Feeding my 9 month old baby

[HelenUrban]

Hi.

My 9 month old baby boy is a fussy eater. When I feed him food from a spoon he fusses and won't eat. If I give him something from my hand he tends to eat it. I am out of ideas of what to give him. I get the feeling I should be giving him finger food and try spoon feed between that. But I can't get him to sit still to do this. He is very active and has never been a good eater or drinker.

This is more or less his typical day:

6am Bottle of Formula 150-200ml.
8am Cereal 3 dry teaspoons with water.
9:30am Bottle of Formula 150-200ml
11:30am Lunch which is either chicken\beef and a vegetable. Of this he has about 60mls.
12:30am Bottle of Formula 150-200ml.
4:30pm Supper similar to lunch. Again only 60mls if I am lucky.
6:00pm Bottle of Formula 150-200ml
10:00pm Bottle of Formula 20-50ml

Sometimes in the afternoon he will eat a few teaspoons of yoghurt or suck on a rye cracker or have a small amount of fruit. But not very much at all.

He will have about 60mls of water through the day. No juice as he does not like it.

He is on a multivitamin in the morning of vidaylin and iron.

Being such a small eater and not being sure why he fusses I am out of ideas and would like any advice.

Many thanks

[Renee Radenberg]

If he is not eating food but he is drinking his formula, then just wait until he is 10 months old to see if he will accept food. There is a school of thought that infants who are breast feed do not get any 'baby' food until 9-10 months old. They are only fed breast milk and then at 9-10 months old are introduced to food. Suggest just relaxing, let him drink his formula, and then in a few weeks slowly try introducing food to him.

[HelenUrban]

Thanks Renee. I did totally back off. And now he seems to be showing interest again. So we starting out slowly again.

[HelenUrban]

Hi
Have tried putting food in front of him that he can eat on his own. As a result he has eaten nothing for 4 days and only been drinking his milk. He plays with the food and does not eat it. He is otherwise happy as long as he is not eating. Just have no idea what to do anymore.
When I try give cereal with a spoon he refuses as well.

Am now clueless.

[Renee Radenberg]

Suggest letting him eat finger foods on his own with his own fingers. As a guideline for a 9-12 month old child should eat the following: Dairy 3-4 feedings a day – Milk (6-8oz), cheese (½ oz), yogurt (½ cup). Starch 2 feedings a day – Infant Cereal (2-4 Tbsp), pasta (3-4 Tbsp), bread (½ slice), or crackers (2). Fruits & Vegetables 2-3 feedings a day – Fruits (3-4 Tbsp- including 100% juice limited to only 3ozs) & Vegetables (3-4 Tbsp). Protein source 2 feedings a day – Meat (3-4 Tbsp), or beans (¼ cup). He should eat 3 meals and have snacks between meals using the foods above to be spread out throughout the day. Hoped that helped you.