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.
This is a great article that provides practical advice and simple steps for parents who are struggling with their baby not eating solids. It’s reassuring to know that there are solutions available, and it’s helpful to have a step-by-step guide on how to approach this issue.
Thanks for reading and the positive feedback!
Best,
Laura
Your Kid’s Table team member
My 2 year old dtr will not eat texture foods and as of today, she is refusing to eat her puffs or drink her smoothies. She does drink 2 bottles of milk daily and barely finishes 8 oz of her juice.
Any advice you can provide would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Ann,
Have you checked out our free webinar on transitioning to table foods? It’s a great place to start in this area if you haven’t yet. Let me know if you want any other resources once you’ve checked that out!
Best,
Laura
Your Kid’s Table team member
Hi – My son is 9month old, from starting when I bring a spoon he turns his face away, I place the food on his mouth to taste and decide, he licks and if he like he eats otherwise a big NO. He eats only couple of spoons. He like to eat grapes or any fruits that are cut infront of him, he opens his mouth for all type of finger foods, but eats very less 2 or 3 bites and ask me to lift feom his chair. Our family eats rice daily but he doesn’t like the cooked rice texture. Lately he stopped eating solids completely, no signs of teething too. I’m frustrated. Any suggestions would be highly appreciated on how I can get back to.eating solids.
Hi Nancey,
This can be quite frustrating, but at his age, there is a lot of hope for progress! If you haven’t taken our free baby/toddler table food course, I highly recommend starting there. At his age, appetite fluctuation isn’t a huge concern quite yet, but it is important to continue to offer solids so that he starts to tolerate a range of textures, flavors, etc.
I hope this helps!
Laura
Your Kid’s Table team member
Thank you for all this amazing information. My child was diagnosed with lip/tongue tie so he had surgery before 3 months of age. Breastfeeding was painful and nearly impossible until surgery. We started purée foods at 6 months and at first he refused a little bit but will end up eating. He just turned 11 months, we started table foods 2 weeks ago and he completely refuses to eat any. I had already exposed him to broccoli and cauliflower florets and other fruits like banana, mango, avocado at 8 months old and I noticed he wouldn’t bring them to his mouth. I decided to give him a break, but now with table food he will look at it with disgust and throw it in the floor. Everything I place in the tray he will throw in the floor. I bought plates with suction and he gets really frustrated trying to take it off from the tray. I give him a baby silicone fork and spoon (he prefers the fork) he will just play with the food using the fork or his hands. He never liked teethers – we have tons, never used! and I try to brush his teeth with the finger brush and he refuses to open his mouth. (He will only take certain things to his mouth like an empty Extra gum plastic container – ???) Should I get him a kid’s vibrating toothbrush? Not sure if this is important but he refused bottle until I discovered the only nipples he will take are the disposable Enfamil brown ones you get at the hospital. I feel defeated offering food every day and watch it get wasted. The Pediatrician told me to brush his teeth and hold breastfeeding if he refuses table food but it just breaks my heart to withhold breastfeeding him when all he wants is that after an entire day in daycare. He also refuses table food at daycare and will just eat purée. What can I do? 🙁
Hello, thank you for reaching out! A vibrating toothbrush could really help. It sounds like an oral aversion may be one of the issues going on. Have you read this article on it? Let us know if it helps.
Best,
Laura
Your Kid’s Table team member
My 13 month old is interested in most foods but for months now I watch him put everything in his mouth, chew it and then spit it out. He will suck juice out out of fruit, and spit out. He will chew carrots, chicken, broccoli… literally everything !!!! And then spit out and swallow nothing! I don’t understand ! Have you seen this before ? Help!
Hi Beth! Thanks for reaching out! It sounds like he may have some difficulty chewing/swallowing, or maybe some sensory sensitivities, which may be causing him to spit out his food. We have a blog post with more info and tips— check it out here!
Best,
Kalyn
Hello, my son is 16 months old and he refuses to try almost any non purees in a jar. He will eat his Gerber puffs, Gerber baby oatmeal, yogurt, and frozen pancakes. I’ve tried upgrading to regular oatmeal but he doesn’t like the bigger lumps in them. Every meal I try and offer him new foods like finger foods. He just throws them Everytime and won’t even let you try and put in in his mouth. He just wants his jars and milk and I’m starting to worry he’s not getting enough food and nutrition. I’ve brought up the issue several times to his Dr and to his WIC worker and the only advice I get is to just keep trying. I’ve tried so many things for months now and it’s not improving.
Hi Klee,
This can feel very stressful. I want to ask first, have you taken our free workshop on starting table foods? You may find it helpful! Please start here and we are happy to continue to help!
Best,
Laura
Your Kid’s Table team member
Hello. I have a 8 month baby. She used to eat properly in her 6 month mainly purees. But since last month she is refusing food. She eats 2-3 spoons textured food then stops. If i dip the food in water and feed she accepts it. She keeps wanting me to dip food in water and feed her. If i add more water to her food she wont take it also until she see the food is dipped in water.She asks more water and eats less or sometime wont eat at all only drinks water during meal..
Hi Rubeena! Is she teething, by any chance? Sometimes teething can cause changes with their eating! Keep practicing with solids and different textures, but don’t force or pressure. Try offering smaller/softer pieces, which may be easier for her to eat right now. You can also try taking a break from solids for a few days and then try offering them again to see if that helps!
Best,
Kalyn
Hello! My 8 month old started purées at 5 months old and he was doing very well with 1-2 meals/day in addition to breastfeeding. Now he won’t eat any purées and he only wants to nurse. I’ve offered his favorites like sweet potatoes and bananas and also offered new things and he continues to decline. I’m starting to believe that maybe I’m nursing him too often and he’s not hungry. Do you have any suggestions? Thank you!
Hi there! Thanks for reaching out! Sometimes babies go through phases like this! Is he teething, by any chance? Teething can definitely affect eating solids. Try rubbing his gums with a cold wash cloth or offer cold teethers prior to serving solids and see if this helps relieve some discomfort and makes him want to actually eat! Has he tried any solid textures yet? It could also be that he is bored with purées and may have more success eating textured table foods. If not, try taking a break for about a week, then try offering solids again!
Best,
Kalyn
Hi there, my 16 month old was a great eater, but essentially stopped eating chewable solids a month ago and has gone back to purées. it started when he had a bout of gastro and continues while teething, but the problem isn’t improving and he seems to have developed a habit. Any help is much appreciated!
Hi Sophie! Thanks for reaching out! Teething and getting sick can definitely affect a child’s appetite. Try rubbing his gums with a cold wash cloth or offer cold teethers prior to serving solids and see if this helps relieve some discomfort! If you need additional support, check out our free table foods workshop! Save your seat here!
Best,
Kalyn
Hi! My baby is 11 months old. She was doing fine with purees. Then, I figured that since she will be done by 12 months I should start to transition slowly to real food.
I started making breakfast food instead of purees. Then kept lunch and dinner as purees. Now she’s doesn’t want any purees and she doesn’t want her foods.
I’m feeling a bit defeated because, like you’ve said just to see food not being eaten. Especially, if it’s for my child.
Any advice can help, please.
Hi Rhian! Thanks for reaching out! Try not to stress. Keep offering solids and allowing her to touch/feel/play with these different food textures, so that she learns to get used to them. Don’t force or pressure her to eat them. Try placing one piece of food at a time, so that it’s less overwhelming for her. You can also try pre-loading a spoon and putting that in front of her to see if she picks it up herself and brings it to her mouth. Once she turns 1, you can wean her off formula and that might help with her overall appetite. For more help, check out our free table foods workshop, here!
Best,
Kalyn
Hi!
My 12month old daughter has never been a good eater. She will eat yogurt but when I offer her cereal, veggies, fruit, fish, basically anything else (large pieces, small pieces, mashed) she’ll either shake her head and turn her head, cry in her high chair or throw it on the floor. She will occasionally eat them so I know she is capable but currently she isn’t even having one meal a day. She’s never ever managed three meals a day in her life. I feel so worried and frustrated and feel like I’m trying everything. She’s a good weight but I am still breastfeeding so feel it’s because of that. I also aim for minimal milk near meals and generally during the day with the hope she’ll eat which doesn’t work much either. Any advice would be amazing!
Thank you!
Millie
Hi Millie! Thanks for reaching out! Keep offering solids and allowing her to touch/feel/play with these different food textures, so that she learns to get used to them. Don’t force or pressure her to eat them. Try placing one piece of food at a time, so that it’s less overwhelming for her. You can also try pre-loading a spoon and putting that in front of her to see if she picks it up herself and brings it to her mouth. Try practicing with sensory strategies, like sensory bins, teethers and vibrating toothbrushes. Try food play, where you have her feed a doll/toy, or have her feed you while she watches you over-exaggerate chewing/swallowing. Lastly, for more help, check out our free table foods workshop, here!
Best,
Kalyn
I am going through this exact same situation with my 11mo. He refuses to eat any lumpy or chunks of food. He won’t even look at it if not, he will grab it and throw on the floor. He only eats puré at the daycare and with me he wants to be breastfed only. I feel hopeless.
The baby spoon link isn’t working
Hello, I am so glad I found this. My 6 month old started solids and was doing really well, but now he is refusing solids and the formula. Even the sweets such as bananas and sweet potatoes. I put the foods on his plate and give him while feeding. But he would touch it time to time but not put it in his mouth. Please help me. I
Hi Cartier! Thanks for reaching out! If baby is refusing everything, try taking a little break, like for a week, without offering any solids, just offer formula. Then, slowly introduce solids again, starting with baby purees and baby cereal. Then, you can offer some baby puffs, which can help teach baby to chew. Once baby has established how to chew/swallow, you can try some soft table food. For more in-depth information, check out our other post, here!
Best,
Kalyn
Hi,
I have an almost 14 month old who refuses to eat solids. She will sometimes take a bite of a puff snack but doesnt chew it well. She still eats most baby foods. She also wont drink water well either. Mostly just wants milk. We are also still working on crawling. Im a worried mama. Especially since everyone keeps telling me shes very behind on her milestones. She has most of her teeth in already but definitely still teething. She is also always extremely gassy but not constipated. What can I do to help my littleone reach these milestones? Especially the eating part? Thanks in advance
Hi Melissa! Thanks for reaching out! You are not alone! Due to her age, we would recommend consulting with your pediatrician about starting feeding therapy- some hands on help may be beneficial for her. Keep practicing with sensory strategies, like sensory bins, teethers and vibrating toothbrushes. Continue to allow her to touch/feel/play with food and different textures. Try food play, where you have her feed a doll/toy, or have her feed you while she watches you over-exaggerate chewing/swallowing. Lastly, we have a free table food workshop that can offer more in-depth help!
Best,
Kalyn
Initially My kid eats well.but from one week onwards he is not taking any solids….and I observed teething…I’m really stressed.kindly guide us
Hi there! Thanks for reaching out! Teething can definitely affect eating solids. Try rubbing his gums with a cold wash cloth or offer cold teethers prior to serving solids and see if this helps relieve some discomfort! If you need additional support, check out our free table foods workshop! Save your seat here!
Best,
Kalyn
Hello:) my daughter is 10 months old and will have maybe 2 mini spoons of foods then will get cranky and refuse to eat anymore. I’ve made and tried every finger food/table food and nothing seems to work 🙁 I’ve contacted her pediatrician and asked to be referred to a feeding therapist and she thinks I should wait until she’s one to be seen ! It’s super discouraging and stressful as she will be starting daycare soon and as a mother I don’t want my child to ever feel left out or something is not “normal”. I believe she really just prefers her bottle of formula as she knows she will get it if she doesn’t eat. We were also told to start pureed foods at 7 months, so could that be a reason? We started late ?
Stressed out first time mama in need of help and guidance:(
Hi Bianca! Thanks for reaching out! Try not to stress— you are not alone! Try practicing with sensory strategies, like baby teethers and vibrating toothbrushes— brush the sides of her mouth to help desensitize any oral aversions she may have. Continue to allow her to touch/feel/play with food and different textures. In addition, we have a free table food workshop that can offer more in-depth help! Lastly, if none of the above help, try consulting with a different doctor who will be more open to an OT referral.
Best,
Kalyn
Hi my son is 2 years and nine months old and he doesnt eat solid i have to give him still mashed food.
Please help.
Hi Zoya! Thanks for reaching out! You are not alone! Due to his age, we would recommend consulting with your pediatrician about maybe starting feeding therapy- some hands on help could be beneficial for him. Keep practicing with sensory strategies, like sensory bins, teethers and vibrating toothbrushes. Continue to allow him to touch/feel/play with food and different textures. Have him watch you eat, where you can over-exaggerate chewing/swallowing. Lastly, we have a free table food workshop that can offer more in-depth help!
Best,
Kalyn
Hi my granddaughter is 10 months old. She started on baby food at 7 months , ate them until she started getting teeth now she has 7 teeth and a bottom incisor coming in also. We have tried everything, yogurt , fruit pasta, eggs you name it we’ve tried. She plays with it uses a spoon and fork she chews it and then spits it out. Only swallows yogurt if we get it in her. Loves her formula and only wants that. We’ve trued decreasing it but she is on the small side do we have to give her more than 2 bottles. Do you think it’s just from teething.
Hi Kris! Thanks for reaching out! Teething can definitely affect eating solids. Try rubbing her gums with a cold wash cloth or offer cold teethers prior to serving solids and see if this helps relieve some discomfort! If you need additional support, check out our free table foods workshop! Save your seat here!
Best,
Kalyn
Just wanted to say thank you for generously sharing your knowledge. It’s very kind and really appreciated. The information is detailed and easy to read, and very practical. Thank you.
Gem,
Thank you for reading and being part of this community!
Best,
Laura
Your Kid’s Table team member
Hello, thank you for your blog! It is so insightful!
I have a 6 month old daughter who has bottle adversion and will not take the bottle unless asleep or drowsy. The doctor gave us the green light to introduce solids to her at 4 months since bottle feeding her was a struggle. We have tried purées and finger food. She will play and smash the food around with her hands but will not put any of it in her mouth. We have tried to give her teethers but she does not like to put anything in her own mouth. How can I help her to be interested in food/ eating? Looking forward to your suggestions!
Hi Lily! Thanks for reaching out! She is still so young, so I wouldn’t stress too much about her not taking to solids right away. Just keep practicing, allowing her to touch/feel/play with her food, play with teethers, etc. Remember not to force or pressure her, just be patient. If you need additional support, check out our free table foods workshop! Save your seat here!
Best,
Kalyn
I’m a grandmother who has some concerns about my 18 month old grandson. He wasn’t diagnosed with lip/tongue tie until he was 15 months old and has since had the appropriate surgery but still is refusing solids. His parents have done and continue to do all the “sensory” things such as brushing his teeth. He will on rare occasions put a small piece of solid food in his mouth but spits it out after a few seconds. His diet consists of some formula and 3 meals a day of cereal and pureed foods. I worry as he gets older if these habits continue will his gag reflux get worse and harder for him swallow/eat solid foods or will it be just a natural progression at his own pace. It is comforting though to read here that so many others the are my grandsons age are just as late in their eating journey. Thank you!! I would be grateful for any suggestions or comments.
Hi there! Thanks for reaching out and sharing some of your grandson’s journey! You are not alone! Have they consulted with his pediatrician about starting feeding therapy? Some hands on help may be beneficial for him. Keep practicing with sensory strategies, like sensory bins, teethers and vibrating toothbrushes. Continue to allow him to touch/feel/play with food and different textures. Lastly, we have a free table food workshop that can offer more in-depth help!
Best,
Kalyn
Hi hopefully you can help I am a worried grandmother of a 14 month old who refuses all food turns his head and clamps lips together and he starting to lose weight?? My daughter is almost finished breastfeeding him and he just has a bottle now?? How can we help him to start eating?? Anytime something put in his mouth he throws up !
Hi Lori,
Your concern is valid! I’d start with this article on starting solids and see if it helps. We also have a free course on starting table foods.
I hope this helps!
Laura
Your Kid’s Table team member