My Baby Won’t Eat – This is Freaking Me Out!
Obviously, he doesn’t look like he’s starving because he eats baby food, but he will not put one bite of finger/table foods in his mouth. He’s about to turn 13 months old and the doc is referring us to an occupational therapist. Anybody had any experience with this?
We’ve tried everything: those melting puffs, Cheerios, CAKE, small bits of cheese, cookies, and more. When he was younger (7 months till about 10 or 11 months), he would gnaw on a teething cookie or those little Arrowhead cookies but he won’t even take that now. He used to eat the puffs, occasionally. He refuses it all and freaks out if I try and force it, which I suppose I shouldn’t do. About a month ago, I could force the first bite and then he usually would eat more bites, but I can’t even get him to do that now.
He eats Level 3 foods but prefers Level 2. Since he has eaten some table food before, I’m guessing it’s not structural (as in, an underdeveloped gag reflux or something) but he gags and chokes and coughs like it’s KILLING him when we try to get him to eat anything not pureed.
We have an appointment with a specialist next week (speech pathologist) who works on feeding issues.
I’ve read that babies need to get off the baby food because the table foods help them develop chewing muscles which helps them with speech, plus it’s easier to get his nutritional needs met. I’ve also read that this is slightly more common in babies who’ve had reflux, which my son had (maybe still has; I’m not sure).
Or could it just be that he’s a little behind? He didn’t crawl until 11 months. We did just move and got a new nanny. Maybe he just wants “comfort food” and for him, that’s smooth, pureed foods?
I literally couldn’t sleep the other night because this was worrying me so much. I’ll postpone the worry until we see the therapist next week. The pediatrician did say they see this texture aversion often and it’s correctable. I just don’t know anybody who’s dealt with it before. Do you? Let me know if you know anything!
–Sherean
I really sympathise with you. My nearly 12 month old boy is just the same. It seems so unusual. He is our third baby. We had a lot of problems with our first who would just clamp her mouth shut as soon as the spoon came towards her, but there didn’t seem to be a problem with self feeding. She’s quite a good, though slow, eater now at 4 and a half. We had no problems with our second until he was around 18 months and then started copying his sister!
Our little chap will simply not pick up any food and put it in his mouth and will only play with it on his tray for a short time. Incidentally, he hasn’t started crawling yet. He’ll walk if you hold him steadily with both hands. His sister didn’t show any signs of crawling until just before her 1st birthday and then took her first steps at nearly 15 months. She’s fine now. Their other brother was early at everything, and even now is naturally very sporty and competitive while his sister is happy to stroll along at a snail’s pace. I wonder if my little chap is simply content to sit and let the world come to him?!
We’re being sent down the same route as you. A speech therapist came yesterday and offered all kinds of advice such as letting him slap his hand down on yogurt to putting dried melon and organic carrot stick crisps in the side of his mouth. This hasn’t worked yet. He tends to clamp his mouth shut if he doesn’t like or recognise the food. He doesn’t seem to like any textures that are remotely dry, i.e. bread, potatoes, cheerios, rusks.
The speech therapist seems to think it might be an aversion, which ties in with him being ill around 7-8 months and being on holiday and starting teething all at the same time. Until then he would try most things I gave him, although he never did pick up anything and put it in his mouth himself.
We are also being referred to the occupational therapist.
I’ll let you know what the outcome is. Can you keep me updated on what happens with your little one? Thanks!
1[...] Reader Marie posted a comment last time I blabbed about this that she is going through the same thing with her son who is two months younger than mine. One of the great things about the Internet is the opportunity to connect with people like Marie to share our stories and swap tips. For those of you who are going through this, too, we’ll keep you posted on our progress! posted under Feeding issues [...]
2Hi Sherean,
It’s Marie here again. I’m so sorry to hear how hard it has been to feed your little one. I’ve just fed mine (1 hour!). I feed I’m making progress in a round about sort of way.
Luckily he’ll eat Cheerios now and apple flavour rice cakes and grated cheese. He’s a very slow eater, but he gets there in the end. His sister gave him the first cheerio and he discovered he liked it! I’ve notices that if a fresh pair of hands turns up he’ll take the food from them if it’s offered nicely. Once when we had family round I got everyone to offer him some food as they passed by. I found that the distraction made him forget to refuse the food. You could try this with your Mummy/toddler friends. Anything’s worth a try and this will take the pressure off you for a moment.
I’m not too sure about your therapist suggesting you hold his arms down with your arms. Ours has suggested letting him get messy, which he is starting to enjoy, by putting the yogurt on his tray table and encourage him to slap his hands in it. Also to let him play with dried uncooked pasta and lentils (so he can get used to handling the texture) and then move on to cooked pasta. Today he was slapping his hand in egg yolk and managed a few mouthfuls (carefully hidden in grated cheese). I’ve been licking the yogurt off and saying yum yum.
I sometimes get my other children to stand in front of him and eat wafer biscuits and say “yum yum bikkie”. He’ll have some of that now too. I’ve learn’t from my other two that if he has a very light meal, then he’ll make up for it at the next one. My daughter was very picky and is just fine now, so I’m encouraged by that.
I’m trying to remain positive and think that in a few months this will be behind us and we’ll be looking back and thinking “I can’t believe he never used to put anything in his mouth”.
I’ll let you know how we get on at our next appointment. Will you keep me up to date with how you are doing too?
Bon Courage,
3Marie
my baby boy is nine month old,and day by day he eats less food,two or 3 times had vomitted due to finger food i.e melon ,steamed pear etc.now 2,3 times vomitted coz i gave sth forcefully.now he keeps his mouth shut for all foods ,cereals ,veggies,etc,he doesnt like the texture,he liked only fine purree.he doesn´t like small pieces of food and also thick kind of paste.i dont know what to do,i ve tried different techniques to feed (givining any newthing in his hand etc)but now helps nothing..plz give advice,what can help..
4Hi Yasmeen –
Tell your doctor you want a referral to a speech therapist or occupational therapist who specializes in feeding. They probably will not refer you until he is a year old. You might also wish to see a pediatric gastroenterologist to make sure there isn’t an underlying physical reason that he’s vomiting.
You can click on the link on the right of my web site that is under Babies called “Feeding Issues” to read more about the techniques we used. But honestly, I would first rule out a physical problem, then start working with a trained specialist on the behavioral issues.
What I learned is that most babies choke and gag when they first try finger food but they are motivated and want to learn to eat so they keep trying. But some babies, like mine, get so scared that they decide it’s dangerous. You have to work with them on a systematic approach to get over their fear. It starts with just putting finger food on their tray. If they try to throw it off, simply put it back and say “food stays on the table.” Do NOT make them touch it or eat it. Just get him used to the SIGHT of food.
So right now, I would just back off from trying. You might try putting finger food on his tray so he sees it. But I’d get to the doctor and demand a referral right away.
I am so sorry you are going through this. I know this is VERY stressful! Hang in there. Get some help and you will get through it, I promise.
5