Hello friends,

Here I am once again writing to you for help..Like I mentioned before Rishu is saying an absolute NO to any kind of solids. I have tried all the gimmicks that Komal, Vani and others suggested. Played music, danced, dangled toys, TV, sang rhymes etc. Made a big thing for him by putting a nice bib and saying stories. NOTHING is working. So far I have tried rice cereal, oatmeal, bananas, applesauce, and today peaches. Pehle I could at least manage to stuff some spoonsful in his mouth. But now he has learnt to spit it out. He keeps shaking his head so that I cant stuff it in and if I allow him to have his hands free so that he can play with his toys he just pushes the spoon back with both his hands. If on the feeding chair he dangles his head on one side so that I cant get him or pushes his chin down and makes his face unaccessible. If I try and hold him on my lap or like Paddoo suggested with his legs on mine he starts crying as he feels restricted. TV ke paas baitha hain to TV dekhta hain par spoon aate hi sar hilane lagta hain.

Its always one thing or the other.Ab bottle le liya to solids nahi lega.

I feel like crying. I just tried for an hr and couldnt manage to even get in 2 spoons. Came up and closed the door and screamed to myself and then cried to myself. Am feeling really really frustrated. He likes milk though and just had milk which means he was hungry though didnt want solids.

I am in complete despair right now and dont know what to do next. He is 7+ months old now and his body needs solids for him to grow well. Plus my milk is not enough to keep him satisfied. Also, what formula should I use..want to start that asap.

What do I do? I know all of you have given me suggestions earlier but I am again asking you all for some more. I started solids with him on July 15 which is enough time for him to get used to them right?

My brain is not working any more. Each solid session now frightens me. Puneet has also tried a lot and given up.

Am very very depressed. Please help if you can.

-Reena Meenu replied. Hi Reena,

Sounds completely frustrating. But have heart. Feeding solids is actually not that easy a job as it sounds. I feel since u started a bit late may be coz of that he is more reluctant to eat. Trust me my daughter Hiya is on same lines. Nodding head, bubbling it out, spitting out, making mouth inaccessible by pushing her chin down, crying with mota mota tears in her eyes are all her gimmicks too. For me also it takes 30 mins to 1 hr to feed her. Yeah it sounds complete mess. But the thing here is that we cannot give up on them. So here are few tricks which u can try as I also try them on Hiya. I would also like to mention that they are all time consuming ways bt worth a try

1. Play with the spoon: As u put any solid in his mouth don’t take out the spoon quickly keep it in till he swallows. You can toss the spoon gently and make it go round round. He may take some in and throw some out. But be alert with the spoon, as soon as he takes it out collect it back into the spoon and push it back into the mouth and repeat. Obv u have to create funny sounds also while doing that.

2. Singing toy or any of his interactive toys: Any of his fav toys, which he can stare endlessly. I mean which catches his attention. Keep it playing. While his attention is fixed on that you can play with his mouth. Hiya has a toy that sings rhymes and blinks light. She likes it a lot. You can try it out. It is a good idea to keep that toy on a height so that he can keep his chin high. May be u can ask ur husband to hold it up or something like that.

3. Fooing air: Don’t know if it works with everybody. Once I manage to put food into Hiya’s mouth and she refuses to gulp it down. I GENTLY foo air or whistle in front of her face that makes her to breathe and hence results in gulping down the food.

4. Making spoon an airplane: I hold the spoon up high in the air make it go round round on my head, her head with a thick zooooooooooooooooooo sound and finally in her mouth. They tend to open mouth a bit while looking up and Step 1 continues.

5. Engage them in talking: It mostly works if somebody else is talking to Hiya. My husband makes her smile or laugh and ends up opening her mouth. And continue with Step 1.

6. Kissing and clapping loud: Once they are thru with one bite kiss him many time with clapping. Passing to him sense of achievement.

7. Most importantly, you may have not to do any of these if u don’t feed him till he is hungry. Being mothers we feel like feeding our babies all the nutrition. Veggies bhi khana hai, fruits bhi khana hai, cereal bhi, dood bhi, juice bhi and pani bhi. So that they get all the nutrition that is reqd in a day. Don’t know about others but I am like that. I discovered it recently, I tght Hiya did not like cereal till now but yesterday when we came back home after she taking her 6 mo shots, I did not gave her evening snack (fruits). Didn’t feel like torturing her after the shots so I kept her like that till her dinner time arnd 7:30 pm. Guess what she started crying for food. Even her thumb sucking didn’t help her. That is when I gave her cereal that too with moong daal ka pani and juice mixed. She didn’t like it much bt ate it as she was hungry. But strated her nakhras again half way thru. So I started the tricks again. So the key thing here is hunger. They may eat a little if they are not fed till they are hungry. This means going without food for may be 5-6 hrs. in between keep on feeding with little milk may be ounce or two in order to keep him hydrated.

This was all if u want him to get into the routine of solids. I am sure u know at this age milk still remains the primary source of nutrition

This was a long one from me. Hope this helps along with the valuable inputs from other too. You shall overcome it soon. In US we can say... jiska koi nahin uska to khuda hai yaaro :)

Keep Smiling

Meenu
komal replied. Reena,
try karo shaayad home made ...take a very ripe banana and mash it with your hands...shaayad rishu might like it...keep continuing with the same food for 4-5 times .
Or try boling carrots and mash them in blender and feed...
telling u this because these are megha's favourites...shge never fusses for these 2 things.
love
komal swathi replied. Hi Reena,

Don't feel depressed..i know it is easier to say. It takes lot of patience with babies. My daughter used to be very picky eater..even now. I started veggi/fruits for her when she was 8 or 9 month old. You said you started him on solids from july 15th right..give him some more time..try to give him solids when he is hungry and see. you made him to take the bottle with lot of effort right that way he will pick up his solids too, don't get frustrated. They need lot of distraction to eat. Make some funny sounds to make him laugh then when he opens his mouth try to put lil bit in his mouth. Also try to mix cereal with bmilk/formuls/water etc. One good thing is he likes milk na? my daughter used to hate milk..it was a ordeal to feed her. It took 2 years to make her to take the milk by herself until that time we used to give milk thr' the spoon,cup,bottle..etc. I don't know kids are like that it seems they have to make up their mind(?) or something should click.
I saw Rishu's snaps(I always login to groups.yahoo so didn't find it earlier). I must say he looks like a porcelain doll..very fair and cute. He looks like a happy baby..doesn't look like he give sleeping/eating trouble to you. Think it is just a phase and will get over it soon..next year this time he'll be walking and talking lil fellow..

take care and love to L Rishu,
Swathi
Chaya replied. Hi Reena,
I know how it feels....each feeding session is a big headche for me....hey y dont u try the method i use? i put her on the carpet and incline her on a pillow . I sit near her head keeping the food next to me on the floor....feed her one spoon , danle some toys & when she swallows, feed her again....thus my hands will be free....it tough for us...but as far as they eat i dont mind...again there r times when she rools to get her feeding cup & i need to put her back....so it just a trick...it will be easy once u get to know how to tackle him....if he likes water...feed him a spoon...then he will again open his mouth for the next spoon....then feed him a spoon of solids....thats how i do.....i also mix some salt with the veggie & formula powdre with cereal & a bit sugar for apple for taste....try this...who know something might just click...while feeding try to distract him so he wont know that he is eating...
I am using Enfamil....felt it was good..
Luv to Lord R,
Chaya