10 Month Old Baby Refuses Solid Foods

My baby went through a phase similar to this at about 8 to 9 months. She started refusing baby food and only wanted a bottle or her Cheerios and crackers. It seems like a lot of it had to do with teething, because once she cut a tooth she went back to eating well. She never really liked baby food after that though and moved on to more solid foods. The teething will really mess with them. It's hard, but try to be patient - good luck!

A.,

I think you have a baby who doesn't like the texture of the foods rather than not liking the foods. Once they get to those stage 3 foods if throws them for a loop. They are used to eating soft, smooth textured foods and once they get chunks they have to learn how to chew and eat them. My guess is the reason he eats cheerios and goldfish so well is because of the sugar and salt taste of them. Those stage 3 foods are alot like stage one and two with no seasoning in them. That's why when it got time for my son to eat stage 3 foods I went straight to table food. I would mash his potatoes, peas, carrots, corn, green beans, and meats very well but he would eat them because they were seasoned and he didn't mind learning how to chew and swallow them. At that age I stuck with having him eat only fruits from the stage 3 baby food and the rest came from what I cooked for dinner. It was a better transition for him. If you're not keen on switching him to table food yet, I would recommend that you keep intrducing the food every day and eventually he will begin to eat. The tend to cling to the bottle when they won't eat the food they are given. I also would give him a sippy cup to eat with his meals too and get rid of the bottles at meal times. But you haven't done anything wrong. Good luck!

A., I'm a pediatric OT. Your baby could have issues with textures. Stage 3 and regular fruits and vegetables have a different texture than pureed. Start by letting your baby have some fun play time with touching things with different textures (finding his favorite small toys in a sand box, or box of macaroni or beans or playdough) with close supervision that small things don't go into his mouth. Do these on a plastic table cloth on the floor. Brush his hands and arms with a soft nail brush or a low vibrator. Later, in a highchair (so he associates the high chair with things he can put into his mouth), let him play/touch food with his hands. Encourage him to lick his fingers, but don't force it. Take a soft toothbrush (or finger brush for infants) or your finger under a rough wash cloth and brush/rub his tongue and inside his cheeks and around his mouth/lips. All of this desensitization will hopefully encourage him to pick up wet or slimy food (ie. bananas, cottage cheese,...) later on and put them in his own mouth (giving him a sense of control/security). This may take several weeks for him to enjoy the food play. Hope this helps.

Both of my boys did this around this time, they were teething. It will get better and the eating will come back to normal! Stay positive~it shouldn't be too much longer!
G.

My first son was a picky "texture" eater. He started on cereal @ about 6 months, we added all sorts of fruits/vegs/meat/lentils/cottage cheese/etc to his diet - but in order for him not to gag on it I had to put everything in the magic bullet and puree to a fine textured mush. You'd be surprised how good turkey,lentil, & cottage cheese mixed together tastes. I would usually have somthing sweet (peaches/cherries/etc) cut up on the side hoping that he would try it - but that didn't happen until 17 months. So yes I was still "feeding him like a baby" well into his toddler period. But, just like everyother stage it passed (just not near as quick as other kids or growth timelines were). Hope this gives you some hope. Don't worry you won't be bottle or spoon feeding a 5 year old;-)
p.s. - my 2nd son wanted to eat steak & broccoli @7 months, same parenting, just a different kid. So no it's probably not you doing something wrong. You just have a very strong willed one there.

Some kids/people just have a very sensitive 'gag reflex' and can't swallow slick chunks of stuff. Does he have teeth? Maybe giving him a little larger chunks/bites of soft foods that he HAS to chew or mash with his tongue before swallowing like boiled potatoes, banana, sweet potatoes, etc. would help, but you need to stay nearby in case of choking on the chunks! Hot dogs, grapes, etc can be real choking hazards. Encourage him to 'chew, chew, chew' (like a train! LOL) all his foods and give him as much stuff as possible that he can feed to himself so as not to further alienate him from the spoon.

The cheerios and crackers probably kind of dissolve in his mouth and he doesn't have to chew them. As more teeth come in he'll do better and better, too.

Oh, and any time anyone (from newborn to over 100) gets slightly choked or strangled, it helps IMMENSELY to just pull their arm straight up beside the head. You can even help yourself this way if you get choked/strangled. Just stick your arm or arms up (we had our kids and now the grandkids to 'praise the Lord' by putting their arms up and they just started doing it whenever they felt choked, and, praise the Lord, it worked!

He probably has a strong gag reflex. Try cutting ripe fruit into small sizes like the cheerios and crackers. If he does not eat it just try again a few days later. I would only cut a small amount so you don't waste it.

Hi A.,

Neither of my kids would eat the stage 3 foods. They didn't like the taste or texture. Go back and try stage 2's or try to feed him little pieces of whatever you're eating. Bits of cheese, scrambled egg, even meat (just make sure it's small pieces), anything. It could just be a Stage 3 food thing or baby food may be too bland now that he's eating goldfish and cheerios. Mine loved holding a spoon while they were being fed, but they did much better eating with a dull-pointed fork. They loved feeding themselves. Sometimes, I'd get 2 forks, hand them one with food and then put food on the other one and keep trading.

Good luck!

they go through phases. don't worry. just keep offering him food. one day, he'll pick it up and eat it. at this age, if he is drinking enough formula or breast milk, that is all he needs. I would continue putting him in his high chair and offering him food. You want to keep the mealtime routine for when he does decide to eat solids again. There are a number of reasons why he might not be eating. He could be teething. My daughter was a horrible eater until she got her molars all the way in. She also wanted to feed herself with a spoon, so I had to give in to that. They are all over the place at this age. It's totally normal. If he starts losing weight or if this fasting phase continues beyond, say, his first birthday, talk to your doc. I remember fretting over this too, and now my little girl is a great eater most days. She'll be two in a couple of weeks.

This happened with us when our little guy was 9 months old. He was teething and it was bad. He stopped eating everything and would only breastfeed for a little over a month. When he finally asked for food while we were having dinner one night. So that was the point when he started eating what we ate, with a few exceptions. To this day (he is 20 mos) he will not eat anything mushy...mashed potatoes, grits, etc... Anyway good luck with you guys. And you have not messed up!!! LOL. Just when you think you've got his habits figured out they all change. Happens way to fast! You are doing great!

A.,
More than likely your son is just not quite ready for the textures of stage 3. And honestly...none of my three boys ever liked stage 3 foods. If he will eat the stage 1 and 2 foods with no problem...try mashing up so banana and sneaking it in with those - increases the texture, but not so much that it is completely unfamiliar to him.

Could be also that he is teething and the cruchy foods soothe his gums a little bit.

Relax, as long as he is eatting something that is okay...just continue to give him healthy options, apple sauce, diced pear, little pieces of cheese, etc and he will come around to the texture. Have you tried canned vegetables? My kids would eat up (and still do at 8,6, and 3) the peas and diced carrots....those are soft and easy for them to pick up with their fingers.

Good Luck!
T.

You seem to be doing everything right to me. Don't feel bad. One thing I tried that really helped me was giving my son a spoon of his own to hold. It was a mess to clean up, but between him trying to feed himself and me sneaking in bites it worked out okay. Also, other mothers always reminded me that boys are just hard-headed. lol

A.,

Don't worry, it is probably only that he is not used to the texture. Keep trying, he will eventually take the food. You are not doing anything wrong. Some babies just take longer with different textures. I know it can be frustrating but just keep trying. Good luck.

Elle

I had a baby boy that was the same way with anything he precieved as "baby food" if it had a "mushy texture" it was not going down...back at me it came...it didn't matter what it was or how good it tasted...But crackers and other hard to chew things like chicken bites, crunchy fries were fine with him. It took almost a half a year before he would even accept pudding and ice cream again

I have a 15 month old who does the same thing. My daughter however will not even eat Cheeriors and Goldfish. She loves her babyfood but refuses anything with texture like the stage 3 with noodles or rice. I have talked to Dr and he says to not push it. He tells me she will eat when she is ready. My 4 year old was the same way but was eatting meats by 15 months old. She is now will eat anything you give her. Good Luck!

Our 2nd son who is now 14 months old sort of did the same thing. I took away his bottle and gave him a sippy cup (non spill so he would not choke) when he was 6 months old-so that one downa nd out of the way. On the solid food part, I put bite size pasta on his tray and let him play with it. Totally against my rules, but I was desperate. After about a day and a half of messes, a piece landed in his mouth and then he learned to self feed. It is just one of those things you wait on. Be patient. My mom told me when I thought our first son was "getting behind" that she had never seen a thirty year old man in a huggies", so I am telling you, purly out of mommy love, "I've never seen a thirty year old man that only drinks milk from a bottle". it will be fine.