Can't introduce solids, help!?

[RaiDa]

I have a 6 month old, not my first, and I have been trying to introduce solids for about a moth to no real avail. I started off with rice cereal, then avocado, then soup- just the liquid, and mushed pear.

Thing is, no matter what it is he just shuts his mouth tight so that I can't get the spoon in there. At first he used to gag and shudder when he felt food in his mouth, now if I manage to get a spoon in- either by making him laugh or by giving him a toy that he wants to chew on- he no longer gags or shutters but as soon as he swallowed it he'll go right back to tightly closed mouth. Lately even my making him laugh tricks aren't working, he is just so determined to not let me get anything in there. I tried feeding him his own teething toy, which he loves! But would close his mouth just the same.

What am I supposed to do, wait till he can feed himself?!
I know there's no major rush but I'm accustomed with good eaters so this is all new to me. Is it just a phase? anything else I can try?

Of all things listed he definitely took to soup the best. I mean he opened his mouth and even smacked his lips for the first 5 spoons but then lost interest in that as well.
He's exclusively breastfed otherwise

 

[Toby]

Don't panic. I know it must be frustrating, but you really have absolutely nothing to worry about. Because your little one is exclusively breastfed, he's undoubtedly a healthy baby, and the breastmilk is more than sufficient for him right now, even up to a year. Fact is, some babies just aren't interested in solids at 6 months or even long after that, and it's completely fine.

In the meantime, you can definitely keep trying. With my daughter, I mixed everything I fed with a little breastmilk, which seemed to help. Having that familiar taste made her a little more receptive of the new textures that I was giving her. Also, you may also want to try feeding your son first thing in the morning, even before he nurses. If he gets really frustrated, give him the breast for a few minutes, but then try again. He needs to be hungry enough to really eat.

All that being said, you really shouldn't feel pressured to force your son to eat solids. He will eventually, but he may just not be ready yet. And that's totally okay because the breastmilk is giving him everything that he needs. Some babies just aren't ready until 8 months or even after. My daughter didn't consistently eat solids until she was close to 8 months, and she's a very healthy 22 pounds at 10 months old, so she definitely didn't suffer from starting a bit later. But just let your son take the lead. Don't make it a big deal; offer it to him occasionally, and make it fun. Bring him to the table when you and your family are eating. Let him see what all the fuss is about, and maybe he'll finally get interested enough to eat some real food of his own!

Anyway, I hope all that's helpful. Good luck!

 

[missmara42]

It seems your baby doesn't have a problem but you do. He clearly is telling you that he isn't ready for solids. Until 12 months babies get most of their nutrition from breast milk (or formula) and solids are really just for practice. Stop trying to force feed him, but try a little something every couple of days to see if he will take it. When he is ready he will eat.

 

[Beth]

There really is no rush. Some babies don't really take to solids until after 1 year old. As long as he's still breastfeeding plenty and is growing and healthy, it really doesn't matter. For now, he's clearly not ready or interested, so back off.

And yeah, you wait until he can feed himself. Most babies can start feeding themselves around 6-8 months, so that's not really that far away. Plus, it saves you having to spoon feed him all the time. That's a good thing!

 

[HappyMum]

My son was not a good eater at the beginning. He gagged on about everything! I waited a few weeks, than tried again. Maybe he is just not ready! My son only started to eat meat at 10 months!