Intro. table food question

sweetp4me

Last night we gave DD a couple tiny bites of plain pasta. (This was the first table food that we've given her.) She did good with the first bite, but she gaged on the next two. I know that the gaging is because it's new to her and because she doesn't know how to swallow chunkier foods, but do I keep giving it to her or does this mean that she's probably not ready for table foods just yet? By the way, she's 7.5 months old and isn't crawling yet. She's a champ at Stage 2 foods and has been doing two meals/day of stage 2 foods for about a month and a half. I was planning on holding off on introducting table foods or stage 3 foods until she was at least 8 months, but she just seems so interested in what we're eating. Thanks!

niclet

Have you tried puffs yet?  I've just started giving them to my DD and she loves them!  Since I started giving her those she's really been getting better at the rest of the table foods.  She also did really well with the Baby Mum Mum's right away. 

Spin313

What kind of pasta did you give her?  Mini pasta spirals cut in half are a great way to start.  That's what I gave DS.  He gummed at it a bit and then swished it around like he was waiting for it to disolve, but he eventually swallowed it.  I would suggest starting table foods with puffs, Cheerios, and bread or muffin first (if you haven't already).  It's easier to work up to the more solids stuff - like pasta - if you begin with disolving and soft/crumbly stuff first.

sweetp4me

We gave her penne pasta cut into really small pieces. Yeah, I wasn't planning on starting with pasta, but it's what we were having and she seemed so interested that I figured I would just let her try it. I think I'll try the puffs though and see if she does well with those.

jlw2505

She doesn't need to be crawling to eat table food.  I never understand why people think that but sorry.  My DD who is also 7.5 months is on table food almost 100%.  I skipped stage 3 as the baby food is just gross and I would rather give her real food.  Gagging is normal and she will learn.  Just make sure the table food is cut up super small and that it is mushy enough for her to eat.  She doesn't need teeth either - she will gum everything that you give her - my DD has no teeth and had chicken last week.