9 1/2 Month Old Not Eating Table Food

I don't think she is ready for the move up. Continue with the baby foods she is used to. She is still a baby.

Well, my son also gagged on the stage 3 foods. He gagged worse on that than he did on real table food (whole veggies like canned green beans or carrots, fruit cup chunks, pasta, etc.). I think because the liquid consistency of it tricked him into thinking he could just swallow straight down without any chewing or munching, and then he would be surprised by a chunk and gag on it. However, he had no problem with puffs, cheerios, etc. so I don't know how to help there (he had no teeth and ate nothing but table food after 8 months, he gummed it all down). All I can say is she is obviously a particular eater- she knows what she wants and wants to stay in her comfort zone. The best advice is to keep trying!!! They say babies need to try something up to 15 times before they make their mind up about it. Continue to offer your soft, mashed up table foods (not baby food) and try to get at least 1-2 bites each meal, then if you have to finish with baby food to fill her up, so be it. She's at least getting constant exposure to the table foods. My pediatrician doesn't recommend baby foods at all. They don't taste the same as the real thing because of all the water added, and as you're discovering, once they get 9-12 months they don't like to try new foods, and a different form (solids instead of liquids) of the same thing is like a new food to them. Keep trying, and she should slowly come around. Gagging a little bit is not abnormal, they have to desensitive their gag reflex, you just don't want to make them adverse to the foods because then you'll truly have feeding issues in the future.

My son is 10 months and he is just starting to eat finger food and 3rd foods.I think she is just not ready yet.I have tried several time to start table food but he just wasnt ready.He is starting now to beable to eat it.Now the thing about her trying to get the food off her hand.i think they just do this as an experimental thing.It is a new thing and they want to feel it and play with it.Hopefully it will pass.just hang in there I know my son has made plenty of messes and gagged plenty of times.I you are wanting to get off baby food so you dont have to buy it you can get your blenderr out and puree veggies and fruit and then freeze them in ice cube trays then put them in ziploc bags.Also the super baby food book has a ton of great ideas for baby and the whole family dont worry is has stuff for your child when they are older to.Anway just hang in therre you baby will get it soon.If you have any questions you can email me ____@____.com

Be patient Mama. Keep offering but don't force it. My first was like this and all of a sudden one day she could eat stage 3 foods and finger foods like you are trying. She will be doing it before you know it. I just offered the finger foods as I fed the baby foods and gradually she would eat them. She started with small bites of banana.

I wouldn't worry too much about not eating Stage 3 food. My little one gagged each time I tried to feed them to her, resulting in her refusing anything that came from a spoon. So at about 9.5 months she was just wanting table foods (cheerios, puffs, etc.), but picky about the texture and color. For example, I didn't realize she knew that orange was carrots (which she still won't touch but would eat baby jar food carrots) and white was chicken/pork/turkey. As for the texture issue, maybe try playing with different textures from around the house and see how she reacts (leaves, sandpaper, carpet, sand, etc.) That might explain some of her reactions to foods in her hands. Good luck. Keep offering, but don't push her to eat and maybe put the spoon away for a few weeks.

R.,

My babysitter (who has been doing it for 27+ years) says that when she has this issue, she gets a little bit of regular food on the spoon and also some baby food (more babyfood than table food) - and kind of tricks the baby a bit. Then you gradually back off the baby food.

I don't personally have experience with this as my kids (all 4 of them) were easy to transition.

Good Luck - this too shall pass (sooner than you think).

T.

I would keep trying for a few more months, but if it continues past a year you may have to look into feeding therapy. Most children will eventually find textures that they like or get used to, but some do need some help.

Hey R.
It's been a long time since my kids were babies, and neither of them had a big issue with food, but I do remember that we let our kids have their own spoon right away. And I seem to remember them concentrating on trying to get food on their spoon and us slipping enough food into their bodies (using a different spoon on the sly) to keep them alive. Often they didn't even realize we were feeding them because they were concentrating on being master of the spoon universe. We did the same thing when cleaning up after a meal. Give them their own washcloth and sneak in swipes while they are busy!

We also cooked our (adult) food without salt and pepper or seasonings while they were young and we mashed or ground up it up for them. We never even bought baby food - probably saved a fortune. I don't know because I didn't buy the stuff!

My Mom said I rejected commercial baby food when I was a baby. It seemed like I didn't care for the texture. I liked my mashed potatoes with lumps in them so I could chew. I preferred to chew up the peas and green beans that they had smashed for me. Didn't learn to like gravy until I was 35 - too slimy! Texture Rules, doesn't it, kids?

Don't know if any of this will help, but then, there are lots of responses from other Moms with lots of ideas! I usually read them all, but started a new job, so I have less time.

God bless you!
A.

We had the same problem with our daughter. She would not eat any table food until she turned a year old. I tried feeding her the fruit puffs & cheerios starting about 9 months & she would also gag & sometimes throw up. She ate all the baby foods no problem & even ate the oatmeal & rice cereal for breakfast. I even tried the Stage 3 foods & she would do the same thing. Everyone kept telling me to try mashed potatoes or pasta & she gagged on it too. So I gave up trying & when she turned one, she didn't want the baby food any longer. She started blowing it out when I'd put a spoonful in her mouth. So don't worry about it, she'll eventually start eating the table foods. If it's not when you want, it's when she wants. You might try regular applesauce. That was one of the first things that our daughter ate well. Our daughter never held her bottle until she turned one either. It's like as soon as she turned one, she decided it was time to feed herself & to hold her bottle.

One thing I learned quickly with my oldest was you have little or no control over what your child food preferences are going to be. Accept that and offer, but don't force. Neither of my sons would touch #3 baby foods either. I would just continue with baby food and offer little pieces of table food at each meal. Eventually she'll become curious enough to try some. Good luck!!!

I feel like we are going through the same exact thing...we are around the same age, been married for the same amount of time, both work and trying to get our first child to eat table food! I thought my son would love mashed potatoes! Not so much! So, we are just sticking with the baby food for a while. I don't think there is anything wrong with it...and he loves all of his fruits and veggies too. Have you tried Beechnut baby food? They have a lot of variety. My son loves them, and the texture is a lot different than Gerber, so I think this is helping him learn different textures. Plus Beechnut is part of UPromise...to save for your child's college!

Oh, R.. How your situation brings back memories! My son and daughter are 10 and almost 8. Your baby girl sounds like she has a mind of her own. I agree with you, it sounds like a texture issue and one she will overcome as she gets older. I know it's frustrating now but continue what you are doing - try new foods, flavors, and textures with her. Keep trying. The good news - she won't eat baby food forever and she'll try it when she's ready.

One suggetion, put a couple of pieces of the new food on her tray/plate and let her test it by herself. Let her explore it first. Act like you're not even interested. Sounds crazy, doesn't it? With my youngest, it had to be HER idea and then, she would do it "mySELP" (no typo - that's the way she said it).

Have fun and if possible, make sure you film her closing her mouth and turning her head as you introduce new things. That visual is one to last a lifetime! ~ K.

She is still young but I have and would give as much fresh fruits and veggies and by pass baby foods when ever possible. Steam the veggies and puriee them. Make them into baby food. Baby will be more used to the taste of table food but I have a 2 yr old preemie that refuses any lumpy food. I have been making baby food for months now. I hate the expense of baby food and baby food is not the best. When you make your own you can ad some cereal in it with iron or whole grain. You can put different things together sneaking in more healthy foods. The baby foods that are labeled Deserts we are not allowed to give to babies. If Water is the first ingredient we do not buy it. Combination dinners are a no because it has fillers in it like 2 or more components. Foods like Chicken Lasagna orGreen Beans, Corn, and Rice or Veggie and Beef are a no. We want like two veggies or a mixed veggie but not so many things they are not getting any component in the right amounts. Hope this is helpful. I just took a infant feeding class. The main foods for infants until 1-2 is breast milk or formula that has iron in it. By the time they are 1-2 they will grow into table food. But straining it by adding some milk and cereal to reduce the lumps will also help introduce the tastes. I have a day care and getting educated all the time and wonder how we survived way back when. When we had no car seats and no baby foods. But things change. I think most moms today are so afraid of elements they want to over protect their children because it is a scary world today. We never had child molesters and today we do. Everywhere not just a few. I can and never will understand why. Take care and hope I helped you with some ideas to pass on from my class. G. W

my 15 mo old is still on baby food. don't worry, it is the healthiest thing anyway. it is pure and only contains exactly what it is called (i.e. green beans is green beans and water). they have plenty of time to grow up and eat table food. let them eat healthy as long as possible. it is a fact that ALL a baby needs until the age of 12 months is formula or breast milk anyway.
a little about me: i also have a wonderful husband of 4 years. we are both pharmacists and he is the absolute best dad to our daughter!! i am sooo happy for you!