

[eleonrauis]

DS1 wasn't interested at 6 mos either.  He took a little the first few times I offered and refused everything after that.  Then, at around 8 mos, he suddenly started begging for bites of everything I ate.  Now he's at the picky toddler stage and is back to refusing everything :)

[skyewriter]

Bag it and do the happy dance!!! They don't need food at that age, she clearly isn't into it, BF is easy and always ready when you need it, no extra hassle, and her poop will still be smelling sweet! Mine licked their first organic, mom bit off the skin on one side,  Braeburn apples at about a year and had no eating issues ever. Relax and enjoy, why rush?

[Asiago]

I agree. No rush. Don't even be concerned at this point.

[boatbaby]

your baby will tell you when she is ready. DS refused to even taste anything but breastmilk until 13 months. Then he went straight to chicken and black beans as a first food. Crazy kid. He's never been picky, but also is still (at age 6.5) just not "into" food.