Feeding,

Jessica - posted on 05/18/2010

try making veggie patties with a little chicken or beef mince. This worked well for my son, we can out his little patties on a little plate for him and all sit at the table, i cut them up very small and feed them to him.

also try mashed veggies together, i know you said he wont eat most veggies, but if they are on your plate, he will most likely eat them, and then once he gets used to it you can do his own little plate too.

Like becca said babies are very good at knowing when they are hungry or full so dont be worried. My son sometimes goes a few days on minimal solids nd other days he wants solids more than milk, just make sure you always offer his milk first and solids about an hour after. if he still refuses solids try giving him a rusk or a biscuit these seem to be fun for babies they can still crawl around if they want and cos they get to hold it, they like it, and helps their gums if they are teething.

if he doesnt like the jar foods try giving it to him in a bowl like daddy instead of in the jar, or you can slightly puree some fruits for him and mix in some baby yogurt and out in a small bowl.

hope this helps, good luck =))

Becca - posted on 05/17/2010

Some things that are helpful to keep in mind when introducing solids are:

1. Your child will not voluntarily starve himself at this age. So as long as you keep offering he will eat as much as he needs.

2. Children normally go through periods where they eat very little or very little variety followed by periods where they eat tons. If your child is refusing the food you are currently offering try something from a different food group as they may be needing different nutrients at that time.

3. A child will not leave themselves nutrient deficiant as long as they are being offered a wide variety of whole foods (food that has not been processed like fresh vegetables, fruit, meats, eggs, etc.). The human body is able to recognize from tasting the nutients in the food that you are eating (this is why people sometimes crave certian foods), however, artificial flavors, preservatives, sweeteners/sugar, and added salt interfere with the body's abiltity to self regulate. So be careful to only offer food that is low sodium/salt free, sugar free and free of other additives (colours, flavors, preservatives, etc.).

4. Most baby foods or snacks marketed to babies are very bland or filled with sugar and salt.They also do very little for teaching your child to chew. If your child likes to self feed let him. You may want to try cutting fruit into wedges for him to eat he may like the sweetness and the fruit has natural sugars as well as lots of vitamins that are good for him.

5. Children are great imitators. So, avoid eating food your child can't have in front of him. If you really must have a treat go into a different room or wait until he is asleep to have it. Also, eat with your child. If you give your child a plate of steamed vegetable sticks try eating one or two off of his plate he may surprize you and try the food because he wants to copy you.

6. Children have to aclimate to a new food before they will eat it. It can take ten or more times before your child will even eat a new food and longer before he grows to like it. So it is important to keep offering but not forcing your child to eat. If you are having trouble with getting him to eat vegetables try putting steamed vegetable sticks on his highchair tray, let him play with them and pick them up or eat them in his own time. Don't worry if he's not actually eating them he will when he's comfortable.

6. Respect your child's preferences. No one likes every food they try we all have preferences even babies. If he clearly hates a food and even after months of repeat introductions he still refuses it don't force him to eat it. Some children will refuse certian foods because of undiagnosed allergies or intollerances and force feeding these foods to them can make your child very ill. Force feeding can also mess with your child's hunger cues and can actually teach him to over eat.

7. It is okay to season (add spices but avoid salt or sugar) your child's food. Some children eat better if their food is more flavourful and others prefer food that is more bland. Experiment to see what level of seasoning your child prefers.

8. REMEBER, formula and breast milk are all your child needs nutricianally for the first year. Solids are for practice and variety. Even if your child refused solid food all day, as long as you are feeding as much breastmilk/formula as he wants he is not starving. Some children will go off solids temporarily while they are sick, teething or even if they are just over stimulated. It's better to stay relaxed about meal times. Your child will be able to tell if you are anxious and will become anxious as well, making him less likely to eat well.

I hope that helps.