My son won't eat baby food any longer.

Jody - posted on 01/28/2010

My 14month old is all about feeding himself I think its great!!! We stopped with baby food before he was 1. I say tey lots of different foods he can eat with his fingers. As for the milk thats pretty important I would think. Have you talked to a health nurse or dietician about this problem. My son wont do milk out of a cup or sippy but will do a bottle so thats what we do. You could try different cups, its a pain but its worth it if you can find one that will work. I think independence is a great thing!!!! If you are needing some solid advice call a health nurse or health link. I call my health nurse all the time,lol. Good luck

Jen - posted on 01/21/2010

It takes (on average) 15 times for a food to be introduced before a baby will accept it. (Of course, this refers to when the baby doesn't accept it the first time). I believe I read this on the What to Expect webpage.

Jen - posted on 01/21/2010

You've got to get him to drink milk! Even if you add a drop or two of chocolate syrup. He really needs 3 cups a day. My little guy loved the Nuby cups when we first transitioned him over to cups, as it has a softer spout, similar to a bottle.

Also, when he did not want baby food any longer, but also didn't use silverware, someone gave me the tip to give him something to feed himself, while I spoon (or fork) fed him. It worked! I would give him avocado, or cherrios for him to eat himself, and in between I was able to get in a spoonful of either baby food, or big-kid food on a spoon.

After a while of doing this, he stopped! : )

Good luck...

Jamie - posted on 01/20/2010

I talked to our pediatrician about my 13 month old's eating habits. He told me that we should give him a handful of whatever we're eating. I was also concerened about him not drinking milk, but the dr said to keep giving it to him and eventually he wil drink it. Right now he will only take milk if I heat it up and put it in a bottle. But I just cut up whatever we're eating and put it on his high chair tray since he won't take it from a spoon. He loves french toast, fish, pasta with some butter, bananas, carrots. Just keep trying different things.

Nermeen - posted on 01/20/2010

This is an important step in their development, my son hasn't had baby food since before he turned one. I give him whatever we are eating and he loves it. I have tried getting him to eat with a baby fork which he adores. He holds the fork while I put the food on it and he aims for his mouth.

Miriam - posted on 01/20/2010

Thanks all for your comments. It seems I am not the only one with this problem. Will be trying out the straw for drinking milk. Maybe it works. Will keep our fingers crossed. Re food, I guess will just keep introducing small bits of our food and hopefully he'll increase consumption by time. Tks again for the ideas.

Felicia - posted on 01/19/2010

I feed our son whatever we are eating for dinner. We just cut it up smaller and throw it on the tray of the highchair and he's happy. Does he get upset when he see's everyone else at the dinner table eating? I would say give him what you guys are eating.

Heather - posted on 01/19/2010

my son (14months) stopped baby food as soon as i introduced finger food at about 10months, not really an issue as long as hes getting good food otherwise. as for the milk thing i would try the sippy cup thats not like a bottle, or even a cup with a straw...my little one loves to drink outta a straw, if that goes well try a sports bottle...good luck

Hannah - posted on 01/19/2010

My little girl is the same and it gets really frustrating and even upsetting. She is nearly 14 months and she is still not heavy enough to travel in a front facing car seat. I have tried alsorts, letting her feed herself, which is really messy and ends up on the fall instead of her mouth, the only things I seem to be able to get her to eat is yogurt, some fruits and cottage pie that is almost pureed.

Samantha - posted on 01/18/2010

Hi, My little girl very rearly eats from a spoon anymore so i just put it on the high chair table & she eats it with her fingers. I feed her macaroni with different sauces on, scrambled egg or boiled egg, all types of meat & she eats it all with her fingers.A messy affair but at least she eats.Chelsea drinks from a sippy cup but prefers a real glass( i use a whiskey glass). In the afternoons i give Chelsea cooked veg in a bowl which she eats with her finger on a mat in the lounge. Hope this helps.

Alicia - posted on 01/18/2010

I put my son in a highchair, give him a spoon, and put a plate of mashed potatoes, sweet potates, or anything soft, and lets him have add it.....They will learn to eat with a spoon, but most babies like to do it by themslves.... My son is 14months old now and has now gotten the spoon thing down pat.. When he eats anything, reguardless of what it is, I give him a spoon, so that he can get the concept. I used to work in a day care, so I got a lot of pointers from there...when he gets hungry, he will eat. My oldest son is now three and he has acid reflux and has a hard time drinking milk. As long as he is eating things with dairy products, he should be ok...Children can be so picky. You might want to try a different type of milk. I ove the organic milk. It has a great taste, and it last soo much longer in the frigde than regular milk...

Kristina - posted on 01/15/2010

my daughter has been eating what we eat since before her first birthday, she likes to do it her self and has a fit when we try to spoon feed her... my advice is they know when there ready for bigger ppl food, if she/he wants it let them have it (healthy food of course)

Cathelijn - posted on 01/15/2010

My daughter loves to feed herself if we try to feed her she will refuse to eat. She loves little snacks all through the day. She never ate any jarred food because she did not like it and if I would cook for her she would eat anything.



She is not a great fan of milk either she might have a bottle in the evening before bed but it is still formula if I give her cow milk she will just cry.



I try to give her as much calcium based things like yoghurt an I make milkshakes for her with fruit and cow milks and give it to her in one of those cups with a straw attached.

Ruby - posted on 01/15/2010

same here! my baby won't eat babyfood at all! not even the toddler meals! she has 10 teeth and she likes meat only and carrots! i usually give her the luncables turkey crackers and cheese bcs she loves to feed herself or use the spoon on her own. it's so messy! i also let her eat muligrain cheerios, apple chunks and sweet tangerines. everything i feed her is cut up in lil squares. i cook vietnamese food and usually she eats too but its very hard bcs she's gotten to the point where she will spit out food she don't like! she only eats carrots and spinich but not any other veg. i feed her throughout the day with snacks too so she doesn't get hungry. i'm afraid she'll lose weight. she's been 21lbs since she was 8 months old! oh she also loves bananas! basically anything she can eat on her own!

Jessica - posted on 01/14/2010

my lil girl did this 2 with food, she went from hot 2 cold over nite, she is now eating more veggies thoe, i found if u steam them in the fresh bags they r moist enuff for them 2 eat and they like the tast spec. with a lil butter or salt. and apples work wonders 2, and it helps fight off dehydration as well, oh and try cranapple juice they love that most of the time with half water. hope this helps at least a lil

Sinead - posted on 01/14/2010

Hi there - we're lucky with our little guy he'll eat and drink anything!

Have you tried giving him some pieces of cut up fruit - bannana, grapes, melon, strawberries,mango , oranges etc.... it sounds like he enjoys feeding himself rather than being fed. Same thing applies with hot potato chips, sandwiches, small pieces of quiche, pasta etc basically anything that they can hold themselves. Rice crackers are another great one. Steamed veggies cut into chuks are another good one - carrots, broccoli, green beans - anything they can pick up and handle usually works well.
Quinn loves to drink through a straw... maybe introducing one of those would encourage you little one to try milk, juices etc...

Bottom line is they won't starve themselves... if they're hungry / thirsty - they'll eat / drink!

Ruth - posted on 01/14/2010

I feed my little one pieces of soft sweet potato, and full-fat cottage cheese, as well as raisins, prunes (cut in pieces), and pieces of bread. That's what she has for lunch most days. For dinner, I give her whatever we're having, just cut up in smaller pieces. She doesn't always eat it, but I keep offering it, and she's not starving.

Have you tried a sippy cup that isn't shaped like a bottle? Or maybe, with a little bit of assistance from you, drinking a little bit out of a cup? My little girl keeps wanting to be more independent--once she moved on to finger food, she didn't want to be spoon-fed anymore.