Feeding FAQ: 4-6 months – Weaning

My 5mth daughter does not want her solids, despite showing all the signs that she was ready to be weaned

My 5mth daughter does not want any solids. I have been following the weaning guide, but she is not interested. I have to force her to eat any and she never finishes 1 teaspoon of vegetables or baby rice. She drinks approx 800 ml of milk a day and if I try to reduce her 10pm feed she wakes earlier than 7am. Should I stop offering her solids for a while until I see her appetite increases, should I reduce her milk, or should I continue as I am?

My daughter was taking full feeds of 240mls so on the recommendation of my doctor I started to wean. This was to happen at 4mths but she then caught a stomach bug. I waited for this to clear and her appetite to return before beginning to wean her although she did not seem as hungry as she was before she was before the illness.

My daughter feeds at 7am 200mls, 11am, 150-200mls followed by 1teaspoon sweet potato which is rarely finished, 2.30pm, 100-150mls, 6pm 200-240mls followed by 1tsp baby rice with carrot, rarely finished and 10pm, 80-150mls.

She naps at 9-10am, 12-2pm and 4.45-5pm. She settles at 7pm.

Learning to take food from a spoon does take some babies quite a time. A baby needs to learn to suck the food and then move it to the back of her mouth before swallowing. It can take some babies several weeks to really get the hang of this and begin to increase their intake of solids.

It can take several weeks for a baby to recover from illness and for the appetite to fully return, which may explain why your daughter does not seem so hungry now as she did at 4 months. Ask your doctor if he still recommends that you continue to wean. The brand of milk your daughter is on is a thickened one to help with reflux issues. [ Nutrilon 2 AR, Belgium]. If the milk is filling her up, this may be one of the reasons that she is not so willing to take her solid food. Discuss your concerns with your doctor as feeding thickened formulas, as well as those labelled for hungrier babies, can make a difference to how much solid food your daughter is willing to take.

If your doctor advises to continue weaning then keep offering your daughter tastes of solids after her milk feeds, so she still takes her full daily intake of milk. To get her used to being offered food by spoon, as well as from a bottle, make sure you offer her the spoon with a smiling face and encourage her with your voice.