Expert: ruth kraft - 3/5/2009

Question
I have a five month and 3 week old son who refuses to start eating baby foods. I was told to start introducing at four months but he still sticks out his tongue and pushes the food out. I wait two weeks and try again but it is the same thing. He also refuses to drink baby juice, I put it in a bottle but as soon as he taste the juice he moves away from the bottle. He is a breastfeed only baby, and it seems to me all he wants is to breastfeed. I feel like he is smart enough to know that I am trying to give him baby juice and/or rice cereal because he closes his mouth and turns his head; however, he opens his mouth for everything else like all his toys. Does he need to be eating other foods at this age, is breastfeeding only giving him what he needs? When should I start to worry that he is not eating/drinking anything else?


Answer
4 months was probably too early for him. You only need to give babies alternate food if they are formula fed at 4 months. He is telling you that he is defiantly not ready for solids. the turning the head away cannot be more clear.  So give up on the solids for a while and watch his ques. when he is ready he will tell you he wants some. you can offer things off your own plate like squished peas or bananas, applesauce or mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes etc... things he can gum easily. Many babies don't like jar food as it doesn't taste good. My rule of thumb is, if you wouldn't eat it, then don't give it to your baby. and the baby should be able to eat it easily on his own or he isn't ready.

so when to get concerned ? At a year old if he has NO interest in solid food would be a time to start to wonder why. until then, you can exclusively breastfeed with no problems and the baby will get enough nutrition. my guess is, if you start feeding off your plate, he will find more interest in the next few months.  go by his pace. He knows instinctual what best for him.

I hope that helped!
Ruth Kraft
www.honoringwomen.com