Moms are such idealistic people. We see our babies as perfect angels. Then, we try to feed them and we become enlightened. This enlightenment doesn’t come so much from the light bulb going on as it does from the glob of purple baby food running down baby’s face and our shirt.
When baby doesn’t like a food that you give him, don’t fret. Momma said there’d be days like that. Babies have their likes and dislikes. Some foods will agree with them and some will not. It may be a case of a bad taste or something that doesn’t agree with baby’s tummy.
New foods should be introduced no sooner than every three or four days. This time is needed for baby to decide if they like the current baby food choice. If any food allergies are present, three days should be enough time for them to show up as well, eliminating the question of which food actually caused the allergy.
Don’t try to feed baby when he or she is cranky. If they are irritated or ill, they may not be interested in eating. You may even end up with a fruity spoon to the cheek if you persist.
There is no fault to be had. If baby doesn’t seem to be taking to the carrots, go back to the applesauce that he did like. After a day or two, try again with another vegetable.
Some people are of the school of thought that vegetables should be introduced before fruits. Vegetables, while naturally sweet to a degree, are not as sweet as fruit. Too many fruits at the beginning may spoil them for the vegetables later. If this is a concern of yours, alternate between fruit and vegetable when you introduce new foods.
Remember when you first saw someone playing airplane with baby and his food? You probably thought it was silly to imitate a jet just to get the baby to eat. But, it worked. Babies like to be entertained. Watching the spoon soar through the air before coming to land in their mouth could get them to try those strained peas after many times of refusing them.
Mix new foods with something familiar like baby cereal. If you want baby to eat peaches, add a small amount to the bowl with some cereal and milk. You already know that they like the cereal, so the chances of them liking it with a bit of peach flavor are good. This is a sneaky way to get other foods into baby’s mouth, but if it works all the better.
Most of all don’t give up and get frustrated. Being finicky is not fatal for baby or you. Give it some time. With so many foods to choose from, it’s not a big concern if baby doesn’t like one or two of their fruits and veggies.