6 month old does not like baby food

imaima ↓

Today at 10:48 am

amother OP wrote:

Looking for advice!

Until now I was almost always nursing or pumping for my baby. We gave him formula a couple times when needed, and he used to like it. Until he had allergic reaction to it, after that he refused it (we were trying to do an allergy trial, that’s why we were feeding it to him again.). Our pediatrician said to assume we should keep him off cows milk until he gets a little older, but we have to be careful when introducing new foods because of other potential allergies.

This happened when he was about five months, fast-forward to now he is six months old. I’m having a hard time keeping up with the pumping as he needs more ounces now, and he won’t drink the soy formula we offered. My assumption was that once he starts food, I will be able to keep him full without increasing my pumping output. We tried feeding him a baby jar earlier this week and he hated it! Because of potential allergies I can’t try a different flavor for another week and a half. But it’s looking like new flavors are not what he wants so getting him to eat solids will be an uphill battle.

Any advice? I need to pump whole at work, and I’m not keeping up with the ounces he needs. He refuses the formula he can eat safely. And he has no interest in food. I’m getting really overwhelmed! At the moment we are using my small freezer stash but it’s not going to last that long!

How do I get him to like food? My others always got excited by food and ate happily!

Try cooking the same ingredient that is in the baby jar yourself and offer it to him. Maybe he doesn’t like the texture or temperature. Play around with it without adding new foods

amother

↑ OP ↓

Today at 10:52 am

amother Honeysuckle wrote:

I'd say wait a few more weeks. Not every baby is ready for solids at 6 months.

That’s prob what I will do, but the pumping is really a problem… he needs about 12 ounces while I’m at work, I pump usually 8-11ounces tops. I was hoping that with solid food he would eat enough to have an ounce or two less every day. My freezer supply is dwindling…

(On days I don’t work I have enough to nurse him, it just doesn’t work out the same when pumping)

amother

↑ OP ↓

Today at 10:53 am

imaima wrote:

Try cooking the same ingredient that is in the baby jar yourself and offer it to him. Maybe he doesn’t like the texture or temperature. Play around with it without adding new foods

Yes I think I need to try that and daven it works!
Or it could be he just doesn’t like sweet potato, but he’s stuck with it until the next food is allowed 😂

amother

↑ OP ↓

Today at 11:14 am

bookstore15 wrote:

I haven't heard of waiting that long between foods. I've waited three days. Try making your own baby food, applesauce, sweet potato, etc.

Yeah I just googled it and seems like 3-5 days is more standard… I assumed the pediatrician said so long because of the potential allergy situation? Anyone else (with baby allergy experience) want to weigh in? I would love to do fewer days!

I really never thought abt it with my others, we weren’t careful and bH all were fine.

amother

↑ Midnight

Today at 11:15 am

amother OP wrote:

I’d talk to an allergist not the pediatrician

renslet ↓

Today at 11:24 am

amother OP wrote:

Right. That makes sense, but I don’t know if I can wait that long! He is not stable at all when sitting yet, I think he needs at least another month.

A baby who is not stable sitting up is not ready for solids.
Interestingly it is easier for babies to eat actual foods rather than purees.
I would strongly advise you to go to solid starts website. They have pediatricians and allergists on staff. They can help you determine when your child is ready for solids and the best way to start.
Also according to any dr that I've been to, food before one is not supposed to be instead of formula or breast milk, it's for eating skills, iron etc. A baby under age one's primary source of calories is formula or breast milk

amother

↑ OP

Today at 12:14 pm

renslet wrote:

I will check out the website.

My children, including this one, are usually early crawlers and late sitters in general (I’m very into tummy time, so they learn to get around and then sitting is “unnecessary” for them to play). I never waited for them to be able to sit unsupported to eat and the others did manage food wonderfully bH.

Yes, I still plan to pump and nurse as needed, but there is a natural decrease in ounces taken if they eat other foods as well.

amother

Thistle

Today at 12:26 pm

amother OP wrote:

My oldest is 18. Our allergist said to do one week for each food. He was very specific about the order: rice, squash, sweet potato, carrot, pear, apple, banana, peach, plum, peas, green beans, barley, oatmeal, with no other foods before the first birthday.

↑ renslet

Today at 12:34 pm

amother Thistle wrote:

That was 18 years ago. I believe you will find that medical advice has changed completely since then

amother

↑ Catmint ↓

Today at 12:38 pm

amother OP wrote:

Yes, 3 to 5 days is standard. Wait a week if you want to be generous. That's assuming the child is eating the food. If you discontinue the food after the first spoon, you don't have to wait more than a day or two. Unless the child has a full-blown allergic reaction. Then you need to wait for their system to resettle.

There are two types of foods. High allergy foods and low allergy foods.

It's generally recommended to be extra careful with high allergy foods, and introduce them one at a time with space in between. But low allergy foods can be served several at a time. So you can introduce chicken with spices on it or sauce. You don't have to introduce each spice individually.

Most doctors nowadays recommend introducing the high allergy foods early. The amother who said she was told to wait is because her kid is 18, that advice is very outdated. Only if there are very strong indications of multiple severe allergies have I heard to wait till after a year for allergens.

I'm not a doctor. But I have multiple kids with every type of allergy from standard nuts to fpies. I visit my allergist regularly and we've had quite a few. The advice you're getting is not standard at all.

↑ imaima

Today at 12:41 pm

amother OP wrote:

Yes I think I need to try that and daven it works!
Or it could be he just doesn’t like sweet potato, but he’s stuck with it until the next food is allowed 😂

You said orange veggies, maybe a carrot or butternut squash will also do now? Simply cooked in plain water till very soft and served in chunks

amother

Ginger

Today at 12:41 pm

What kind of nipples are you using with the bottle? Many babysitters want the feedings to go faster and use fast flow. For babies who are nursing part of the time and are given pumped milk the slower flow is better because it gives the child a chance to realize he or she is full. At this age and every age babies don't need more than 4 oz of breast milk. Only formula needs to be more. You can supplement with an oz of formula. If you must give food, offer soft foods he can hold in his hand. I only had 1 child who liked baby food. And my child who refused to eat food until 9 months is my best eater. She had no interest until then. I just kept offering.

amother

↑ Eggshell

Today at 1:29 pm

amother OP wrote:

unless the allergy is severe its more likely a child reacts on the 2nd time they have it once the body 'knows' the food already so they say to give it twice within a few days and not give more than one new food for those few days so that you can know what they are reacting to.

Even for babies ready to eat at 6 months they say not to give a lot its just so that the baby gets to taste and feel textures earlier on. its not enough to lower the milk intake.
maybe you can pump more often than you do to try get enough.