Q: I am wracked with guilt and I don't know why. My nine-month-old baby will only eat jarred food. He will not accept any of my homemade food, even though he used to. As soon as I open a jar though, he gobbles it down but it makes me feel like a failure. I can't understand why he doesn't like my food anymore, and I am also worried about how much nutrition he is getting.
A: If you are a parent who wants your baby to eat homemade food, it is of course very upsetting when your baby will not take it from you, especially as he has eaten it previously. It is not at all uncommon for a child to suddenly start disliking something that he had previously enjoyed. It is just one of those quirks of human nature. While that is extremely frustrating for you, it does not mean that you are a failure in any way, shape or form.
The good thing is that your son is eating, and eating well. If he wants to eat jarred food, then you will just have to go with it for now. Fortunately, jarred foods are now of a better quality and you can buy products that do not contain high levels of salt and sugar.
Additionally, each jar is nutritionally balanced, so you can be sure your son is getting the right blend of goodness from each meal. Today's jarred food also offers a great variety of combinations and tastes - and you can even buy organic baby food if that's your preference.
If you are not doing so already, you can add some fruits, vegetable fingers and yoghurts into his diet so that you know he is also enjoying some fresher foods. As long as there is variety, a diet of ready made food really is nothing to torture yourself over.
Also, have you spoken to your health visitor over his refusal to eat your food? She may have some tips to help you reintroduce your home cooking into his diet. For example, have you tried replicating the taste and texture of your son's favourite dishes? This may help lead him back into your home cooking.
Try not to worry and just acknowledge that this is the path your son is following at the moment. As with any parenting dilemma, as long as your baby is eating, drinking, putting on weight, and is happy and alert, then you are doing everything right.
Did you have a similar problem with your child? Did you manage to solve it? Leave a comment below...