8 month has stopped eating solids

I started feeding my daughter solids at 4 months when she got teeth. She was a very good eater. Then when more teeth came in around 6 months she quit eating solids. I was told this was common for teethers. I expected her to pick up food again, but she won't eat her baby food anymore.  She will eat some "real" food every once in a while, but not enough to count. I know she needs to be eating from all the food groups, but she just won't.  Anyone with suggestions to get her to eat solids again?

Zoebyrd1-This is an interesting issue, esp. given that baby was eating great several months ago. I have several questions for you-is she now taking formula but not much food?, or just not much of anything? Has she been sick at all? has anything stressful happening in her life in the last few weeks? What are you offering her and what is her feeding schedule? O think that these are some questions to consider while you make an appt with her doc for a check up. It's not normal for a baby to loose interest in eating out of the blue. There is generally something stressing them-physically or emotionally. I say make an appt and then let us know what the doc thinks. Jess

Solids with babies her age is a really hit and miss thing. Babies really don't need to get the bulk of their calories from solid food at her age yet. Sometimes they are enthusiastic about eating and sometimes they could really care less. She may prefer foods with texture to baby foods. Offer her some mashed steamed veggies or some mashed bananas. See if she will do "real food" that is softened appropriately for her over baby foods. Also, try to feed her solids before a big bottle/breast feeding session or at least an hour after so that she is more hungry when you offer her foods. If she is downing large amounts of extra fluid like juice and such, she may not have much of an appetite for solid foods. Hang in there! Just keep offering things to her and it will pick up!

I've read that in the first year, solid foods are just for practice.  Talk to your pediatrician about whether your daughter's weight gain continues to be normal.  If (s)he tells you that there's no need to worry, then I wouldn't worry.

My daughter continued to nurse several times a day and throughout the night until she was about 15 months old.  I've heard that from lots of people.  She was healthy, though, and gaining weight and producing dirty & wet diapers just fine.  I've read information from international sources like the WHO and UNICEF and an International Board Certified Lactation consultant that solid food is meant to COMPLEMENT not replace breastmilk (or formula) during the child's first year of life.

You might just need to trust your daughter.  We're all built for survival.  She knows how much she needs to eat.  Just offer her the foods and leave it up to her whether & how much she eats.

 my doctor told me  if she is drinking alot of milk or juice that will fill up her tummy  and she wont eat. I had the same trouble with my daughter. so i cut back on the drinks and she is eatting more now.

I would not cut back on milk in order to give a 4-month old more solid foods.  Solid foods should COMPLEMENT milk not replace it.

What to do probably depends on what exactly is going on. As some have suggested, she probably is filling up on breast milk or formula. She might be doing this because when teeth are / were coming in her gums hurt and it didn't feel good to try to eat solid foods. If this is the case, presenting the food in new ways may help somewhat, and so might offering solids first.

Try offering food as soon as she wakes up in the morning and wants to nurse. Since she has some teeth now, it should be possible to offer her veggies steamed soft instead of pureed baby foods. You can steam several in quantities sufficient for a couple of meals and refrigerate the excess. The bright colors might entice her. If she's still teething, you might have some luck with those little bags to put steamed food in for them to chew on like a teether. Are you using metal spoons? Sometimes when kids get a few teeth, they don't like the way the spoon feels against them. Try one of those spoons with the rubber cover on the spoon. Hard plastic spoons occasionally have the same effect. Kids also sometimes don't eat as much for short periods because of a variety of things - maybe it is hot, they are feeling lazy, they don't like what is being offered, they're between growth spurts and don't need as much, or pretty much any other thing you can think of that might make someone not want to eat much.

When I asked my doctor about this, he said as long as the child is progressing on the weight and height chart, and not showing any symptoms of illness, it is fine if occasionally they don't eat as much. Just be sure to keep offering, and before you know it, they'll pick back up. (I work in a pediatrician's office).

My mom - who is looking over my shoulder! Hi Mom! - says you should fix a plate you normally give her and set it in front of you just barely within her reach. Tell her oh no, she can't have this! This is for a big girl like mommy! Be sure to taste the food and elaborate on how tasty it is and how sad you are she can't have any. She said it always worked like a charm with her kiddos. Sadly, she is probably right! haha!