15 m/o will only eat baby food

[Jules14]

My son is 15 months today and I am still battling with him over food. From six to twelve months he ate like a pro. He never balked at anything I offered him. As soon as he turned 12 months and I began to offer table foods, he flipped. He even went through a one week phase where he wouldn't even eat baby food. All he would eat was cheerio's. Now he will eat bread, some noodles (but only like two), and any baby food you give him. I'm so tired of buying baby food. It's expensive! I've tried offering many different things but he will try it, throw it, and cry extensively until I bring something else. Help! Should I just not give him the baby food and hope that he will eat what I give him eventually? I don't want him to starve of course! I have his 15month checkup on Monday so of course I will talk to the pediatrician about it, but I was curious if anybody else was having or had similiar problems and if so how it was solved!

[JESSICAp]

First let me tell you he will not starve I promise.Its a texture thing for all that time he was use to soft easy to chew foods and now everything is much firmer.You know how you say he cries till you bring him something else,thats just it dont bring him anything else.I assure you if you stay consistant he will eat what you give him.At meal time sit his food in front of him give him the opporunity to eat if he refuses let him know thats it meal time is over and remove the food DO NOT GIVE IN.and quit buying baby food if you dont have it you cant give it to him.Mark my words if you stick with it he will eat.Also dont stress out at meal time dont make a big deal of it sit down with your food with him and just start eating and see what happens.Also incorage him to eat if you take two bits of everything on your plate will make cookies after dinner or ice cream you get the picture.He soon will get use to the way food feels in his mouth.So thats my advice.REMEMBER DONT GIVE IN!!!!

[juarez49]

My 15 month old is doing the EXACT same thing. She will eat cheese, crackers, manderine oranges, and that is it. So last month we started seeing a speech therapist who specalizes in feeding and she said it was a texture issue. So we were given some tools to stimulate her mouth with, offer new and different textures when giving the baby food, etc. For example, we have a tooth brush looking thing with bumps on the end...I dip that in and use that as the spoon. I also offer the staple table foods she will eat and add something new to it. Sometimes its a no go, but at least she felt and played with it. Also, I find using the mesh feeder helps her, I think because she can control it more.

That being said, I went out of town for a week and we were still night nursing...that stopped and when I came home I was eating a pork chop and she wanted some. So I gave it to her and she ate and chewed a pork chop, some potatoes, and chicken. I was shocked. The next morning she ate come fresh fruit and pancakes...things she never ever would eat. Then, just like that, she stopped and is back to baby food (and we are still not nursing.) So for my daughter it seems behavioral...but some kids have sensory issues where if you cut out the baby food, they will or cannot eat. --Long story, but I'm right there with you and I would tell your doctor at the 15 month appointment and they may refere you for a feeding evaluation by a therapist.

[mbenit4]

Stop giving him baby food. No child has ever starved themselves.