//www.youtube.com/get_playerA few weeks ago, I was starting to worry. Arden was almost 8 months old and she didn't seem to be the least bit interested in food. She wouldn't take anything off a spoon. She refused Cheerios at every offer. And she wasn't willing to hold on to anything and attempt to feed herself. The posters on the walls at the early years centers were telling me that she should be starting. Other parents were swapping favourite foods. It seemed like all around me, the other babies were eating and mine wasn't.
I did some reading. In my experience, reading anything about parenting can be a dangerous move. Sure there is lots of good advice available – but how do you get your hands on it and how do you filter out the good advice from the content at the extremes. I asked around, found some trusted sources and made my way through some reasonable and well vetted material. Everything unread told me not to worry. She would figure it out. I should just keep trying. And the two most important things were to keep offering new options and not be pushy.
So I started doing my best to offer Arden something every time the other two were eating. I tried to make a routine out of sitting down at the table and putting things in front of her that she could choose from. And I tried not to be pushy. That was probably the hardest part. We had a few small breakthroughs – steamed broccoli being the early favourite. But nothing really caught on.
Somewhere in the past 2 weeks, something has changed for her. She's hungry for food now. Yesterday at the park, she ate a whole clementine orange. Devoured it in fact. And in a few minutes, when she wakes up, I know she will be looking for Cheerios and raisins. It's a nice change and it's good to know that the patient approach has come through for us.
Anyway. She's eating now. Most things that are offered to her in fact. And as you'll see in the video, she is starting to have some fun with the food as well.
3 Ginger Snaps 