When your baby won’t eat solids, it can be stressful. Learn why your baby is refusing food and how to get them to eat solid foods with 7 simple steps!
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The spoon hits the floor.
Your baby makes a nasty face.
They might even shudder or gag.
All from a bite, or an attempt to feed your baby solid foods. It’s totally unexpected when babies respond with such disdain for baby food or table food. As parents, we’re often excited about this new milestone and it’s shocking when your baby won’t eat solids.
In real life though, it’s quite common for babies to gag on solids, seem uninterested, and outright refuse food.
While knowing it’s “normal” for babies to not seem interested in solid foods, even though everyone else’s baby seems to be gulping it down by the jar full, it still leaves the question, “How do you get a baby to eat solids?”
Well, I happen to know a thing or two about that. First, because I’ve personally helped a lot of families get their babies eating solids as a pediatric occupational therapist with over a decade of experience, but also because I’ve been there with my own son…
Going through it as a mom was a whole different ball game.
Of course, I knew that it was normal for babies to refuse baby food when it was first introduced, and I also knew that some babies didn’t much prefer baby food, but my Momma heart was worried. The worrying got worse when I watched my son act like he could’ve cared less about the delicious homemade sweet potatoes that I whipped up, as he turned his face away and threw the spoon across the room.
Meal after meal.
Day after day.
And, week after week.
With each passing day that he refused to eat solids, I got more worried, and more frustrated as I’d watch the food I’d prepared literally go down the drain. There came a point when I knew I needed to do more, to put some of my OT skills to use in my home, and that’s what I’m going to share with you here, because I know how stressful it is when your sweet adorable little baby won’t eat solids.
By the end of this guide, you’ll know :
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- Why your baby is refusing solids
- Why they used to eat solids, but don’t anymore
- How to get them to eat solids and table foods
- Ways to get them more help (if you need it)
We have specific guides as well for toddlers that refuse to eat and preschoolers and school aged kids that refuse to eat.
Why Your Baby Won’t Eat Solids
There are a lot of factors that can actually play a role in any baby’s refusal to eat solid food. We’re going to walk through each of them below, but know that the reason your baby isn’t eating solids could be any one or combination of them. With a little detective work, you’ll figure it out!
Also, age has a little do with it, and will help you hone in on what’s going on.
6 or 7 Month Olds That Refuse Solids:
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- Baby isn’t ready yet – 6 months of age is the perfect time to introduce baby to solid foods, but sometimes the baby isn’t ready. Actually, this is really common when the baby is closer to 4 and 5 months old if you’re starting a little earlier, but is still totally normal at 6 months of age.
Babies are still learning how to move their tongue and bring toys to their mouth, which helps them get used to having foreign objects in there. Each baby is unique and yours may just need some practice if they are in this age range.
They also may still be developing good trunk and head control, without it, eating is difficult!
Check out the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations for introducing food and make sure your baby is ready for solids. You can also find my guide to Introducing Solids with more details on milestones to look for when 6 months old.
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- A strong tongue thrust reflex – Most babies usually lose this reflex that helps them not choke if something accidentally gets into their mouth around 4-6 months, but it may linger for some.
If you notice that your baby still thrusts their tongue out every time you touch the spoon to their lips, they may need a little more time. It’s really hard for them to eat when they keep shoving their tongue out of their mouth!
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- Doesn’t like the way food feels – Solid food is something so new and unfamiliar to babies, it can take a while for them to get used to the new texture in their mouth. Many babies do in fact get used to the feeling of solids, but some don’t.
Read more about that below under sensory.
8, 9, or 10 Month Olds That Refuse Solids:
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- Sensory – By 8 months of age, most babies are ready from a developmental standpoint, and at this age, it’s definitely time to get the ball rolling, but some babies (like my son) still refuse. One of the most common reasons why older babies still won’t eat solids is because they don’t like the texture.
This boils down to the way their brains are thinking about (or processing) the sensory input they feel (aka the food in their mouth).
This isn’t a bad thing and doesn’t necessarily mean they have any kind of diagnosis, but it does mean we need to take some extra steps to help them tolerate the texture of food better. You can head to sensory issues with food to learn more.
Babies that are sensitive to different textures usually gag immediately at the sight, touch, or taste of food.
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- Coordination – Eating actually requires a lot of muscle coordination from opening the mouth, pulling food off of a spoon, closing the mouth, and effectively swallowing.
We take this for granted and don’t even think about it, but for some babies, it just isn’t coming natural.
Babies that are having difficulty with coordination, or oral motor skills (find exercises with that link,) usually gag when trying to swallow or after getting the food into their mouth.
Or, the food may fall out frequently, and babies won’t eat solids because they just don’t know how. When they don’t know how to eat, it isn’t that fun, and there isn’t a lot of interest.
If gagging is something you’re concerned about or is happening often, read more in guide on baby gagging.
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- Food allergies – Believe it or not, sometimes babies will avoid certain types of foods because they’ve associated an upset tummy with the yogurt or cheese for example. It doesn’t happen all the time, but it’s something to consider, especially when it’s very specific allergenic food.
The most common types of food allergens are dairy, egg, soy, wheat, tree nut, peanut, fish, and shellfish. Severe eczema is another indicator that food allergies might be present.
Sometimes, signs become more obvious when cow’s milk is introduced.
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- Not into baby food – While this is probably the least likely reason your baby is refusing solids, it is possible.
If you’ve consistently offered baby food or infant cereal with no interest from your baby and you don’t see any of the sensory or coordination signs we talked about above, then you might just might want to move on to table and finger foods.
One way to do that is using a Baby Led Weaning approach, before you do that though read my BLW pros and cons.
Why Baby Won’t Eat Solids Anymore (They Used to?)
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- Some teething babies won’t eat – While it’s not as common, some babies start off eating baby food and then suddenly stop. A frequent cause of this is teething, and some babies teethe for a very. long. time. If your baby’s teeth are swollen, red, and seem to hurt, then this is likely the cause.
Try putting some teething gel on their gums 15-20 minutes before a meal. If you see an improvement, this is likely the culprit. Here’s a natural teething gel I like, but check with your doctor first.
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- Going through a phase – Babies may get a little bug or slight cold that we aren’t even aware of or have some negative experience with food that seemed too minor to us as the parent, but makes them leery of eating.
If it’s the latter, some sensory sensitivities can develop if a baby goes for a while without eating any food. If this is the case for your baby, you’ll want to follow the steps below and focus on not pressuring your baby to eat. It’s really important that mealtimes are a positive experience.
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- They’ve outgrown baby food – If your baby is later in their 7th month or older, they may just be sick of solid baby food and ready for the real deal table and finger foods. That may mean it’s time to change up baby’s diet!
I know that seems scary and makes some parents nervous. Don’t worry though, if you think this is why your baby suddenly won’t eat solids anymore, then head to how to transition to table foods.
How to Get Your Baby to Eat Solids
1. The absolute first thing I do with a baby not eating solids is to put a scoop of baby food or some other pureed food like yogurt onto the tray of their high chair.
I know, the mess. It’s soooo important for babies to get messy though! If you’re skeptical, you’ve got to read: Why Babies Should Get Messy Eating. It will totally change your perspective and give you the inspiration to embrace the mess.
2. Encourage your baby to touch the food, but don’t force. Be silly and keep it light. Demonstrate.
If they refuse, try and try again. In fact, at every single meal, put a dollop of that food on their tray or even in a bowl that they can play with and touch. If they won’t touch after a few attempts, offer a spoon for them to stick into the food too.
This is one of my favorite beginner spoons that makes it really easy for baby to get some food onto it.
3. Once your child touches the solid food, you’re on your way! Allow them to touch, spread, and put it all over the tray and themselves. This is wonderful for their sensory processing and will make a huge difference in helping them get used to the texture of solids.
If they get upset once they’ve touched the food, or that they are now all messy, be very calm and reassuring.
Have a wet washcloth ready and quickly wipe them down. And, if this is how they respond, it’s a sign that you need to practice playing with these foods a lot! The more they touch and interact with the food, the closer they’ll be to eating it.
4. When baby has the food on their hand and they’re at least tolerating it, show them how to take their hand to their mouth, so they can taste it. You may need to demonstrate if baby won’t let you guide their hand.
Repeat this several times. After they eat from their hands several times, offer them some solid foods from a spoon.
5. You can also give them a large whole raw carrot or celery stalk at meals. I mean the whole darn thing. The point isn’t for them eat it (and if they can get pieces of it off, take it away), but for them to put it into their mouth.
When they do this, it helps desensitize their gag reflex and they get to practice biting, chewing, and moving their tongue around. It’s amazingly powerful and can make a big impact in a baby accepting solid foods. Make sure you demonstrate and keep offering at every meal.
6. Be consistent and patient. I can’t stress this enough, even though it’s often easier said than done! Have regular meals and follow the above steps 1-3 times a day for every meal. You can find sample schedules for babies ages 6 – 7 months, 8 – 10 months, and 11 -14 months if you’d like a guideline to follow.
7. Focus on meals being positive experiences for the baby, even if they aren’t eating anything. As parents, we can bring a lot of stress with us to meals, which can be hard to hide. But, this is definitely a “fake it til you make it” kind of situation.
Take a deep breath, put on a happy face, and work on the above steps. Going into the meal with no expectations of them eating anything will also help keep your frustration level down.
I highly recommend grabbing a seat in my free online workshop to help learn more…
In it, you’ll learn 5 Easy changes parents can make to help babies and toddlers eat table food well! It’s an eye opener and will help you take steps to give them the best start with eating table foods well (even if it already isn’t going well):
Strategies to Use Outside of Meals for Baby’s Refusing Solids
There are a few really powerful strategies you can use away from the highchair that will directly impact your baby eating solids during meals. Might seem strange, but if you suspect your baby is refusing because of sensory or coordination difficulties, doing these activities can be total game changers:
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- Brush their teeth – If you haven’t started yet, brush their teeth, and when you do, make sure you’re getting all over their gums and the sides, as well as the top of their tongue.
It only takes a few seconds, but it helps to both desensitize their mouth and improve coordination because the tongue gets practice moving in different directions. If your baby doesn’t like it, take it slow, and try often.
The more often you brush, the bigger the effect. Try for one to three times a day, and consider a vibrating toothbrush (yes, even for babies) for more powerful input in their mouth.
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- Play in sensory bins – That may be a new term to you or you might be wondering what the heck that has to do with eating, but playing in different textures is super powerful and helps the sensory system understand different textures better.
This correlates directly to eating. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen a kiddo that plays in sensory bins frequently, suddenly start eating more foods (my son included). Head to Sensory Bin Ideas to learn how to set one up.
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- Chew on toys – So many babies that won’t eat solids never put toys or teethers in their mouth, which is really easy to overlook. If this is your baby, pull out a bunch of different teethers and have them around the house.
Demonstrate. Dip them in food or juice. Play with them in the bath. The more often they get teethers and toys into their mouths, the more it will help improve the coordination their mouth muscles need to eat and desensitize their gag reflex and sensory system.
I really love this teether because it gets in the back of the mouth and this one vibrates (all my friends get it from me at their baby shower).
Help for the Baby Not Eating Food
I’m not just talking about solid baby food or purees. You may have a baby that won’t eat any type of food, like puffs, cut up fruit, or toast. They’re getting older and older. You’re getting worried.
Following the above steps will be incredibly important for your babies too, especially the strategies for outside of a meal. But, you’ll also want to use the steps I outline in getting your baby to eat table foods.
That’s a whole different animal all within itself, and there are some targeting tips that can make all the difference in your baby eating food.
You’ll want to focus on small pieces, and by 9 months of life be attempting table or finger foods.
While I don’t want you to worry, I know it’s tempting to keep waiting it out, and unfortunately, some doctors advise this quite often. This often does not help your baby to learn to eat wide variety of foods.
Babies instinctively learn to chew between roughly 8 and 11 months of age, when they move past that, it can be much harder for them to accept foods. It’s not impossible, and the same steps apply for older children, but it’s much better to be proactive then taking a “wait and see” approach.
Puffs, lil cheese curls, and baby mum mum’s are all great for baby’s first foods.
When to Get More Help for a Baby Not Eating Solids
If your baby doesn’t like solid baby food and won’t accept any table foods of finger foods by 9 months old, it’s a good idea to get an evaluation either from the free early intervention program in your state or from a feeding therapist.
You can also read more about typical feeding milestones for babies just to have a reference point. As I said earlier, all babies develop at a different pace and needing a little more help is very common.
Get My Free Printable: Learn to Eat Table Foods Cheat Sheet
There seem to be more questions than answers when you’re under the daily stress of your baby or toddler not eating table foods. Not to mention all of the well-intentioned bad advice that’s often given. Let’s clear that up.
I’ve created a free 4 page guide that clearly lists the steps to teach your baby or toddler to eat table or finger foods, plus a FAQ guide for parents to ease their worries when their babies won’t eat!
More on My Baby Won’t Eat Solids
How to Teach Your Baby to Self-Feed
How to Teach Your Baby to Drink from a Straw
The Best Mealtime Utensils and Tools for Babies
Click here to Pin This! (You’ll have as a quick reference)
Alisha Grogan is a licensed occupational therapist and founder of Your Kid’s Table. She has over 19 years experience with expertise in sensory processing and feeding development in babies, toddlers, and children. Alisha also has 3 boys of her own at home. Learn more about her here.
Hello.
My baby daughter is 7 month old now and I am trying her to eat from 4 months but she takes nothing except than mother feed. Doesn’t open her mouth for anything and when i try hard she closes her mouth so hard. And when I keep on trying she cries so so much. Please help and guide me what should I do.
Hi Rida! Thanks for reaching out! Just be patient and keep practicing! Offer and place purées in front of her on her tray. Allow her to touch/feel/play with her food- it may be messy, but this will be a great way for her to get used to these different textures and help with any sensory sensitivities. We also encourage promoting a no-pressure environment- allowing her to eat however much or little she wants without any force. You can also try giving her teethers and using a baby toothbrush to brush the insides of her mouth. That helps to desensitize their mouth. We have a free workshop that talks about solid foods! Save your seat here!
Best,
Kalyn
My daughter just turned 1 and only eats a range of flavoured custard iv tried everything she did have temporary hyperthyroidism when she was first born she will drink her formula iv just switched to a 12 months up formula due to not eating potato pumpkin basically anything savoury if you will oh and she eats mixed fruit purees I mean if she can eat those two mixed with formula she should be eating nutrient flavours 🙂 I’m fully uncertain she rejects like everything is yucky otherwise being 1 I was just wondering how I would get her to branch to veg n meat due to iron and certain factors
Hi Nadine! Thanks for reaching out! We recommend continuing to offer a variety of foods with different flavors, working your way up through different textures. If she’s only had purées at this point, start with meltable puffs to help teach her how to chew a crunchy texture. Once she has that down, you can try offering some soft cubed table foods. Try putting food on her tray and allow her to use her hands to touch, feel, and feed herself. You can even try pre-loading a spoon and setting it on her tray for her to practice picking up the spoon and bringing it to her mouth to eat. Also, since she’s still drinking formula, it’s possible that she’s filling up on formula and therefore not hungry for food. Try transitioning off formula and gradually replacing her formula bottles with meals/snacks. You might also benefit from our free workshop centered around table foods! Click here to save your seat!
Best,
Kalyn
My 9 month old (7.5 adjusted) eats at most 1 ounce of purée. We’ve been doing purées since 6 months. Lately he’s been totally rejecting them but when I give him finger foods, he chokes and ends up vomiting – even French fries. I don’t know what to do.
Hi Amber! Thanks for reaching out! Carefully monitor all new foods. Some coughing and an occasional gag is normal. If you are seeing this frequently, the texture you are giving him may be too difficult. Wait a week or so before introducing it again and then proceed slowly. Discuss persistent gagging and choking with your doctor. We would recommend continuing to practice with the purées and getting him used to those before moving on to those other solids with different textures. Once you feel like he’s ready, try practicing with meltable baby puffs! These will help teach him how to chew and use those oral muscles. If he still struggles with gagging, try using a toothbrush to brush the insides of his mouth. This will help strengthen his oral muscles and desensitize his gag reflex. For more information and tips, check out our post here!
Best,
Kalyn
My son is almost 18 months and still refuse food. He’ll eat crackers, baby purée and still on formula but no other food. His school and is continue to try different type of food but haven’t been successful. Any suggestions?
Hi Harriet! So sorry to hear that your son is having a hard time with eating solids. Since he’s rejecting most solid foods, he may need help with his sensory/oral motor skills. Try using a toothbrush to brush the insides of his mouth- this will help desensitize his gag reflux and strengthen his oral muscles. He may also need help adjusting to different food textures. Try putting the food on his tray and allow him to use his hands to touch, feel, and feed himself. It may be messy, but this is perfect for his sensory and motor skills! You can even try pre-loading a spoon and setting it on his tray for him to practice picking up the spoon and bringing it to his mouth to eat. Also, since he’s still drinking formula, it’s possible that he’s filling up on formula and therefore not hungry for food. Try transitioning off formula and gradually replacing his formula bottles with meals/snacks. You might also benefit from our free workshop centered around table foods! Click here to save your seat!
Best,
Kalyn
Hello,
I’m hoping I can get some advice here. I have a 1 year old who has no curiosity when it comes to solid foods. For a while, we was ok with baby purees, eating up to 10 ozs a day. However, around 8-9 months, things just turned around and it became very difficult to spoon feed him. He clamps down his mouth and barely takes in any food. It takes him almost an hour to be fed nowadays. We’ve given him steamed veggies, fresh fruit, bread. He may take a nibble or two but then stops. When we try to feed him purees, he now throws a tantrum and cries. The only thing he’ll take in now are fruit purees, teethers, and gerber puffs. When it comes to savory things like pasta, meat, or veggies he just turns his head away. Puffs and teethers are the only food he’ll actually eat by himself happily. Unfortunately, he doesn’t seem to be interested in anything else when it comes to actual food. He is fed 24 ozs of formula a day. We try to give him 3 meals and 2 snacks. Each meal is a battle. It seems he just cannot concentrate when it comes to feeding time. We’ve tried to model eating but he does not want to mimic what we’re doing. We;re just worried that he’s not taking in enough food since he doesn’t want to eat any savory foods. Any advice would be appreciated.
Hi Clement! So sorry to hear that your son is having a hard time with eating solids. We really encourage a no-pressure environment, where you offer him a variety of foods, but don’t force or pressure him to eat it. Since he’s rejecting certain foods, he may need help with his sensory/oral motor skills. Try using a toothbrush to brush the insides of his mouth- this will help desensitize his gag reflux and strengthen his oral muscles. He may also need help adjusting to different food textures. Try putting the food on his tray and allow him to use his hands to touch, feel, and feed himself. It may be messy, but this is perfect for his sensory and motor skills! Once he starts feeding himself this way, you can try reintroducing the spoon. You can even try pre-loading a spoon and setting it on his tray for him to practice picking up the spoon and bringing it to his mouth to eat. You might also benefit from our free workshop centered around table foods! Click here to save your seat!
Best,
Kalyn
Hi! Can you relink the vibrating teether? The link is broken. My little one is almost 10 months and refuses to open his mouth- we just had our first feeding specialist appt.
Thank you for this detailed guide!
Hi! My baby is 9 almost 10 months old. She can eat solids on her own and has interest in the foods I give her. However, she puts the food in her mouth and had trouble chewing and swallowing it. Then she gets frustrated and cries. It can take a long time before she eventually either chews and swallows it or spits it out. How can I help her?
Hi Jing! So sorry to hear that your baby is struggling with solids. We know how stressful it can be! Since she’s spitting out her food, she may need help with her sensory/oral motor skills. Try using a toothbrush to brush the insides of her mouth- this will help desensitize her gag reflux and strengthen her motor skills. Keep letting her touch/feel/play with her food- this will help her become more comfortable with different textures, especially since she already likes to feed herself. Try practicing with meltable baby puffs- this will teach her to chew/swallow a crunchy texture, but since it’s meltable, it’ll be a safe way to practice without worrying about her choking. You can also try demonstrating to her how you’re eating, making sure to over-exaggerate the chewing motions with your mouth. We also have a free workshop available that helps to transition your baby to table foods. Save your seat here!
Best,
Kalyn
Hi,
My baby is 9 months old and she only tastes the food I offer. She touches finger foods takes to her mouth and takes one bite – thats it. Then throws it away. Even if I offer spoon, she takes it once and then rejects. If i model her to open her mouth and then I spoonfeed her, she spits out. She was refusing solids until 7th month but I remember there were times (probably less than 10 times ) she willingly opened her mouth and ate what I have given. Now she opens her mouth only for grapes. If i offer anything else she is asking for breastfeed. Am I having a picky eater or is there any other problem? My pead suggested me to stop breastfeed and let her go hungry until she starts to eat solids. I have been trying this as well but even if hungry she doesn’t eat solids. Could you suggest a solution.
Hi Sunanda! Thanks for reaching out! Transitioning to solids can be tough, but we’re here to help! We really encourage a no-pressure environment, where you offer her a variety of foods, but don’t force or pressure her to eat it. Since she isn’t yet 1 year old, she still needs either breast milk or formula as a major source of her nutrition, so continue to offer that in addition to offering foods. She may need help adjusting to different food textures. Try putting the food on her tray and allow her to use her hands to touch, feel, and feed herself. It may be messy, but this is perfect for her sensory and motor skills! Once she starts feeding herself this way, you can try reintroducing the spoon. You can even try pre-loading a spoon and setting it on her tray for her to practice picking up the spoon and bringing it to her mouth to eat. If she struggles with chewing, try practicing that skill using meltable baby puffs, which have a meltable crunchy texture that teaches them how to chew. You might also benefit from our free workshop centered around table foods! Click here to save your seat!
Best,
Kalyn
Hi,
My baby is 14 months about to be 15 months and he’s not a big eater he’ll have two or three bites and he’s done and he relies on his bottle a lot. I’ve cut down on his milk but he still refuses solids or eats hardly anything however he likes pouches so I give him pouches (spoonfeed him) but I am not sure if that’s something I should be doing. I also tried so many times to transition him to a sippy cup and he refuses to drink from it. I can’t explain how stressful this is
Hi Sadie! So sorry to hear you’re having a hard time with meals and bottles. We understand how stressful it all can be. It’s great that you’ve started to decrease his milk intake- that will really help with both his appetite and bottle weaning! Keep practicing and being consistent with offering other cups. If he’s not into sippy cups, try transitioning him to straw cups or open mouth cups- he might like those better! With feedings, we encourage promoting a no-pressure environment, while also allowing him to touch/feel his food and try to feed himself. This hands-on contact with his food helps with his sensory and motor skills, and it also allows him the freedom to choose how much he eats, which may make him feel more comfortable eating different foods. Since he’s only wanting purées, he may need help with chewing. Try starting with meltable baby puffs, so that he can practice biting down and chewing crunchy textures. For more tips, check out our free table foods workshop- you can save your seat here!
Best,
Kalyn
My son is almost 17 months and relies on his bottle. I know I messed up by not introducing him to solids sooner. I started trying at ~10 months because I was terrified of him choking while I was home alone but then I realized I can’t do that and started. He will eat baby crackers and baby bars and sometimes he’ll eat some pieces of chicken or beans or rice. But his meal is always his bottle. I’ve tried and tried getting him to eat more by not just giving him his bottle when he gets hungry and first trying to get him to eat but it’s not working. I’m panicking and have no one to ask for help. First time mom here. Anyway can someone please give me any tips or advice? He definitely has no problem chewing. It just seems he hates food but then most days he’ll eat bits and pieces tho but he always just has to have his bottles yet. If I try to give him real food when he’s READY for his bottle he runs away and says “bottle”. If I try to convince him his food is great he spits it out and says bottle. I’m so lost and feel like an absolute failure
Hi there! Thanks for reaching out! We understand your frustration and know how difficult it can be when struggling to feed your child. But you are definitely not alone and we are here to help! First of all, please don’t blame yourself or think that you’ve failed him in any way- it’s simply not true! You are a great mother and are doing your best! It may sound redundant, but keep trying. Frequent exposure to different foods, along with a no pressure environment, is the best way to get your child comfortable with eating foods. Allow him to touch/feel/play with his food and practice feeding himself- but don’t force anything, allow him to eat how much or how little he wants. Also, a feeding schedule may help in terms of replacing his milk bottle with foods. Try replacing one bottle feeding at a time, instead offering a meal or a snack. Here’s a sample schedule that might be helpful! Start there and let us know if you have any questions!
Best,
Kalyn
My 7.5 months old started taking solids around 5.5 months. Everything went great for 2 weeks almost and then she got sick and threw up multiple time. After that she just feel so disgusted by the food. She shuts her mouth every time I try to feed her. And if something does go in her mouth, she makes faces as if she has eaten something very sour. I don’t want to force-feed her but her pediatrician suggests she should start taking solid now. What should I do?
Hi Amtul! So sorry to hear she’s having a hard time eating solids after being sick. To overcome this newly developed food aversion, practice with oral motor/sensory activities. Use a toothbrush to brush the insides of her mouth- this will help desensitize her gag reflex and strengthen her oral muscles. Allow her to touch/feel/play with her food- this will help with any texture/sensory sensitivities. And lastly, don’t force. No pressure. Try offering to spoon feed her, and if she denies it, you can try pre-loading the spoon with food and setting it on her tray in front of her, allowing her to pick it up and attempt to feed herself. Hope that helps!
Best,
Kalyn
Hi my son is almost 8 months old and is not too keen on solids. At the moment he only likes toast and boiled apples. We try to spread avocado and yoghurt on either to try and introduce different foods. He absolutely doesn’t like cereals even though I’ve tried multiple times. His Pediatrician keeps insisting that I need to feed him but he hates to feel he is being forced to eat and will clamp his mouth shut. Also I don’t think it’s the right route. I need help in figuring out how to increase his food intake. Please help! I’m worried.
Hi Phoebe! We understand your concern and are here to help! It can be helpful to model eating foods and overexaggerate everything in a playful way- allowing him to see and watch you eat may inspire him to do the same. We definitely recommend promoting a no-pressure environment, not forcing him to eat anything he doesn’t want to. Instead, try putting the food in front of him on his tray and allow him to use her hands to touch, feel, and feed himself. It may be messy, but this is perfect for his sensory and motor skills! We have a free table foods workshop filled with more ideas that would be helpful. You can save your seat here! Reach out if you have anymore questions!
Best,
Kalyn
Hi!
My baby is 5 months and has 2 teeth. We just had his doctors appointment and they gave us the go ahead to start different baby cereals. We’ve tried a few different ones and he has maybe a spoonful but makes a face and acts like he hates it. After that he sometimes won’t eat his bottle even though it’s time to. It just stresses me out because he’s now waking a few times in the night to eat and he used to sleep through the night I was hoping starting cereal would help but he’s not interested. Is it too early for him? Do you have any tips?
Hey Jess!
So sorry you are having trouble with your little one and eating baby cereals we know how hard it can. At 5 months he is on the early end of eating. You can try to provide his bottles first and then try the cereals a little later, as we do want to make sure that he’s getting all of his nutritional needs from his breastmilk/formula at this age. We do have some example feeding schedules for 6 months, you can get an idea for what you can move towards. You can check out the blog post here. If you have any other questions or concerns, please let us know!
Best,
Desiree
My baby is 2 mnths premature. She’s now 9 mnths but she’s her actual age is 7 mnths so you thinks the reason my baby is not eating solids. She gags on solids. She used to open her mouth when she was like 6 mnths old means 4 mnths but now she not at all opening her mouth.
Hey Vineetha,
Thanks for reaching out. It is really important to take prematurity into account, especially with feeding milestones. That is often impacts them. When gagging starts to happen with every feeding, it can be helpful to get to the bottom of the cause of it. HERE is an article with some more info and some ideas of what to do to help her. Reach out with any questions!
Best,
Andrea
Hi,
I really enjoyed reading your blog. I have a 7.5 month old who refuses to open her mouth when we eat. She might take bite of food when she feeds herself from the spoon, but I’m lucky if I get a bite or two. She doesn’t open her mouth when I try to feed her from my spoon. I’ve eaten in front of her, tried different spoons, always positive and encouraging. We let her make a mess. She only eats a bite when she puts the food in her mouth but even then it’s only one or two bites. How do I get her to open her mouth when I feed her from my spoon? I even eat what she eats so she knows it’s the same thing. Please advise.
Hi Shina!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this post! Starting solids can be fun, yet frustrating, but it seems like she’s off to a great start! Her eating a couple of bites is normal and expected. In regards to the spoon feeding, it sounds like she prefers to be hands on with her food- which is amazing! Try putting the food on her tray and allow her to use her hands to touch, feel, and feed herself. It may be messy, but this is perfect for her sensory and motor skills! Once she starts feeding herself this way, you can try reintroducing the spoon. You might also benefit from our free workshop centered around table foods! Click here to save your seat
Best,
Kalyn
My baby is 2years but he stop eating solid food after a while about 1 year and 8months.
I feel so worried
Hi Matilda! So sorry to hear you’re having a tough time with your baby eating. It’s always a good idea to tell your pediatrician to make sure everything is okay. Aside from that, we recommend continuing to serve him food variety while promoting a no-pressure environment; allowing him to choose how much or how little he wants to eat. We have a free workshop that talks about table foods and provides lots of tips and information for making that transition. Save your seat here!
Best,
Kalyn
Please help me! My son is 4 years and 3 months. I have tried everything to get him to eat solid foods like the adults, but he just gags. He is happy eating semi-solid food made of rice and dal and smashed carrots. And of course milk. He also bites biscuits in small bits and manages to eat them. But never anything else. I’m totally lost.
Hey! Thanks for reaching out. That sounds super challenging. Gagging can often be a sign that he’s struggling with some component of the food like texture or having challenging with chewing. Our free picky eating workshop would be a great place for you to start to get some more ideas and help. You can save your seat HERE. Please reach out with any questions!
Best,
Andrea
Hi, I am mother of a 16month old baby.
Since I didn’t have much idea on how to introduce solids, and I was scared of her gagging, I have been feeding her purees still. She eats them all, but I fear we are quite behind on solids. I tried feeding her semi solid rice and pulses, but she threw it out and refused constantly. She isn’t taking solids and gags too much that I become more fearful and then continue with purees. How do I get her to eat on her own? I have heard by one – kids should eat the same as adults, and it creates a lot of pressure and failure like feelings, but i don’t know how to transition to solids when she isn’t comfortable with the change.
Hey Aditi,
It can be tough, especially when you’re not sure what foods to use next. The dissolvable solid foods they make (like baby puffs and graham crackers) are great transitional foods to try. They give a crunch, but dissolve easily to keep your little one safer. Our free table foods workshop would be a great place to get some more resources on how to transition to solid foods. You can save your seat HERE.
Best,
Andrea
Hello I have a baby that just turned 1 and I’ve been a nervous wreck every since she had her 1 year appointment because her doctor made me so worried she’s not eating. She eats all baby food purées. We even eat level 3 baby foods ans have been for a couple months. She will eat all yogurts, some refried beans, I’ve snuck in some mashed banana and peas along with cottage cheese. She will not eat any of the gerber stars I offer her. We started these at 9 months ans she has 0 interest. She just plays with them and throws them on the floor. I’ve tried the edible tethers too. I’ve even modeled it. It’s been a very anxious filled few days ans I just wondered if there is anything more I can be doing. I also don’t want to cause her stress ans feel that’s where I’m headed if I don’t relax
Thanks,
Caitlyn
Hey Caitlyn,
Oh that does sound stressful for you! You’re not alone, so many other little ones have similar challenges! When transitioning to solids, we recommend starting with dissolvable foods like puffs or graham crackers. Use tons of modeling (which is sounds like you’re doing). You can even use a mirror to help engage her! Our free table foods workshop would be the perfect place to start to get more ideas. You can save your seat HERE.
Best,
Andrea
My doctor is referring me to a feed specialist. Do you believe this is necessary? I think she is having a hard time because she hasn’t been exposed enough yet. But I also don’t want her falling further behind. Will a feed specialist put the baby under stress or will she be fine?
Thanks,
Caitlyn
Hey Caitlyn,
Thanks for reaching out again! When you go in to get the evaluation, it’s helpful to ask questions get a feel for the type of approach the therapist takes. At Your Kids Table we take a child led approach vs. a behavioral approach. HERE is some more info that might be helpful before walking into a feeding therapy evaluation!
Best,
Andrea