Is she a fussy eater or am i doing something wrong?

Hi all,
I was hoping for some advice regarding dd's eating..

She is 8 1/2 months and has been eating solids since 5 months...

Is also formula fed and has 3 bottles - 240 mls per day.
She eats most things well and is getting use to different textures at the moment.


She loves cereal, fruit, yoghurt, chesse and chicken but refuses any vegetables and pasta.

I have tried mixing different vegies together. Recently, I have made pasta with cheese. I made pumpkin soup and quiche with yolk n spinach. She either flat out refuses it or will eat it super slowly.

I feel like she is eating mainky sweet foods and know this isnt a good thing.
I try the vegies everyday but dont force it if she doesnt open her mouth. I havent been substituting as i dont want her to learn that if she doesnt eat her vegies she will have something she likes anyway.

She is happy to wait for her bottle.

Because she isnt a big eater this is what i do:

wakes 7am- 7:15 = breakfast- cereal

9:30- bottle

12:30- lunch

2:30- bottle

5:00- dinner- fruit or yoghurt and cheese

7:00- bottle

She always finishes all her milk.. and eats about 4 tablespoons of food if she likes it.

I know milk is the most important source of food till 12 months but not sure if i should maybe cut the bottle in the middle of the day so she eats her main meal which is at lunch.

I fork mash to the constistency she likes and add water if to thick. i let her put her hands in too as she likes to try feed herself... also hold off on the water till shes finshed lunch.

I havent tried commerical baby food but feel i will very soon. I fear her developing childhood diabetes if she is only eating sweet things...especially since it runs in the family.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Mez, that sounds fine to me. I would keep trying to offer new things and things she doesn't seem to like, as it can take a lot of goes before they start liking some things. Jack refused tomato about 100 times before it became his favourite food (and I really am not exaggerating). But what she is eating sounds just fine to me and I wouldn't cut out any milk just yet. GL, it will get easier!

Thanks heaps. Will keep trying vegies or invent other ways to make vegies. She had the pumpkin soup today which was great, hopefully she has it tommorow too.

Mez, could you try mixing the vegies with some pureed fruit? Sometimes if Izzy doesnt want her dinner which is usually something like 3 different vegies forked/mashed, we add a little Rafferties puree fruit to it. Maybe you could do that and slowly try cutting it out? Or try all the "sweet" vegies like sweet potato, pumpkin, corn etc... Good luck!

hey my boy has good and bad days too.

I wouldn't worry as long as she is getting all the right vitamins and isn't loosing large amounts of weight. it may be her teeth Ike won't eat much of anything if he is teething.
tonight he had 3 spoons of veg and a bottle, so that not much at all.
i was also recomended to give him his bottle after food so to make sure he is hungry; i know im not realy hungry after a glass of milk.

I once spoke to my Dr about it and she recomended that at the times Ike wont eat to give him some vitamins the baby ones from the chemist, i only gave it to him ever 3-4 days and only the times he wouldn't eat.

don't forget its important to relax your not doing anything wrong and if your still worried maybe speak to a baby nutritionist they may have some simple ideas 4 u

good luck.

Their little taste buds are still developing Mez, you're doing a great job. They do get sweet ones first. Darcy would only eat yoghurt until 9-10months. No joke. No cereal no veges no nothing. SHe just wasn't that into it. Now she'll fairdinkum eat anything.
Research says bubbas take 10-15 tries of any new food before they decide whether they like it or not.

Thanks everyone for ur advice.

Will try adding a sweet fruit or veg to the main meal. I have seen some amazing combinations of commercial food and it has made me wonder?

Interesting fact that i wont really know if she likes my pumpkin soup until she tried it 10-15 times. I will keep trying. Maybe i am to eager for her to try new things as well. I just want her to eat well. Of course my MIL is suggesting i give her honey and sweet biscuits when she doesnt want something...

Mez - don't you just love MIL's & their 'solutions". Maybe when you're giving DD honey & biscuits you could throw in some chips & chocolate & pizza as well, might as well cover all key food groups...

hahahhahaa :)