Feeding FAQ: 6-9 months – General Food Refusal
My almost 9 month son is beginning to clamp his mouth shut when offered his solids
For about the last 3 weeks, my son who is almost 9 months old has been refusing breakfast solids after being giving most of his milk. I have ignored this and offered him toast of which he eats some.
Over the past 10 days, he is now refusing to eat anything that I offer to him on a spoon. He clamps his mouth shut and goes bright red in the face in refusal. This was just happening at lunchtime but is now happening at tea as well. I did think it might be his teething as he has a 5th tooth coming through, but he goes to nursery one day a week and always feeds well there. His twin brother is a good feeder and consistently eats a good amount. Because there are 2 of them, I do not have the time to spend with him, so if he doesn’t want it, I tend to ignore him and carry on feeding his brother. I am worried that he will be losing weight. I am offering finger foods, which he has a go at eating, but most of it ends up elsewhere!
So far it does not seem to have affected his sleep, but I want to sort this out before he does start waking from sleep hungry.
He takes Ready Brek or Weetabix at breakfast with fruit. A piece of toast is offered. Lunch; 4tbsp lamb mince and mashed potato; he eats 3 spoons, organic yogurt. Tea; 3tbsp leek and potato soup: he eats 5 spoonfuls, apple pieces offered.
Now that your twins are almost 9 months old they will probably not be so hungry for their milk first thing in the morning. Begin to offer it in a beaker along with their cereal. If his disinterest continues try a different cereal as some babies do get bored with the same one or two cereals offered daily.
At meal times offer him a spoon to hold and encourage him to have a go at feeding himself. Begin with easy things such as mashed potato which will stay on his spoon quite well. It may take him a while to get the hang of feeding himself but will keep him absorbed and he will not notice that you are also feeding him.
Continue to offer him finger foods. This is another skill which needs to be learnt. Try with steamed vegetable batons and offer them with a dip. Show him how to dip his vegetables in. Use pieces of bread roll to spread with a casserole dish. Offer this to him while you are feeding him from his bowl. Having something to hold in their hands and to keep them occupied will often help with babies of this age who are on a food strike. When you are giving a thick vegetable soup give him a finger of toast or mini sandwich to dip into it.
Begin to push lunch onto 11.45/12 noon. Now they are older they will be able to wait longer unless they had a very short morning nap and maybe too tired to eat lunch properly.