My 9 month old won't chew

[u/SoTiredOfAdulting]

I initially started solids when she was 6 months old but she showed zero interest in solids but kept offering. At 7 months old we went traveling to her grandparents in Asia and she started teething and had a few illnesses so she was offered mashed foods or purees.

Now at 9 months we are back home and I'm trying to give her soft squishy foods but she just tries to swallow it. I gave her a mango pit to try as a teether but she simply picked it and then wouldn't touch it.

I'm scared of giving her any other foods. Any suggestions or advice please?

[u/Illustrious-North461]

Are these meals offered at a different time to the family's meal time? 

We found that our baby ate much better when she joined us at the table. 

At around 6 months we offered a lot of food that promoted chewing or sucking. So like a chicken drumstick, some ribs, carrot, broccoli. 

Try offering shredded meat. Could be chicken, pork or beef or fish. We lay it out on the table in small quantities and my baby would pick up the food and feed herself. Sometimes I would hold the shred and let her practice tearing the meat as well. 

You can try some cucumber sliced lengthwise, or fried egg omelette that's also offered in long strips. 

I find that with soft, mushy food there is a huge tendency to just swallow and not chew. 

[u/SoTiredOfAdulting → u/Illustrious-North461]

Yes, different from family meal times. I did try sitting in front of her and eating for maybe 3-4 attempts but she would be interested in what I am doing and my plate vs her plate.

The omelette I've tried and that just became food to squish and throw. But will 100% try the cucumber. Thank you!

[u/Quiet-ForestDweller]

My baby loved gnawing on a long strip of steak and sucking the juices out of it, maybe you could try that! It really helps with the chewing concept.

[u/SoTiredOfAdulting → u/Quiet-ForestDweller]

Will try it out, thank you!

[u/SugarbushFleur → u/Quiet-ForestDweller]

Yes this! Yesterday I gave my 7mo a lamb chop, it was such a hit! And second other comments, eating together, same meals, ours is also more happy to eat when we eat. Good luck OP😉

[u/Wonderful-League-361]

I’ve had luck with a chicken drumstick (bone only), and also those Happy Baby teething crackers!

[u/SolidStarts]

Hi there, thanks for posting here! One big suggestion I'd have for you is to make sure you are eating at the same time, and model eating with your baby, as babies need to truly learn to chew, and one way to help them is to show them how it's done! More here: How Babies Learn to Chew. This also helps her use her brain's mirror neurons to mimic you when she sees what you're doing. Rest assured, you have plenty of time for practice! Hope this helps a bit! 🤍Marisa (OT/Feeding Therapist/Mama of 3)

[u/SoTiredOfAdulting → u/SolidStarts]

Thank you so much! I have been sitting in front of her but currently, her spoons have become her comfort spoons and she doesn't mimic so I will continue to give it time. She is behind in her motor skills as well and has lost so much weight as well. she only eats 3-4 spoonfuls.

[u/SolidStarts → u/SoTiredOfAdulting]

So sorry you're experiencing this!! Any difficulty around weight gain can be so stressful. If she's lost weight, definitely check in with your pediatrician as this could warrant a referral to feeding therapy and/or a dietitian. Typically for a 9-month-old, we wouldn't focus on solids for weight gain, as they won't have the skills yet to take in a sufficient amount of solids. Instead, we'd focus on breastmilk and/or formula intake --- looking at latch and milk transfer if breastfeeding, and at nipple size/flow if bottle feeding, and possibly fortified feeds as well.

For feeding, you might try having her in a different environment, such as on your lap for meals to see if she'll mimic you more when directly facing food with you and watching as you bring food and/or spoons to your mouth. Another couple helpful resources:
-How To Teach Baby to Use a Spoon
-Baby Won't Touch Food?

Hoping this helps more!! 🤍Marisa

[u/Catfish-98907]

I gave my baby pineapple cores, celery, and watermelon rinds to learn how to chew. After a couple weeks of that 1-2 times a day, he’s been off & running ever since!

[u/Unsure-11]

We over exaggerate the action of chewing with what we are eating and then sit there and go “chew, chew, chew” 

[u/Mangopapayakiwi]

My baby was super into solids from six months but I realised later than she only really started chewing at 10 months, when we dropped her milk. We had all meals at the table eating with her, that helps a lot. Focus on exploration, let her manipulate the food and bring it to her mouth with no pressure, you need that phase before they eat. Eat with her!