Baby Doesn't Like Solids? Here's What To Do

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baby doesn’t like solids

Your baby is at the development and age for solids, yet, they don’t seem to do much with the foods you give them. Nor do they seem to really like anything.

What is going on?

Maybe you expected them to love food like you do. Maybe you see pictures of others’ babies chomping down on all their first foods and that makes you feel bad and confused that your baby doesn’t do that too. Maybe your pediatrician is insisting you serve less purees and more complimentary ‘table foods’ and you’re frustrated to hear it because you know, you are, and your baby just isn’t having it.

Ugh.

You know what though, I want you to know this – everything that your baby is doing is ok. Everything they are doing is normal. YES! Many babies do not just dive in and eat all the foods.

The reality is, that not all babies will interact with solids in the same way when just starting out, just as not all babies crawl at the same, play with their toys in the same way, walk at the same time or behave in the same way…

Unless you or your pediatrician has a concern about growth charting, the way your baby interacts with solids is just fine because, the truth is, they will eat solids. In their own time, they will. And until then, they are still getting the nutrients they need from the milk they drink up until 1 year. From there, you can check with your pediatrician if any supplements, such as iron, are recommended, depending on their eating habits at that time.

You know what I like to call it when babies are just starting solids and aren’t food gobblers (yet)? ‘Learning solids’. Yes! Instead of ‘eating solids’, these babies are ‘learning solids’ – they have awareness of the feel of it in their hands, rather than just the taste of it. They are inspecting the colors and shape of it with their eyes, rather than just chewing on it. They are practicing chewing, which is a skill, and very different than sucking milk. Awww, ‘learning’, that takes the pressure off of them AND you to ‘do’ anything any particular way.

We can give them room to learn, right? Just as we will their entire lives, forever, as they grow and become and attain new skills, big and small.

They are going to ‘learn solids’ in their own way, they are getting the nutrients they need, they are fine.

Your job at this juncture is to serve a safe, wholesome variety, model healthy eating habits, make meal time relaxed and enjoyable, and let them explore and discover all the different foods of the world in their own way.

Another thing that will keep your frustration at bay when your baby isn’t gobbling up the food you made for them is, make one meal for everyone! Avoid making a separate meal for baby. Serve what you make for yourself, just ensuring it is a safe size, softness and with minimal salt and spicy spice. This way, you don’t feel upset that you spent all this time making something for your baby that they don’t eat.

When your baby is an observant food learner, rather than just a gobbler, try and stay curious and get creative. Sometimes all it takes is trying a different shape (maybe a large chunk of peach instead of little bits?) or flavoring (maybe some miso salmon instead of plain?) for a baby to take more bites.

Read this next:
16 Simple & Sensory Ways To Serve First Foods (Recipes!)
21 Picture Examples Of How To Serve Foods With Baby Led Weaning
Master List! 30+ Starter Baby Led Weaning Foods For 6 Month Old

Here are some other things you can do if your baby doesn’t like solids (or eat much of solids, yet)

1. feed them when they show hunger cues

Waiting for them to show you they are hungry, rather than feeding them at a scheduled time, will mean that they are guaranteed hungry when you sit them down to eat. Sometimes this can mean they observe the foods less and eat them more.

Some common hunger cues are:

tracking food with eyes
fussing and then reaching for foods if offered
opening mouth when food is offered
getting excited or relieved at the sight of food

Just getting started with baby led weaning and not sure how to go about it? Check out my Low Stress Baby Led Weaning eBook & Starter Kit for nervous first time moms!

Starter Kit for Low Stress Baby Led Weaning: Mom's Step-By-Step eBook For The First 6 Weeks, First Foods List, What To Expect, Foods To Avoid, Supply List & More!

2. try serving foods 3 different ways

Maybe one day you serve a banana half, maybe another day you smash it slightly and place on a baby spoon and then the next time you try serve it in a sliver with a light dusting of nut butter. This is a great thing to make a regular habit if your baby doesn’t like solids (or doesn’t eat much solids yet). Because, one texture may feel funny to their tongue, one might be hard to chew, one flavor may make their tastebuds more happy – we just don’t know!
We are learning about their preferences just as much as their learning about foods!

(Consult your pediatrician before serving allergens. You can see more about how to prepare for serving allergens, here: Introducing Allergens With Baby Led Weaning)

See these articles for some great serving ideas:

16 Simple & Sensory Ways To Serve First Foods (Recipes!)

21 Picture Examples Of How To Serve Foods With Baby Led Weaning

3. keep a positive mealtime experience, even if they don’t eat

You enjoy your food, relax, let them do what they will uninterrupted, join in! Maybe grab a zoodle and put it across your lip like a mustache and make a funny face at your baby. If your baby likes silly, this is fun and they may mimic. This gets them more hands on with foods, bringing it closer to their face too.

A positive association with sitting down for meals is very important for helping curb picky eating as baby enters into toddlerhood, so keeping that positive culture at the dinner table now is a great habit to get in to. Doing this will only help curb picky eating.

We want our toddler to feel comfortable, relaxed and happy at mealtime, so they eat eat and enjoy. We don’t want them to feel like mealtimes are a chore or a burden, and clam up, not eat, or fuss. If they feel this way, mealtimes are more likely going to be a struggle for all.

Let your baby freely explore foods, learn their foods, never force or punish (this will certainly not make baby enjoy foods more!), serve a safe wholesome variety, enjoy your own foods, and you are doing it right!

Check out these starting solids tools:

4. are they sick? teething? distracted? not hungry?

When your baby is uncomfortable because their teeth hurt, sometimes chomping on those sore gums just doesn’t feel good, unless it’s a soothing teether. Check their gums and behaviors to rule out teething.

Know that teething and sickness like a cold, can change what and how much they eat. This is normal. And looking at their meal (milk and food) intake over the course of 3-4 days, rather than one single day, will help you understand if your baby is getting enough. It will also keep you from worrying too much about one single meal.

Some babies get easily distracted at mealtime by the dog or other children in the home. You can try minimizing distractions and engaging them with their food to focus more on it. Modeling scooping, taking bites yourself, placing the spoon by their hand or playing peek-a-boo with the food are all ways you can re-direct their focus to the food.

On the other hand, some babies like stimulation while eating. You can try talking to them about the foods, reading to them or putting them by a window to look out of.

Sometimes if baby isn’t hungry, they aren’t going to eat, interact and may even get irritated. To avoid this, watch for hunger cues, take note as timing can always change as they are growing, and feed when they show you they are hungry or build a schedule off of any pattern you notice with their hunger times.

5. don’t compare, tune into your baby

They might handle food so differently from their cousin, your BFFs baby, that instagram mom’s baby. It is ok! They are fine.

Knowing what to expect when just starting out, or before starting, can be very reassuring because a lot of babies do EXACTLY what yours is doing! (download my free cheat sheet below to see what to expect and more reassuring starting solids information!)

Tune into your baby’s habits, cues, what foods they do seem to gravitate more toward and keep exposing them to all the foods you love. Let them learn at their own pace. They will feel more comfortable with textures, they will chew better, eat faster. They will soon be eating right alongside you come toddlerhood, and that will happen before you know it!

And, if you do find that your baby turns into a toddler who has picky eating habits, you can try this with them: Food Chaining – How To Use Food Chaining To Expand Your Picky Toddler’s Diet