Ask Mamalette! How Do I Get My Child To Eat Solid Foods?

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Babies who have become used to breast milk always find it hard to eat solid foods, and hey, I don’t blame them.

Even though I don’t know how breast milk tastes anymore but when I look at the way children swing their legs and flap their hands when they are sucking breast is enough to tell me how much they are enjoying it. I bet the taste is heavenly. If you want to  remove breast from an addicted child’s (pardon my words) mouth, you might have to use a cane (just kidding). What I’m trying to say is you may have to use force.

A Mamalette asked this question on our platform

“I work from 8am-4pm. I have 8 months old baby boy who refuses to eat anything, apart from sucking breast. He doesn’t allow anyone to carry him apart from my husband or me. My baby loves to be held and carried all the time especially on my back (which causes me serious back pain). Two weeks ago I enrolled him in a creche at my office; he cried much and developed fever; so I stopped him from creche. My boss began to complain that my baby is distracting me from work. I have introduced different food to him, but he wouldn’t eat. except I force feed him (you need to see feeding time drama, he closes his mouth while crying so that I don’t put food in his mouth as soon as he opens it to cry.lol.!!) The problem now is that I fell down on Wednesday and was rushed to the hospital, my PCV is very low so I am on bed rest. I will resume work soon, and I want to stop breastfeeding him, and also take him back to the creche. How do I do that without affecting his health. help a stressed up ftm.”

It’s your fault …… some Mamalettes said 

“This is the disadvantage of Baby Friendly. Mothers, especially the working class should introduce milk/pap alongside breast milk at the early stage so that when you are not around, the baby will still feel good & fine. “I no dey for dat baby friendly o!” except you will face only the baby as your work….” 
Eyiuche Tobechi Onukwudolu-Ekeme

“You are the one that caused it madam, since you know you are resuming work soon, you should have been training the baby how to take a feeding bottle at 3 months, you allow the baby to lie on bed when you are on martenity leave. God will help you”
 Stella Akinlade Akinjobi

Some Mamalettes adviced her on what to do …..
“I believe you resumed work after 3 months and he has been on breast milk till the 6th month and till 8th month you are yet to know the kind of food to give him? Well I will say you should stop him from sucking directly. Express the milk for him to take it from the cup and spoon and try the brown pap with good milk, gradualy he will adapt. Just stop him from suckin directly and expres it.”  
Olu Tee

“Maybe you haven’t figured out what he likes. This is the time for you to experiment in your kitchen at your free periods. Start by pureeing some fruits for him, you can start with apple, pear, avocado, banana, etc. They contain fibre and are not likely to cause reactions. You can also try sweet potatoes puree, they are highly nutritious. Try until you discover what he likes. When you achieve that then you will know what to pack for him. Secondly expose him to more people so he can manage well in creche.”
Kene Obayi Eze

“Stop breastfeeding him, he will definitely adjust…he knows breast milk is available that’s why he’s refusing other foods. By then he will allow other pple to carry him when he knows they can also help with food not only his mum.” 
Omolade Adebisi Abiara

“Leave him in the creche, after a week he will become used to it and stop crying…”
Uju Chibuike Ananukwa

Meanwhile some Mamalettes shared their experience….
“My baby was like that. He changed around 8/9months. You can start with gerber rice cereal with milk. All the best” 
Teju Egbeyemi Oni
” You can try complain milk. That is what I used for my baby when I was in your situation.” 
Mabunmi Olorunyomi Otutu
“It is phase, you will overcome it. Your story sounds like mine but now he is 4 and healthy, so enjoy it while it last. What I did was to stop breastfeeding him at 9 months, when it was affecting my health and everything changed, he started eating very well and playing with people around.” 
Akinyemi Omolewa Victoria
Indeed it’s your fault, if you don’t let your child get used to being around other children or being carried by other adults he will have the fear of being with other people besides his trusted parents. Go through Mamalettes’ advice and follow that which you would prefer. Good luck!

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