He won’t eat solids! Gah!!

I've been having a constant battle with Alex and solids. From 4.5 months he showed all the classic signs of wanting to start (waking in the night, watching me eat, trying to grab for my food etc. etc.) but he was never especially interested in eating and he's just been getting worse and worse. He doesn't get upset, but he won't open his mouth for the spoon, and the small amount of food I do manage to get in there just gets spat straight back out again.

I've tried every different food I can think of: Farex, pears, apples, pumpkin, kumara, carrot, banana... I had slightly more success with apples but it was pretty minimal and he won't even eat them now.

I've also tried a number of different sorts of spoons, putting the food into his mouth with my finger, having people stand behind me with toys to distract him, playing 'aeroplanes' with the food...

For the last few days I haven't given him any solids because I'm just not sure what else to do. Anyone want to give me a clue? I'm completely out of ideas here. I would just leave it, but he's basically 6 months old now, and that's when Plunket say he needs to be eating solids

I would leave it a week or so then try again. Are you giving him home made stuff? If so maybe try the jars or conversly if you are giving him jars try home made.

Madison won't eat the jar/tin stuff but will eat homemade. I give her two courses at each meal, so veges then fruit, that way if she doesn't feel like the veg she usually eats the fruit (this is usually lunch time that she is fussy)

It is a matter of trial and error but don't force it. Try a little bit here and there and he will do it when he is ready (even though he has showed the signs take your cue from him). I agree with the others give it a week or two then try a little bit.

I tried a little bit at a time with Hayley and just watched her cues (which was last week) and this week it all fell into place.

As long as he is happy with having his milk just take it one tiny baby step at time

Just to 3rd or 4th what the others have said.. don't stress too much... My first was a little piggy and ate so much from 4months.. my 2nd though has been a really picky little munchkin and many times I've had to stand on my head and dance like a clown to get him to eat. Funny though because in regards to sleep, number 2 son is by FAR the best sleeper..
I don't think Tyde got the hang of eating and 'enjoying' it till he was around 7months, maybe 7.5months.. sometimes he would take, other times he wouldn't, so I just decided NOT to stress and offer him our food when we were eating.. finger foods were good too as he seemed very independent.
All the best ! :)

Well I definitely pulled the short straw with my son! Ten Months almost and STILL not taking to solids!!!

I'm sick of him chucking away every bit of food i give him, or spitting it out when I try feeding him off of a spoon! ....and then he likes to whack the spoon out of my hand so the food goes flying on the ground. Very messy business, and VERY frustrating!

I'm over it.

I wouldn't worry, 6 Months is only a guideline, bub will eat when he/she is hungry, probably still thriving from just their milk at that stage ....or you might be unlucky like me and have a little rascal who puts up a fight everytime!

Lucas is a very big boy and im lucky if he has a small can of food a day, he is still being breastfed. I just have to persevere.

Good Luck. Sorry I had to let off a bit of steam!

Have you tried giving him the solids in between milk feeds, instead of straight after? Or even (I know its not recommended, but it may help him get a bit of a taste for food and it sounds like he is getting adequate milk) trying them before a milk feed? If hes hungrier he may be more interested.
Or like someone suggested, finger food may be more appealing to him.

Have you tried feeding him somewhere other than the highchair? At first Jake seemed a bit umcomfortable in his and preferred to be laying back a little in his rocker.

Good luck!!
I know how frustrating it is - although Jakob is a big eater - he is refusing just about all meats and won't move on to lumps either (power chucked them back at me when I persisted!). I've tried all the tricks I can think of, so I'll just have to wait it out a bit now!

Edited by Nikki

I have tried offering solids to him before a milk feed, but it didn't make any difference. If anything it was a bit worse cos he was hungry and less patient.

BUT putting him in his highchair with pureed pear on the tray and just letting him play with it seems to be starting to work. Today I also put his spoon on the tray, and when I picked it up and offered it to him with some pears on the tip he voluntarily opened his mouth - a big first for him!

So I'll just keep taking it very slowly. I guess we'll get there in time.

Fussy little bugger