[Mawood]

<p>I am concerned that my almost 11 months old daughter really isn't into solids. She doesn't like eating or drinking of a sippy cup. We have been really slow with introducing solids and started late to begin with as she wasn't showing any interest in foods. She had all the classic starter solids but is not really into it or excited about eating. Sometimes she won't even open her mouth or even makes a funny face after tasting some of the offered food. We have been doing both self feed and purees. Another thing is that she gets constipated after eating (even though eating means just 4-5 tiny spoons at the most). When I don't give her solids for a couple of days her digestion seems to be better. I don't know what to do. Should I still offer or better not? My husband has some food allergies and that's why we have been very conscious about it to begin with. He has reactions to sea food and some vegetables. Also I was wondering if she would be likely to have the same food allergy or if that is not a given....</p>
<p>Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!</p>

 

[rhesp1212]

<p>First, yes, sometimes food allergies are inherited so you are correct on taking things slowly and carefully. However, by 11 months most, but not all, kids are interested in solid foods. If she won't drink from a sippy cup, I would try a straw cup....it's better for her oral development than a sippy cup anyways! Does she still exhibit a tongue thrust when you put food in her mouth? If so, that might be part of the problem and would warrant asking your pedicatrican about possibly seeking out an occupational therapist or speech therapist for an evaluation to make sure there isn't a problem there. If she doesn't know how to manipulate and swallow solids (even purees) properly she probably wouldn't be very interested in eating them because it's difficult for her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The fact that they constipate her could indicate an intolerance or allergy, or just an immature digestive tract. I would stay away from grains and meats and stick with fruits and some veggies for now</p>

 

[FAmom]

<p>Just reading along, I was thinking my son, who is 2, still isn't all that keen on solid foods.  Doesn't eat all that much, not for lack of our trying.  I'm tired of breastfeeding, and he is almost 40 lbs.  He needs to get to it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But, my point is really where is your DD developmentally?  Is she still breastfeeding, or bottle feeding a lot?  Are there any growth issues you are concerned about?  Or anything your doctor is worried about?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I know my kids usually went from breast to learning about drinking other things from sips out of a regular cup.  Sure, it dribbles down their face a bit, but I found that the reaction to a sippy cup was almost like "what is this thing.... it doesn't work like your boob".  Mine had an easier time at least wanting to try a sip when it came from Mommy or Daddy's cup.  Getting the hang of the sippy cup came after getting the hang of, and idea of, drinking that wasn't from Mommy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Also, with solids, I think we were stuck in applesauce, pear sauce, banana, banana combo, type foods for awhile.  Then progressed to a bit of banana oatmeal type baby foods..... with maybe sweet potatoes, carrots, squash.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Foods like peas, green beans, meats -- either in baby food or as meat sticks, never caught on..... and with meat especially, that really was a binder for us.  Plus, with food allergies, peas and green beans kind of concerned us anyway.  </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sometimes it just takes awhile, and plenty of purees and teenie tiny cut up soft fruits and veggies that end up smeared on faces, in hair, on tables and thrown on the floor, before eating catches on in even the smallest ways.  We still pick up more stuff off the floor than I know made it in.  </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Just don't give up, have patience, and keep track of things with your doctor.  I know it can be frustrating, or concerning.  But, it can be a slow process especially if they are still mainly breastfed/bottlefed.  It is good though that you are being mindful of the allergies as you go along.  Sometimes having a slower process means that instead of introducing a ton of stuff at a time, you are doing things one or two at a time, which means that if you have concerns about allergies, you may have an easier time catching something, or knowing what it was that caused a problem.  With all 3 of my kids we were able to pin point exactly what they ate, when they ate it, and how much, when they had their first reactions since they were still babies (11 months, 5 months, 7 months respectively) and all were not either really eating anything, or just starting to dabble.  </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>

 

[emilysmama]

<br><br><div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>Mawood</strong> <a href="/community/forum/thread/1285931/10-1-2-months-old-who-isn-t-into-solids-sign-of-food-allergies#post_16121523"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a><br><br><p>I am concerned that my almost 11 months old daughter really isn't into solids. She doesn't like eating or drinking of a sippy cup. We have been really slow with introducing solids and started late to begin with as she wasn't showing any interest in foods. She had all the classic starter solids but is not really into it or excited about eating. Sometimes she won't even open her mouth or even makes a funny face after tasting some of the offered food. We have been doing both self feed and purees. Another thing is that she gets constipated after eating (even though eating means just 4-5 tiny spoons at the most). When I don't give her solids for a couple of days her digestion seems to be better. I don't know what to do. Should I still offer or better not? My husband has some food allergies and that's why we have been very conscious about it to begin with. He has reactions to sea food and some vegetables. Also I was wondering if she would be likely to have the same food allergy or if that is not a given....</p>
<p>Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!</p>
</div>
</div>
<p>Inheriting allergies is highly probable, but not necessarily allergies to the same foods as the parent's. And not necessarily even allergies to food.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>My dd didn't exhibit any interest in solids until well past 12 months.  It was a shame, really.  At six months, I got excited and spent valuable time steaming and pureeing food and freezing in ice cube trays to make homemade baby food, and didn't get any interest.  I should have just saved myself the time and effort, because I ended up throwing a lot away. In retrospect, I probably could have saved my self a lot of work, just completely bypassed the purees and waited out the lack of interest in solids, and eventually gone straight to small chunks. My dd never got the hang of a sippy cup either, or even a bottle.  She started drinking from a regular cup at 4 months, and that's all she would do.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>By themselves, the things you describe don't specifically point to food allergies.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lack of interest in food at 11 months is not worth worrying about, at least in the case of my dd.  It's still too early to worry, I think.<br>
 </p>

 

[Mawood]

<p>Thanks so much for your responses. It does put my mind at ease. You made some good points. I am actually a Speech Therapist (from Germany) myself and I don't think that there is anything wrong with her oral motor or sensory skills. I really think that she is not interested much in food and wonder if it is a sign of food allergies like a healthy sign that she doesn't crave solids because she can't process them. I just don't know if we should stop offer at one point or just keep offering the simple solids. Oh, and she has been drinking out of a cup too. I just got the sippy cup because she wants to do everything alone and can't drink out of a cup alone. I am basically still breastfeeding her on demand. I am a SAHM and we sleep share so she can still have breastmilk 24/7. I never pumped so she isn't used to bottles either. I guess I feel some pressure from relatives about still breastfeeding so much. Sometimes it feels like they'd think it is my "fault" like I wouldn't let go of that early feeding pattern and move on to the stage of the more independent solids. My daughter does look a lot older too. She is actually very healthy weighs more than 22 lbs (clothes size 18 months). I guess I will just keep doing what we do and stress less about it. I just had thought since she was such a chunky baby and happy nurser right from the start that she would eat the solids with the same appetite.</p>
<p>Thanks again for your input. Maren</p>