Today’s post is in response to a question I received about an older post A Solid’s Feeding Guide. Anonymous wrote:

My friend’s baby is 6 1/2 months old and won’t eat solids. She spits it right back out no matter what it is. If you even put an empty spoon in her mouth she spits “it” out. Any tips on how to get her to eat? Her Dr. said just to keep offering it and if she’s not eating by 8 mo. then she will need speech therapy.

While we did get some of the usual dislike, gagging, “messy photo-op high chair moments” when Noob Baby first started eating cereal, she eventually accepted solids without too much fuss. (Now, I’m not even going to get started on how picky she’s become as a toddler. We’ll save that for a whole other post.)

Here are some tips if you are also stuck in PURGATORY:

1. Wait till baby is showing readiness rather than going by age.

• Good head control
• Losing the “extrusion reflex” (tongue thrust)
• Sitting well w/support (to be able to sit in high chair)
• Significant, healthy weight gain. At least 15 lbs AND at least 4 months old (preferably around 6 months to be safe).
• Growing appetite
• Curiosity about food

2. Start with cereal – rice cereal is a good starter cereal. On the otherhand, Noob Baby preferred oatmeal. *Reminder* Wait at least 3-5 days in between trying new foods.

• Try mixing the cereal with either water, formula, or breastmilk and find the COMBINATION and CONSISTENCY your baby prefers. Some prefer runny cereal, while other babies like the thicker texture. For babies with a strong gag reflex… thin, runny purees are usually preferable.

3. If baby is gagging, try putting just a tiny bit on the tip of the spoon. Then only place spoon at the tip of the mouth, just slightly inside. Putting spoon too far inside the mouth will trigger the reflex.

4. Try different foods. Noob Baby has a sweet tooth (hmm… I wonder who she got that from). She loves her fruit and will gladly eat the fruit purees over anything else. Again, remember to allow enough time between trying new foods.

5. Even though you are soooooo over it and ready to throw in the towel, make sure mealtime is still relaxing and fun for your noob. Babies can develop anxiety towards the high chair if they are forced to eat (and gag) over and over again. I have been known to sing and fingerplay to get Noob Baby to eat. Shameful. I know.

6. If she still isn’t eating, try again in a week or so. It’s amazing how one day noobs like/dislike/eat/don’t eat something and the next day…. the COMPLETE FREAKIN OPPOSITE! Meanwhile, you’re sitting there with jar in hand, spoon poised, and a big WTF look on your face.

Hoodwinked Parent: But why baby why?? You swore to me that you loved peas yesterday. I even went and bought 50 jars at Target. We had a deeaaaallll!!! I sold my soul to the devil for these peas!!!
Noob: (Smug look)

7. Try dipping some food on his pacifier if he uses one… or other similarly ingenius tricks you can come up with. Suggestions anyone?

8. Last, and most importantly, ask your pediatrician for suggestions. As Anonymous mentioned, some babies do require medical attention, even in the form of speech or feeding therapy. I had never heard of feeding therapy until I was researching for this post. Here is an interesting link about Feeding Therapy.

Well, good luck to you Anon and friends. I’m on my way to hide chicken and veggies in Noob’s applesauce.