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Weaning

What to give 10 month old who refuses to let me feed hin but can't spoon feed himself?

19 replies

SomewhereOnlyWeKnow · 12/12/2013 20:59

My ds ate mountains of food until almost the day he turned 10 months. He started being fussy and clamping his mouth shut when i tried to spoon feed him. We figured out that it was because he wants to feed himself. I usually make him nice home cooked meals, but i cant get him to take any, and i have tried to let him use the spoon but he just chews it or throws it!

I panicked at first and am a little stressed at how little he is eating, but the hv assured me that he will not starve himself and to let him try and feed himself even if it's very messy and not much goes in. She also advised to try and give him more things he can pick up and eat, and to offer him his meal, and calmly clean up and offer nothing else if he doesnt eat it.

I have had some success tonight after he picked up and ate some chicken and veg that i put down for him, and he can manage finger foods, sandwiches, home made fish fingers etc. The problem is, he is with a cm three days a week where he has tea, and i need some ideas of what to give him that is fillings and nutritional enough, but which the cm can just reheat with no faff. Short of sandwiches all day long i am running out of ideas...does anyone have experience of this?

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Theironfistofarkus · 12/12/2013 21:01

Pasta, cheese cubes, meatballs.

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bountyicecream · 12/12/2013 21:02

You need to get the baby led weaning handbook/ recipe book. It is designed for dc like yours.

But messy!

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Flisspaps · 12/12/2013 21:07

Look at www.babyledweaning.com

Babies are messy eaters. There's very little you can't give them though Smile

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SomewhereOnlyWeKnow · 12/12/2013 21:09

He used to love pasta when i fed it to him but now he is refusing to he finds it tricky to pick up! He also has cheese cubes but i see it as more of a snack than a meal. Meatballs sounds good though, will give them a go, thanks.

Thanks bounty do you have any specific recommendations or just any blw recipe book?

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TheRobberBride · 12/12/2013 21:11

Yes look into BLW. My kids were never spoon fed and they didn't starve!

Cheese, sweet potato wedges, pieces of chicken, homemade fish/vegetable fingers, pasta, peas, sweetcorn, pitta bread with houmous, falafels were all popular with mine at that age.

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SomewhereOnlyWeKnow · 12/12/2013 21:12

Thanks flissflaps will have a look! I dont mind the mess so much but i just worry than not much is going in!

Its funny because i would have done blw but i was returning to work when he was just over 6mo and hadnt long started weaning so i didnt think it was fair to burden the cm with the mess and the lengthiness of it. Looks like it is more suited to him now though!

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SomewhereOnlyWeKnow · 12/12/2013 21:14

Thanks therobber some good ideas for me there. Can a lot of it be reheated safely/to something edible though? Thinking in particular for meals he has at cm

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Jinglejohnsjulie · 12/12/2013 21:14

Slices of omelette, savoury muffin (make in batches, easy to freeze), homemade pizza, Fiona's fill able food patties, cheesy pitta pockets or just cheese straws again, you can make in batches. Never frozen them though, I'm lucky if they last a day around here Smile. Send them all in with some prepped fruit or veg. Even oatcakes with hummus would do of you are in a rush and if you want to add some fish try these Smile

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TreaterAnita · 12/12/2013 21:17

Yep, baby led weaning is the way to go for you. I used to let my baby eat yoghurt with his fingers until he was willing to use a spoon. It was worth it just for the expression on my dad's face.

In terms of ideas, how about mashed potato with things chopped up small into it, eg veg, cheese, ham, even bolognese sauce, cooled and formed into balls and then cm can heat and let them cool a bit again. You can do the same thing with risotto.

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sebsmummy1 · 12/12/2013 21:19

I was warned that at 10 months my good little eater might change his ways. Very luckily for me he didn't, but I know it's really common, so try not to worry too much.

It does sound like the blw approach would be a goof one for you as he can pick up the pieces himself without needing to hold a spoon.

Will he let you spoon feed him at all? If so then make that food nice and calorie rich. I wonder if he would like porridge in the morning sweetened with mashed banana and with some double cream mixed in? If you could get one meal down him I bet you'd feel a whole heap better about him then picking at other times.

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grew · 12/12/2013 21:26

My son did this too at this age, he used to love those steam packets of frozen vegetables and strips of chicken.

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Chocolateteabag · 12/12/2013 21:29

I wouldn't worry too much about food being "heated" - better to be cold and not risk burnt fingers. Ds is 3 and still doesn't really care if he eats his food while it's warm or gone cold. He'll happily eat cold baked beans etc (which gives me the heebie jeebies) . He has a packed lunch each Wednesday at his preschool and survives.

Other things to try - brioche sandwiches (brioche lasts for ages too) different pasta shapes (tubes, coils and spirals) with sauce, cold sausages, cold chicken, cold pizza slices, eggy bread fingers.

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SomewhereOnlyWeKnow · 12/12/2013 22:03

Thanks everyone, some genuinely very helpful ideas! Thanks for those who reassured me that it was normal, i am fast learning not to become complacent about anything they do well because it can all change so quickly!

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Jinglejohnsjulie · 13/12/2013 07:48

It is totally normal and I think you have been lucky to have been able to spoon feed him for so long. My dd went bonkers everytime we tried to spoon feed her right from the start. Smile

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Chunderella · 15/12/2013 13:41

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Suzgm · 17/12/2013 22:02

I will try again as my post got removed. A reusable pouch from any brand is a great way to help your child gain some independence when feeding. I was able to allow my daughter finger food which at first she would only eat a bit of and then top her up with a vitamin packed smoothie or a yogurt/custard dessert. You could do the same with store bought pouches of course.

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Jemimapuddleduk · 28/12/2013 18:44

This is so helpful. My dd started refusing to be spoon fed at exactly 9 months. Have been finding it quite stressful! This has given me some great ideas.

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Frenchsticker · 01/01/2014 19:33

Good way to get him self-feeding pasta: Cook penne then cut it with scissors into 3 or 4 pieces. Then you're left with little rings that are perfect for picking up. Basically like when you were at school and ate Hula Hoops by sticking them on the end of your fingers Grin

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MiaowTheCat · 03/01/2014 13:50

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