Weaning problems!

DGS2 suffered really badly with reflux and had many trips to St Thomas' in London. He was booked for surgery until they changed their minds 3days before.
He had a fear of solids as he associated eating with pain. He lived on prescription formula milk until he was about 18mths. DD was in despair. He then started to eat finger food and gradually progressed. He is now 2.5 and one of his favourite foods now are vegetable samosas. He loves anything with a strong flavour.

When I was weaning my children, the advice then was to start them on cows milk at or around six months, and to start introducing smooth food eg yogurt or baby rice just a bit thicker than milk. My DD has breast fed all her children. Three weaned without trouble. The youngest would not eat anything, until she decided that he wanted lumpy, or finger food. He is 22months old now ad his favourite food ia a spicy daal curry!

Sit him at the table with the grown ups and let him watch you all eat. That's what we've always done with first the children, then the grandchildren. Don't thrust food on him, but when he shows an interest (and he will, children love to copy) then offer him something small and suitable from you plates.

I think I'm saying the same as Bags

Yes I think that is the norm in many cultures bags.

Does he reach for food his parents or you are eating? Sometimes they only want the food on mama's plate. If necessary, you can chew a bit of something for him first so he can cope with it.

Pre-empting the "ugh!" comments: I reckon that's what mothers have always done before they had kitchen 'equipment' to do the mushing first for babies. I certainly did it with mine. Chimps and other apes do too. It's in our evolutionary history

Appetite is such an individual thing - some children eat heartily and others "pick and pike". I think the advice above not to let it become a battle ground is spot on. Just relax and let the child go at his own pace. If he shows interest let him taste without making any sort of fuss and before you know it he will be weaned.

Lona I'm glad it's not just my GS who loves green olives. He eats them like sweets if we don't watch him. He demolished a whole bowl at our Italian Evening on Friday.

Some good advice above. You could just ignore the problem for a month and try again. Nothing awful will happen. There are very few adults that are still on an all-milk diet . And not many 3 year olds either. Milk is a very good food. Just keep giving vitamin drops.

If the situation is bothering the family, I would cut down on formula - because if he is filling up on milk and that is obviously satisfying his appetite. Try replacing mid day formula with a bottle of tap water. (quite safe in the UK).

Chidren's appetites do vary. My sister in law has a very small appetite and if out for a meal everyone else will have finished and she will be pushing her food around her plate. She has always been like that - "a poor eater" her mother says. And as a baby she was quite happy on 4 hourly breast feeding. My poor DH - a big lad who has always had an excellent appetite - screamed most of his first 4 months. This was put down to an umbilical hernia - but I have no idea why that should cause pain. I suspect he was starving.

Don't worry, they all eat something in the end! My dgd two and a half loves nothing more than green olives and garlic bread!
Don't let food become a weapon for them

Each to his own!

If it were me I would not do too much of the "encouraging" or it can begin to feel like a battle - "Just eat, darn you!" If the food is available, eventually he will eat it, if only by copying others at some point. Don't panic - all will be well!

GS1 is nearly eight now and still not hugely interested in food. When he was a toddler I thought he would spend the rest of his life eating yoghurt and fromage frais, which hadn't really got us very far from milk! He has since added pasta and some cereals with miniscule portions of meat and vegetables. His eighteen month old brother will shovel anything into his mouth and is particularly fond of garlic bread!

Try mashed avocado pear. They either love it or hate it.

Thanks Granny23, we have been doing what you have suggested in the hope he will take an interest. His older sister who is 3 also tries to encourage him, but to no avail. I will suggest to my DIL that he is checked for tongue tie. It's worth looking into.

Helena worth having him checked for tongue tie, which can cause problems with eating. If that is OK just keep trying to offer a variety of finger foods before milk feeds. Pop him in his high chair at the table when the rest of you are eating and if he shows any interest let him have a taste of what you are having. My DD2 refused/ignored all solid food apart from the odd piece of banana until she was 1, but drank gallons of milk. She was walking from 9/10 months and eventually 'stole' chocolate fingers at DD1's 3rd Birthday party and then had a go at the icecream. She seemed to find this 'eating' highly amusing and within a few days she was tucking into whatever we were having.

Maybe you should put some tasty morsels in front of DGS and give him strict orders not to touch them

Thankyou Mishap, that is what we're hoping for :-)

My youngest DGD was not interested in solid food to start with at about the same age. She got it in the end. Yoghurt was the breakthrough. I think the most important thing is not to worry about it, or the child will sense this. He will not be eating slop and milk when he goes to school and they all develop at different rates.

My DGD is 18 months now and has "got it" - she eats a mixed diet very happily now.