Loves eating! The advice nurse told me it was teething. My 8 month old was doing great eating solids from months 5-7 and just started fighting it once he turned 8 months. In this form, the infant was formerly thriving, demonstrating good weight gain the first 5-6 months of life, and then experiences poor growth or weight loss after 8 or 9 months. By this time, the bond between you and your baby is strong, and they may not be ready to let go just yet. In any case, as I introduced solids at each meal, I initially began by nursing first and then fed my baby solids. I too find it very hard to trust the natural eating instincts our children were born with, but you have to remind yoruself that the bad eating habits they develop later are learned habits. Janet, If I may put it bluntly, your doctor is full of it. For his breakfast feeding, I initially nursed him first and then put him into his high chair for his solids. Gayle, My daughter didn't eat any food until she was 14 months. she was weaned successfully at 5 months but since being sick she has been refusing solids. At her age, she will start nursing less frequently anyhow. It is basically boiled meals with no oil of salt that has been mashed to soften them. We went through the stages of putting cheerios on top of spoonfuls of baby food to get other things into her, but eventually she refused the spoon and would just grab the cheerios off. Sometimes … I have noticed a decrease in the daytime nursing, but, to the mom who complained about her babe's frequent night nursing, I'm sorry to say that hasn't eased up (if you're feeling overwhelmed, please get connected with La Leche League or check out the Sears duo's Nightime Parenting or Mothering Your Nursing Toddler, which is published by LLL). Some days she likes the variety of foods. I have not experienced a reduction in nursing demand. He clenches his jaw when we put the spoon to his lips. We didn't even really try to push the solids until about 10 months, and even then it often seemed futile. recommended starting solids about 3 weeks ago (4 months) since she seemed so interested in food and was gaining weight well. Remember, babies do not need salt or sugar added to their food (or cooking water). Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm still taking prenatal vitamins, in part to keep my iron level up. Feeding them too much will lead to constipation, so you also have to make sure your child is sufficiently hydrated. It will give your baby time to soak in the smells, textures, and taste of the meal at their own pace. Recently, I met a child who, at the age of 22 months, was still eating … Feeding babies/children can be very difficult because you have in your head what you want them to eat, and the child has their own idea about it. The simplest is just to nurse more frequently! anon, Berkeley Parents Network, based in Berkeley, California, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit network for parents in the San Francisco Bay Area. as my friend ann says, you could place a plate full of cigarette butts in front of my baby and she would grab at it). If he likes to feed himself the Cheerios he may like to feed himself the baby food. I find that at moments of crisis with the teeth, Tylenol does wonders. My understanding is that delaying solids is actually better if there are any concerns about allergies. By the time he or she is 7 or 8 months old, your child can eat a variety of foods from different food groups. When my daughter (now 18 mos.) (4) If after considering all this you still think you have a supply problem, or if you really need to get your pump output back up, there are a number of things you can do to help (and they certainly won't hurt in any case). I think we need to keep in mind that in addition to nutrition, we are laying down our children's attitudes about food and eating. Some babies are more receptive if they have an empty stomach, but some are too frantic in that situation, so it is better if they have maybe half of a milk feeding to take the edge of their hunger. I realize that at a certain point my breast feeding will be more for comfort and that he will be getting most of his nutrition from formula and solids, but I'm not ready to give up breast feeding all together. (1) How much you can pump is NOT a valid indicator of your overall milk supply. Especially at night, or in the early a.m., if you can. As a general guide, if his doctor is not worried … Before panicking, ensure that you have tried everything else. But there shouldn't be any need to worry about it--you should still be making just the right amount for the baby's reduced needs. Having a freezer stash is comforting, but not strictly necessary for most moms. we had not planned to wait this long to supplement his diet, but when he refused being fed by spoon and showed no real interest in other food even when it was presented to him (around 8 mos), i asked around. We are looking for suggestions and words of encouragement. I feel frustrated sometimes because I think ''he has to be hungry''. The following reasons are some of the most common things to look out for if your baby refuses the bottle: Your baby was recently weaned and wants to … A couple of weeks ago he barely ate for 4, almost 5 days, he just wanted milk and nibbled a few things here and there. Babies can be fiercely stubborn. Both were breastfed, and it is my understanding that breastmilk does indeed provide all necessary nutrients. Start by feeding them a few spoonfuls and gauge their reactions. Balancing breast feeding with giving formula has been difficult, but we've managed to do it without too much more of a loss of milk supply. Even though getting your baby started on solids is a significant milestone, your baby is likely to reject solid foods on the first try. This can be frustrating and overwhelming, but all you have to do is make feeding time fun. Perhaps they are just bored. The bad news is they seemed (in her case, at least) to come in bang, bang, bang - one after the other. I know I did my part as a parent. If you are breastfeeding and bottle feeding, it is super common for your … I completely understand your concern! give them things they can mainiplate themselves: soft fruits (peaches, banans), tofu (if your baby is prone to allergies, wait unttil 1 yr), peas, meat, brown rice, whole grain bread--anything you can offer that is soft enough to chew and not a choking hazard. I am still pumping and b/f and my milk productions seems to have remained the same. The more you nurse your baby, the more milk your body will make. If your baby has started on solids, it's best to give them their meal first, and then offer their milk half an hour later. It's funny, but the baby books don't really tell you how to juggle breastfeeding and solids, do they? My doctor says try beefing her up with formula in her cereal and other foods but how do I do that when she won't even open her mouth? My son was eating enormous meals by 10 months, whereas my daughter is 13 months and has gone back and forth between some interest to no food whatsoever. It may be a good idea to have your child sip water after solids and before breastfeeding. She has already lost 8 ounces in 2 weeks. You have to trust that they will eat when they are hungry. Madeleine, Regarding the food/feeding issues...My daughter refused most food until she was nearing 11 months. It's only been 3 weeks, but I haven't noticed any change. I'm concerned she is not getting enough of the ''fat'' in my hindmilk. Get baby even closer to the table. Good luck! If there isn't any real reason that you must freeze milk, then don't! This is a new experience for your baby, so you need to allow them to process it. The doctor may refer you to a specialist who can diagnose specific sensory issues and offer therapeutic treatments to address these issues. We've pretty much given up trying to get her to eat from a spoon. he didn't particularly like any of it. Good luck! Topical pain relief doesn't work well for us, either, especially just before eating. If your baby is still resisting solids at seven or eight months, chat with a healthcare professional. Hope this helps. So I just fed him when he got hungry. For your baby who is refusing to eat solid foods, you can follow these tips to start incorporating solid food to his daily diet without problems. By the time my baby was on solids, he was feeding on a fairly regular schedule. 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