Baby weaning through phases

Hello, parents! I am back at writing about baby food and baby weaning with a whole different perspective from last time and I hope you find it helpful :) 

For those new to the blog, I am a Holistic Nutrition Coach and a momma to a now 11 months old boy named Samuel. Sam is a sweet little boy with a big appetite, but in the past few weeks, we started to have a hard time during mealtime. 

Sam was exclusively breastfed until he was six months when we started introducing some solids. We started with oats, yams, avocado, and beans. All mashed to avoid choking. As he grew we began to offer him other vegetables like steamed broccoli, cauliflower, sliced bell peppers that he could ‘bite’ using his gums. He enjoyed everything we offered and took it all with great curiosity. But now he knows most of the foods we offer, he is familiar with their textures and tastes and became more selective. 

By this time I know babies change constantly and so do their preferences. So I am trying to find ways to adapt to his needs as he grows, but at the same time I know I can’t let him dictate what will be on his plate - as his mom ( and also as a nutritionist) I know that rice cakes are not a proper meal. So can I keep mealtime from turning into war times? 

I may not have the answer for that just yet, but I am willing to try some strategies, and hopefully, something will work - or maybe he will grow out of the rejection phase naturally. 

Why will babies reject foods they once liked? 

As you may know by now, babies change a lot. Every single week can represent a milestone. That is applicable for their interest in food as well. Once they start to taste the food at around 6 months old everything is new and exciting and that can trigger either interest or dislike for foods. While some babies will love the exciting new flavors and textures, others will reject solids altogether. Even after they have established their favorite foods, they may reject them after a few months. Why would this happen? 

Reasons why older babies will reject foods

Mealtimes separated from the rest of the family

Babies like to mimic family members’ behavior. So much that they may feel less likely to eat if they are not at the dinner table at the same time as everyone else. When watching other people they interact and learn how to behave at the table. They may be more interested in food if they see others eating as well. 

You may also try to keep the high-chair close to the table so your baby feels like he is sharing the same space as everybody else. 

Food became boring

If at the beginning it is safer to give babies mashed and pureed foods, as babies grow they may start to find these foods less interesting. Once their little teeth start to grow it may be a sign to introduce pieces and chunks. The different textures can entice them to eat. 

Your baby may want more independence

If at the beginning the baby was satisfied being spoon-fed, now he may want to explore holding the spoon or using her hands to eat. If that is the case, let her try eating by herself. This is important for their confidence and motor development. When you allow your baby to do it by himself you are telling her ‘hey, I trust you can do it. You are big now’. That desire for independence can be so strong that they can start to reject the food if they are fed by someone else. 

Pain

Sometimes the reason your baby is rejecting the food is not related to the food at all. She may be feeling pain or discomfort. Check if the cause is not constipation - passing gas or a slow bowel movement can cause discomfort and food rejection - try to eat if your tank feels full still. Other causes can be sore gums from teething. If new teeth are coming up, their gums may become sensitive causing babies to reject more solid foods. If this is the issue, do not force, offer some mashed food instead of chunks, as this can be more delicate to her gums. 

If you notice that your child is not eating at all and is having trouble maintaining or gaining weight, and or has a fever, contact your family doctor or pediatrician. 

How did I overcome Sam’s rejection of food?

His rejection did not last too long, not longer than 5 days I’d say. During that time we tried a few things like offering different foods, changing the dining set. We knew he was not constipated, but it could be teething so we tried softer foods, which helped for a while but he soon lost interest in the mashed foods. So I decided to let him do his own thing. Sam is 11 months now, which means he may be going through some big development milestones and becoming more independent. Now, at almost a year, he doesn’t want us to spoon feed him, instead, he prefers to eat by himself taking the small chunks of food directly to his mouth using his hands or adventuring with the spoon - he misses the target a lot but is getting better each day. 

When I allowed him to take charge of mealtime, he became more engaged and his interest in food returned. I feel that he is more observant now, and wants to mimic our behavior even more, and of course, he doesn’t see anyone else being spoon-fed. 

What to avoid

I know it is nerve-wracking, and that on top of sleepless nights and tiredness, now you need to deal with a cry baby over mealtime - and this is exhausting. But try your best to not make mealtime a traumatizing event for your child. By saying this I mean, avoid yelling at your child or force-feed your baby if he refuses to eat. You want this to be a pleasant moment, not a war zone. 

That doesn’t mean you should give in either. We want our kids to have something on their stomach, and sometimes our tendencies are to just give whatever we know they will eat. For Sam, that thing is rice cakes. I know he will eat them at any time of the day. But when he refuses his food and I offer rice cakes instead I am telling him that it is okay to not eat his food and therefore creating a pattern where he is the one commanding the situation. But I know that there is little nutrition in rice cakes, so I need him to still eat fruits and vegetables. 

If this is happening, let him out of the high-chair, without offering other less nutritious (but more preferred) items. Your kid won’t like to feel hungry, so he will ask for food once he is ready to eat. When he does, offer the same food again. You may want to offer it in different forms, like mashed, baked, mixed up. But make sure you are still offering your kid the same nutritious meal and not snacks.  

Remember, we all have our preferences for food, so does your baby. He may love carrots and dislike cucumbers. Try to cook the cucumbers in a different way or mix up with the carrots in a salad, she may enjoy it that way. If they don’t fancy one item today, that doesn’t mean they won’t like it ever. Their palate chance constantly, so offer the rejected items again at another time, as they may show more interest then. 

Thanks for reading through it and I hope my experience can help you with your little one. And, as always, feel free to connect if you need nutrition tips and advice. I will love to chat!