7.5mths old not mouthing objects not putting food to mouth, should I be concerned?

[JaneyY123]

Hello there. My second dd is so different to my first who grabbed food and ate it herself at 6 months, I did baby-led weaning that worked well for us. My second dd is now 7 and a half months old and she won't even mouth toys let alone food so I have tried to spoon food in. She will take baby porridge but not much else. I really want to do baby-led weaning so can I wait until she shows signs of mouthing objects (delay solids)? Should I be concerned that she isn't mouthing objects? Anyone with a similar experience? Thanks.

[Cucumber79]

Hi, I am in the same boat. Both my sons started at 6m, but my daughter is 7 months and not interested in food. She does not mouth objects, so no hope of doing BLW with her at present. I've tried spoon feeding, but she doesn't seem to know what to do with it!

[WasOnlyAsking]

hi, so dd nearly 8mths now and she is taking food off a spoon but refusing a lot. She turns her nose up at any mashed fruit and she is still not mouthing objects, any progress with your dd? It takes forever to feed her. Presumably she will start grabbing food one day I just wish I knew by when!

[Cucumber79]

So my daughter is nearly 8 months old, still not mouthing and still not eating anything much. Occasional swallow of something on a teaspoon or a finger is all. But I have seen a developmental therapist (as she has a few other issues with weight-bearing through her arms) and she is going to talk to the speech language therapist. I am wondering if she also has some coordination issue with her mouth (partly due to not mouthing things?), as when presented with food she sticks her tongue out and seems to try to lap it up, and with food in her mouth its like she doesn't know what to do with it! It is nice to know I am not alone in this though.

[lolalotta]

My DD is eight and a half months and has only just this week started putting food to her mouth. She didn't put toys to her mouth either!

[WasOnlyAsking]

dd now nearly 9mths, feeding well off a spoon but still putting nothing in her mouth. she started out doing that lapping thing that Cucumber79 describes. I'd be keen to know what the speech therapist says, as in is this oral stage essential to learning speech etc. my dd is picking things up and playing with them in her hands just not putting them in her mouth.
lolalotta it is good to hear that your dd just started perhaps mine will start soon.

[Cucumber79]

How is everyone doing? Thought I'd post an update. My Daughter is now 10.5 months old and has started both eating and mouthing things. While she would take little bits (like 1 tsp or so) off a spoon now and then after 9 months, it didn't progress and she wasn't keen. It wasn't till all of a sudden she started putting things in her mouth at 10 months - she then began to eat some banana and toast. She will now let me spoon feed her some stuff too. Yay!! She still doesn't mouth tons of stuff, and doesn't mouth (or pick up) little stuff yet.

We have been seeing the Paediatrician and a developmental therapist. She is getting closer to crawling and has some issues with her upper arms, but this is definitely improving as she gets older. I don't know if this played a part in the mouthing thing, but I feel overall she was just slower in development. I'll be interested to hear how everyone else has got on!

[WasOnlyAsking]

Hi so pleased to hear it is going well for you now. My dd also started to feed herself at around 10.5mths, she is now approaching 1yr and is absolutely fine. She can walk with a toddle truck. She isn't brilliant and using her sippy cup but she can do it, she still doesn't put toys in her mouth, she occasionally attempts to rip up and eat tissues. I think she was just so different to my first dd.

[Doingitformykids]

Hi,
I know you posted this years ago but I wanted to see how your your littles one ended up?

[Aunaturalmama]

I would be concerned yes. By 8 months they definitely should be orally exploring. Does baby show any other signs of concern?

[Aunaturalmama]

My first son wasn’t interested in solids until 11 months and it’s because he has sensory issues

[Naz28]

My daughter is 5 months and won’t put anything in her mouth but will chew/suck on her hands and fingers... I get worried sometimes

[Naz28]

She does try to reach for objects and when she gets a grasp of something she will try to move it from one hand to the other but will not hold on for too long

[Lauresnowies]

How did your daughter progress? I am curious as my daughter is chewing and sucking on her fingers all the time but not mouthing objects much

[Lcolch]

Hello I’d love to know how this all panned out.
I have a 9 month old who won’t put anything in his mouth toys or food, he was refusing puréed food too and bottle, so only took breast. I took him to so many people eventually we established that he was tongue, lip and cheek tied. We have had them all released with laser and have noticed a difference in eating purées and occasionally takes the bottle but still not putting anything near his mouth, he only had the laser treatment 3 weeks ago so we will see…
Has anyone else come across this before if so I’d love to know if there is anything or maybe some Ed

[Lcolch]

Sorry got cut off. I’d love to know how long it took for your child to start putting solid finger foods in their mouth. And whether there are any exercises or things to do to help encourage eating or putting things in mouth?

[Helenetilly]

Hello, can I ask how your little one is now and how the feeding progressed? My now 10 month DS won’t put anything into his own mouth, toys, bottle, beaker, toys, nothing. He will only take food from A spoon and struggles with lumps. He had severe reflux as a baby. Please tell me this just clicks and they just start doing it!!

[Cinnzia]

@Helenetilly

Hello, can I ask how your little one is now and how the feeding progressed? My now 10 month DS won’t put anything into his own mouth, toys, bottle, beaker, toys, nothing. He will only take food from A spoon and struggles with lumps. He had severe reflux as a baby. Please tell me this just clicks and they just start doing it!!

Hi, how's your LO doing now? My 12mo eats a lot but rejects self-feeding to the extreme. He can and will bring other stuff to the mouth occasionally but will not bring food to the mouth.

[lm4868]

Hi there, just came across your message on this thread. I’d love to know how your daughter is doing now? I have the same problem with my nearly 9mo. He won’t mouth any toys or put food to his mouth. He loves his food but will only be spoon fed and has a melt down when I try to leave him to it, or for example if I partially put a piece of bread in his mouth so that he can push the rest in with his hands. I’m a bit worried! Thanks

[Cucumber79]

My daughter is now 9yrs old now and other than being a bit of a picky eater at times, she is doing very well in all aspects. It was an interesting journey when she was young however, and we had some other developmental concerns regarding use of her arms. A pediatrician got involved, and referred to a neurodevelopmental therapist who assessed her and reassured us she was just doing things her "own way". She would refuse to be spoon fed (mostly). Alot of the exercises we did were prob based more on her arm issues, such as getting her to prop herself up, sitting, roll over, reaching for things. At about 10.5 months old she started being interested in what I was eating, so offered her some of that with some success - but only as long as she fed herself! Although not in any great quantity until after 14 months. She never really mouthed toys, and speech was probably a little slower in developing than my two boys, but still within normal range, and absolutely fine now. It sounds like your little one loves food, but not the frustration of mastering his arms - I'm sure it will come!

[Augustmomx2]

I am having the same problem with my 11mo. He won't take anything to his mouth- we started solids by 6m and at 8m I started introducing table foods and noticed he won't take any to his mouth. I thought he wasn't ready just yet so I decided to give him a break until he turned 10m and he is now almost 1 yr in 2 weeks. He just gags and throws up if I place lumpy foods like ricotta cheese or mashed foods in his mouth. He never liked pacifiers and teethers, and being exclusively breastfed he refused bottles with the exception of the Enfamil brown nipples. My 8yo was so different by this age, he was the complete opposite and will self-feed with no issues. My 11mo will grab the spoon and play with the food, but won't take it to his mouth and if I try to show him he will just refuse and get cranky. He also throws everything to the floor. I have modeled chewing for him, I let him explore food in my plate and will throw everything to the floor. He likes purées though but refuses to transition to lumpy foods. Anybody can give me a piece of advice, TIA.

[Mumsy1984]

Hey! How is your son doing now? I have the same issue with my baby girl. She is 13 months won’t chew on today nor take anything food related to her mouth so I have to spoon feed her. Worried sick!

[Bacon87]

I was just wondering how everyones little ones have travelled with this?

my 7 month old rarely mouths toys and starting solids has been an issue. Also refuses to be spoon fed. I just keep offering hoping she gets it.

Has this meant anything for anyone’s child? I’m worried about developmental delays etc

[lm4868]

Hi @Mumsy1984 sorry for delay. He is now 12.5m old and still doesn’t mouth objects or put food to his mouth - he has to be spoon fed or finger fed by me. HOWEVER - he started at the childminder a month ago and she sent me a video of him slowly eating a slice of banana having been shown how to do it by her and the other children. Clearly peer pressure is a thing! He will apparently also hold half a banana and suck it til it’s finished so it’s huge progress for us. That said, I tried the same at home and he’s having none of it! So I think it must be a control/power thing going on with me and therefore I’m just going to ride it out, assuming that one day he will figure that it’s not so great having your mum be in charge of what you’re eating and much more fun to pick up cake on your own and have as much as you like!