Feeding a fussy baby...

Those following my posts, know by now that I have a fussy eater at hand and am always worried about his eating.

The other day I was speaking to my Pediatrician in India , the doctor's initial response when I complained about baby's food habits was "Tell me one Mom in the world who doesn't worry about baby's food, all Mom's in this world think that their Baby's not eating enough nor putting on enough weight". Very true but the fact is I have a lean baby and a fussy eater to deal with.

In this post I am just putting down all my efforts so far...suggestions, tips from experienced moms would be a boon!

The started weaning, when he was six months.

I kept reading everywhere that initially its just giving them a taste of solids.I started with Pear Puree..he had seven,eight baby spoons to start with. A good start!
But after two or three days , his interest in food vanished.

So I tried feeding him by letting him play with toys on his high chair, but the trick didn't last long.He became more and more keen on eating the toy then the food.

Next I started distracting him by playing Nursery Rhymes on TV , and feeding him.This trick worked well.
Side effects : He needs the TV while eating now.
Instead of humming songs, me and my hubby hum nursery rhyme now :(
I have to keep searching for new rhymes constantly as he gets bored, that means searching for different rhymes for 3 meals a day!

At times the TV trick doesn't do ..then? I give him another spoon to play with and then when he open's his mouth to play with his spoon, try and trick him to eat..smart ehh! But Baby's smarter.Now if I try to do that, he throws away the spoon or would not open his mouth if he see's my spoon nearby :P

Finger foods, hmnn this one I need to try more often.I find him only playing with the food.Mostly all the food lands on the floor and then to the dustbin.

I have tried to feed him with my hand instead of spoons..no good :( Tried different types of spoon ..no great result.But still I alternate spoons , at times he does eat a gulp or two when I change spoons.

Sometimes I change the material of the spoon ..like use a big metal spoon , he likes the taste of metal and opens his mouth to eat.I use metal spoon with smooth rounded edges to avoid any kind of injury.

Changing the texture of the food, making it more liquid or solid. Try different food combinations...alter the taste, give him something sweet and then yogurt or water.

Initially I tried to keep him hungry, but he would become more irritated, then I started giving him food when he's not full and not very hungry either.This way at-least he's not irritated. Timing wise that's the best way I realized.

I also eat my meals in front of him,before feeding him. That way he watches me eat and gets an idea that its meal time and like me he should also eat.Sometimes when we eat he comes and tries to eat a spoonful of what we are eating like a bite or two of banana.

I hear that babies like watching and copying other babies, so getting to eat with another baby might be a good idea..but no kids around..or may be I should socialize more and befriend someone with a baby in the neighborhood...!!!

I try and a combination of all these , at times he eats other times he doesn't.
My latest trick is to dance with the nursery rhymes, sometimes it works and he laughs at my moves and opens his mouth to eat...he eats or not at-least I might loose some flab..what say friends :)

Here is also a very nice article , makes lot of sense.

Caution : All said and done , never force a child to eat, doesn't work.I tried that as well once, but was no good and is not healthy for the baby at all.I pursue my baby to eat but never force him.Once he starts showing that he doesn't want to eat anymore by throwing the spoon, spitting or yelling when I try to bring the spoon near him I stop immediately!