Weaning please help, i'm tearing my hair out!!!

Hi ladies,

I was wondering if any of you had any advice, I am weaning Holly she is 7 1/2 months and I have been weaning her since she was 6 months. She was getting along very well, having 3 little meals a day (eating a good bowlful each meal) plus still BF on demand, but suddenly in the last 3-4 days she basically won't eat hardly any solids. I will end up trying to feed her for an hour and she just keeps her jaw shut most of the time so I can't get any food in, won't open her mouth like normal I have tried everything to get her to open her mouth but she just won't, I'm not going to force feed her. I don't know why she is doing it, I am feeding her the same things like normal, that she likes - weetabix, yoghurt, fruit, veg + meat etc. - even her favourites that she appeared to love, she won't eat I tried new foods and she won't eat those either. She won't take finger foods or anything like that. We tried her with melon and things but she just gagged and threw up

I was so pleased with her weaning but now I feel like a failure Obv. she is still BF so still getting nutrition but she needs solids too!! And she is waking loads in the night for milk because she is not eating as much solids in the day. Any ideas on why she is not taking any food? I haven't changed her routine or anything like that. And I don't get stressed at meal times or anything as I know it's really important not to, as she can pick up on that. I'm worrying that I won't be able to get her to eat now and that she will lose weight

Anyone had anything similar with their babies?

a vey frustrated Rach xx + Holly 7 months

It's a phase or teething i thing......

......... at about 7 and a half months Cadene spent a week point blank refusing to eat especially at dinner....... i was so upset and frustrated..... i tried EVERYTHING and stressed myself right out.......lol... thenshe all of a sudden went back to normal.... could have been teething or just one of those things.... i would jst leave her with some soft banana/avocado sticks and something to dip them in and just let her eat if she's hungry... i know how you feel though hun cause it means they want boob all the time instead.... lol........ honestly it will pass so just let her guide you... easier said than done cause i spent a week thinking she would starve lol......... oh and try amking fruit puree/juice lollies too helps with teething and the weather
take care hunni xx danica and cadene 10 months xx

Sounds like

She could be teething??? I havent had this but a friend of mines little boy will only eat yoghurts, jelly and custard and its all down to his pearly white.

Have you tried finger food??? Maybe she will take something if she can feed herself.

Hi

Thanks for replying hun. I think she has been teething for about the last 2 weeks (no teeth yet though) but this problem has only appeared in the last 3-4 days. I have tried various finger foods many times over he last few weeks, but she will not eat it. She either plays with them and doesn't even put them near her mouth, or makes herself gag and throw up I have tried helping and encouraging her, showing her what to do and I always eat with her but it's not working!

I am getting fed up of all the books magazines etc. I read being about giving her loads of finger foods and things like big lumps in her food and eggs which there is no way she would eat just yet! I feel like all the weaning advice out there is geared to those who wean their babies much earlier, despite the recommedations being to wait until 6 months like I did... My HV, after telling me I 'must wait' and that it was 'far too early' to wean before 6 months, then seemed annoyed when at 6 months I was just starting?? And she didn't give me any advice really except 'she can eat gluten now she is 6 months' and 'don't give her honey until she is 1'...

Rach xx

Finger foods........

.......... i suppose they're all ready at different times........ i weaned cadene at 6 months and by 7 months she was ready for finger foods...... she used to grab the banana off me when i was mashing it and take a bite lol.......... hv's are funny nyway i've never found them particularly helpful...... cadene is a really small eater so i make her high energy things like yoghurt blended with fruit and oats......... i'm sure she'll be back to normal soon hun eating you out of house and home lol......... xx danica and cadene xx

Hey rach,

can imagine how stressful this is, have always worried about Kaitlyns feeding one way or another. I would say it is down to teething though hun, we get the opposite problem and she won't take milk when her teeth are coming through but as we know they all react differently to things and the timing would seem to suggest that is what's causing it. With Kaitlyn I've come to the conclusion it's the sucking motion that hurts her and that's why she goes off her milk, maybe Holly feels it slightly differently and that's why she won't take solids. What you'll probably find is that either a tooth will come through in the next few days or she's just having pain from her gums hardening and that will also settle within a few days, either way things should be back to normal really soon. I know when you have a set back like this it feels like you're doing everything wrong and that it's a permanent state of affairs but it probably isn't, if you can just muddle through for a few more days I honestly think it will settle down again. Obviously you'll know if it goes on too long and you need to get professional advice but for the minute I'd just try to take a deep breath and keep telling yourself not to get too stressed, I'd lay bets she'll sort herself out and you'll be able to look back on this as just an off week. One tip though, try putting teething gel on her gums a few minutes before you feed her, might keep the pain at bay enough for her to have a go at least. Good luck hun, keep us informed.

Love and hugs,
Clare and Kaitlyn (9 months) xxxx

Rach

I wish I could help but Keegan just took to eating - maybe its a boy thing! At first I had to put apple puree in everything but all of a sudden bang - he just started eating WITHOUT a sweet flavour.

Does she do this with all foods such as fruit??? Dont give her lumps especially if you just starting out. Start off with lightly pureed and work up to mashed foods.

Another trick is to maybe not offer her the boob first otherwise she will just fill herself up on the milk and loose interest in her food.