There is no handbook to motherhood. Sure, there are literally tons of books written on child-rearing and the internet is flooded with motherly advice, from pediatricians to “mommy bloggers” and everything in between. But, over the last month, I was left perplexed by my son’s disinterest in solids. Simply, my baby won’t eat solids.

Being the NPR-listening, overzealously health-conscious mom I’m trying to be, I was not willing to start with rice cereal as all of the books and webpages told me, due to my fear of unsafe arsenic levels I had heard about on said NPR.  Instead, I chose the next food on the list, sweet potatoes, as a good first food for Rocco.  To my dismay and his chagrin, the sweet potatoes were met with a gnarled face of disgust only pictures could truly describe.

Over the past six weeks, I have tried sweet potatoes, peas, green beans and avocado.  All foods I had read would be welcomed first foods for my little guy. With the little baby blender I received second-hand from a friend, the food is easy enough to prepare: cook the veggies, add some formula or water, and blend.

Unfortunately, all of these foods were met with distain, especially the beans.  He gagged, he spat, he winced.  Sure, I’m probably being too easy on him.  One or two mouthfuls and then he can have his bottle.  I’ll admit it; it took his father, to get the process rolling.  Jade didn’t tippy toe around it.  He ever so gently squeezed Rocco’s chubby little cheeks and with a newly formed tiny slit in his mouth, in went the spoon.  Of course, Rocco protested some, but not the same level of whaling cries that I received.  Since then, dinner duty has been relegated to my husband with somewhat success.  Rocco will sometimes even open his mouth for the sweet potatoes and the peas.

The lesson I’ve taken from Rocco’s food trials: persistence is key; don’t let the baby win; try and try again; and sometimes it helps to have a spouse who is willing to be the mean guy.