Hi,

Just wondering when some of the babies late to take solids finally took them? Our little Dylan tried them for a month and a half at 6.5 months, then quit them until 10.5 months. Since he started solids, he eats very little and refuses most foods. He has 'bad' gas/fussy days when he will revert back to only breastmilk. His first birthday is coming up and I keep wondering when he will eat?

He is on Zantac twice daily for a couple of weeks now, we saw a big improvement the first week but since then has regressed to the good old days of little appetite and difficulty sleeping.

Thanks,

Namaste

Dylan 05/17/05

Namaste,

Often with refluxers, feeding is a huge issue. Our children learn way too early in life that eating results in pain. Try to continue offering food, but I'd also check into getting help from a feeding team, such as a speech therapist and/or an occupational therapist. Many of them have lots of experience with this.

My dd did exactly the same thing; however, she would flatly refuse solids and, on the odd occasion when we could get some into her, same thing. It would aggravate her reflux. :-( Even now at 18 months, she'd still rather nurse than eat; however, we've been working with a great feeding specialist who is helping us learn how to deal with her food aversion (and has made great strides getting my dd to eat some solids!). I so agree with Janette--if you can find a feeding team or an SLP who specializes in feeding aversions, it might make a world of difference.

Also, you might let your doctor know about the Zantac not making much of a difference. He may well need something a bit stronger.

Hi,

Just wondering when some of the babies late to take solids finally took them? Our little Dylan tried them for a month and a half at 6.5 months, then quit them until 10.5 months. Since he started solids, he eats very little and refuses most foods. He has 'bad' gas/fussy days when he will revert back to only breastmilk. His first birthday is coming up and I keep wondering when he will eat?

He is on Zantac twice daily for a couple of weeks now, we saw a big improvement the first week but since then has regressed to the good old days of little appetite and difficulty sleeping.

Thanks,

Namaste

Dylan 05/17/05

What solids is Dylan eating? Is it purees? Mushy? Some texture? Crunchy? It is important to know where he is at.

I asked my ped when Iain was 14 months old and still 100% solids averted WHEN will he start to eat and there was no answer. What I have learned on our journey is that you have to be proactive with feeding problems and that the medical profession will let it keep going and going when intervention is clearly needed as the other ladies have suggested. I wholeheartedly agree that you should enlist in the help of an OT and dietician NOW and not allow it to continue. For every month that they are behind in feeding skills you have the equal amount of time to play "catch up" For instance, if solids are normally introduced at 4 months and your child does not truly start them (purees) until the age of nearly 15 months (in my son's case) then you are 11 months behind and have at least 11 months to catch up.

Here I am one year after starting solids and my son is doing very well, but still heavily supplemented. His weight is great but we STILL have issues with solids and according to our feeding skills behaviourist that I contacted today it can last for another few years. Iain reverts back to purees in a moment and today I found out why my son is not eating solids at all, only purees and soft foods... he had strep throat and a super stubborn sinus infection recently and since then has not wanted to touch solids, a common problem apparently for kids who have had a major feeding problem even if they were well on the path to recovery. It is the pain issue again. This is another reason for you to get help now as it is a vicious cycle and the sooner you break it the better off you and Dylan will be.

Thanks for all the excellent advice and great support. Dylan has phases with food, he likes things and that's all he'll eat, then he goes off them to another, it was toast first, then melba toast, now it's pasta or noodles. He refuses all vegetables and cereal, most fruits (except in fruit leather or smoothy) and anything pureed. B/c he won't take baby food it's very challenging to find something nutritious for him, I have found a healthy 'cheerio' cereal he will snack on.

Bethany - what is your babe's feeding schedule like (breastmilk)? Dylan will be in daycare full time next month and it's been a challenge to get him down to three feeds between 7am and 4:30, I will use my lunch break for one. He is an avid night nurser to compensate, especially on bad days with no food. I'm trying to accomodate him but I'm so tired with the frequent night wakings and will be even more so back at work!


Keep up the good work moms, this is a great resource.

Namaste

Bethany - what is your babe's feeding schedule like (breastmilk)? Dylan will be in daycare full time next month and it's been a challenge to get him down to three feeds between 7am and 4:30, I will use my lunch break for one. He is an avid night nurser to compensate, especially on bad days with no food. I'm trying to accomodate him but I'm so tired with the frequent night wakings and will be even more so back at work!


Keep up the good work moms, this is a great resource.

Namaste


Are you giving to Oatios from Whole Foods? :-) Those are the healthful "Cheerios" I give Bethany. :-)

As for her nursing...*sigh*. For the first 15 or 16 months, all the moms here will tell you that I complained constantly of being a zombie. Bethany was a night nursling who was up every hour or so. :-( She could really just never eat solids and be content to nurse day and night.

I finally had to totally cut out nighttime nursing. It was miserable, but only took a few nights--she's now sleeping more or less through the night. (Awakens once or twice, but doesn't nurse). During the day she nurses when she wakes up, before her and before bed. She would nurse all day if I'd let her, but it's interfering with her eating and it's simply not enough to sustain her. :-( Anyway, she's still getting the benefits of my milk and we still have a lovely ritual before bed/upon awakening, but I've noticed that her eating has improved somewhat by taking out the nighttime nursing.

Will you be pumping and giving him b'milk in a bottle/cup while he's in daycare? That might be something you could try. Let me think about this and I'll come back with more ideas. :-)

Mary, that's really great to know for a couple of months down the road, thanks for sharing. Dylan would breastfeed incessently given the chance, it was hard work getting him off 'on demand' as they often sip to help ease the pain but not enough for a meal. I would give him a sippy cup but then I have to pump and I just don't have the xtra supply now he's older and takes more. I'm also banking on the social atmosphere of daycare encouraging him to partake more and different foods.

He's had a couple good days of eating dinner, but don't want to cross my fingers too much though b/c he's slipslid back from great days before. Re: the cereal, I don't know if we have that brand in Canada (whole foods), or at least where I am, but we get lifestream and other organic ones imported from the states.

Cheers,

Namaste

It is really hard to cut down on the "on demand" feedings--I found I was so conflicted for the same reasons. I was afraid to take away something that was easing her discomfort but I knew she wasn't getting enough solely through b'milk at her age (and by looking at her height/weight charts!). I am still happy that we have such a nice ritual before nap/bedtime. :-)

You're so right--the atmosphere at daycare might very well help him adjust to more of a schedule when eating. :-)

I so hope his improved eating continues! *crosses fingers*