January 2012 Moms
Jmcmahon21
member
Advice with finger foods
Jmcmahon21
member
I usually go to the December 2011 board but DS was born on 12/30/11 and seems like the babies on that board are so much older than he is. I've just recently started him on finger foods in the last couple weeks he has mastered cheerios, puffs and yogurt melts but I have tried bananas, shredded cheese and small pieces of vegetables and he has a couple pieces then doesn't want anything to do with them. Does anyone have any advice? It's frustrating since I know in a couple months he should be eating table food and feel like I am behind and I'm not doing a good job as a mom. I know I can be hard on myself too. Any advice on ways you got your baby to eat would be great. Thanks ladies 
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Re: Advice with finger foods
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Just keep offering the food. Either LO will continue to play with it or they will start putting it in their mouth. Making a mess is part of the process I believe. Imagine trying to learn to eat with chopsticks. You have to get used to how to hold them, how far they reach, and how to coordinate them to pick up food. Then you have to hold it long enough for it to reach you mouth. Babies go through the same difficulties with their hands as they aren't born knowing how to use them.
It could also be that your LO doesn't have a strong interest in solids yet, so they don't see the need to shovel it down. Quantity isn't as important as the experience of trying different textures. As long as LO isn't underweight or you aren't planning to wean right now, it's ok for them to not be eating very much. A small child will not willingly starve themselves when presented with food.
I can understand being on a board with babies all older than yours. My DS was born Jan 31, so I often feel behind the pack, especially back in the first few months.
We're in the same boat. I try not to stress because she doesn't need to get food for nourishment right now - it's just an exploratory experience like PP said.
However, just today we've started trying to switch from her all day "grazing" on the boob and bottle - she doesn't do this at day care, and sleeps much better - and we've found that, timed right, she'll actually spend a good 10-15 minutes eating. Sure, it's only been two meals so far, but on a good day she was eating half a pouch of food (she won't let us feed her and this is the only way to be sure she gets her prunes - which she needs!). Today she's already had a pouch of food and almost half a slice of cantalope. All that is to say, you might want to look at your nursing and/or formula feeding habits to see if she just might not be hungry enough to try solids.
Good luck!