Baby won't eat from spoon

Melanii - posted on 07/25/2011

Not sure I agree with a lot of the Mums, it sounds to me like she's just trying to figure out how a spoon works! Have you ever noticed how a baby pushes their tongue forward when they drink milk from a breast or bottle? That might be what she's doing, both mine did the same thing, even my son who didn't start solids until seven months. I don't think it's a sign she's not ready, my daughter is now ten months and eats mostly what she can feed herself, my very own Miss Independant!

Liz - posted on 04/04/2011

She's not ready for solids yet. When her digestive system is ready, other aspects will also be ready -- like sitting without support, being able to move food to the back of her mouth, grasping with fingers, etc.

Breastmilk or formula has more calories and nutrients than any baby cereal or fruit/veggie purees. Solids in the first year are more for practice and social development than anything they need nutritionally. If your baby is hungry, add more formula to her bottles or give her a bottle more frequently.

Joy - posted on 03/28/2011

I started my son on rice cereal, but put it in a bottle first!!

Noreen - posted on 02/27/2011

She is clearly not ready for rice cereal yet. Babies don't need cereal, well, ever. I baby-led wean. So my children do not get solids until they are around 9months. They are exclusively breastfed until then.

Deanna - posted on 02/18/2011

If she is spitting it out it means shes not ready for cereal or solids. It is a baby's natural defense mechanism to protect themselves. When their bodies are ready for solids they will stop pushing out the food and instead move it to the back of their mouth and swallow. Wait a week or two and try again. Its recommended you do not start solids until 6 months and some babies are not ready for solids until much later.

Samantha - posted on 02/17/2011

I read on the box of gerber rice cereal that you should start your baby on rice cereal if he or she can sit upright with support and lean towards a spoon.. My son is almost 6 months and I started the rice cereal at 4 months because he put everything in his mouth.. He got the hang of it pretty quick and the first time I gave it to him I didn't make it very runny so I think it may have been easier for him to keep it in his mouth rather than it just running right back out

Christine - posted on 02/17/2011

I say keep trying and she will figure it out, if she hasn't already. Wyatt kept pusing it out also, we started right at 4 months becuase he would eat 8oz every three hours and still act like he was starving lol... he now is an "old pro", it took him just under a month to really get it down.. now he gets all excited when he sees the bowl and spoon

Brittany - posted on 02/10/2011

My son is the same age and I started him on veggies a couple weeks ago since he had cereal in his bottle (had reflux issues) He had a hard time getting it at first and it was a little aggravating but I figured out that if you start with your finger until they get use to swallowing it and then when you move on to the spoon, keep the spoon in her mouth until she swallows. Ive been doing that every day now and it works awesome!!! Once he gets the hang of it then Ill feed him normal! I hope it works for you, did wonders for us!!!

Ivana - posted on 02/08/2011

My little one was struggling with the spoon at first - it was more that he didn't know what to do with it - keep the poridge runnier so its easy to swallow and when you put the spoon in her mouth, keep it there so she can 'suck' it off.

Another thing if I can suggest is give her poridge once a day only and as a second meal, give her vegetable (I was told veggies first before fruit as the fruit is sweet and they might not like the taste of veggies = fussy eater). I started with butternut and Daniel LOVES it.

Good luck

Fran - posted on 02/08/2011

i would try it on your finger and perhaps wipe tastes on her lips like a piece of juicy melon or a pear, also would you baby hold their own spoon? Sam grabbed his off me at 3 months and likes to put it in his own mouth while i feed him from another spoon.

Jennifer - posted on 02/08/2011

If she is pushing the cereal out of her mouth, then she is likely just plain not ready to start on it yet. Maybe try adding an extra ounce of formula to her feeds and try again with the cereal in a few weeks.

Jody - posted on 02/08/2011

that seems early to be doing rice cereal. maybe shes just not ready. how much formula is she drinking?

LauraBeth - posted on 02/07/2011

Dr. Sears suggest to use your finger, he said it feels more natural to the child