When can I start giving my baby "puffs?"

littlebean510 · November 2013

We've introduced pureed veggies with great success. She loves almost everything she's tried. I am excited to let her try the puffs. She is 6.5 months old but is not crawling yet. On the container it says that baby must be crawling with chest off the floor. Is that the same guidelines you followed before introducing finger foods to your LOs? I want her to be able to develop her fine motor skills, but not at the risk of her choking. How did you know your LO was ready?

TIA!

=Lee=B · November 2013

The main rule would be having the motor skills to pick it up and transfer it to her mouth on her own. If she can't manage that then she is at greater risk of choking.

I would try the mummum rice crackers before the puffs. They are easier to handle.

Fingers foods themselves don't really have an age limit but follows what I said above. We are doing baby led weaning so all my 8 month old has ever had is strips of food she feeds herself. She started at 6months. The softer the better at the beginning until she figures out how to mush it up and swallow.

My daughter does not crawl (has no interest in it). She can pick up cheerios and bring to mouth (hit or miss if they go in or tumble out) and is attempting macaroni shaped spaghetti lately. She doesn't chew and swallow all of it but has lots of fun trying to eat it.

If it's not a puree then it needs to go in the mouth by the infant and never an adult as it greatly increases choking risk...so don't stick the 'puffs' in for her.

littlebean510 · November 2013

Are the Mum Mums similar to biscuits? I've never heard of them before but I just googled them and from what I can see, they look like teething biscuits. Is there a flavor you recommend?

=Lee=B · November 2013

They are rice. So they are really thin and easy to break off and mush away if baby doesn't chew them fast enough. Not nearly as messy as a teething biscuit and not as hard. Still messy though!

They are handy as they come wrapped 2 per package so you can take them about with you. Start with original baby mummum. Not the toddler ones. I have no idea what flavors there are...we just have the original ones. Baby will be happy enough with them for now since they are new and novel!

PipSqueak0313 · November 2013

Pinkie78 said:

We started trying mum mums and puffs within the last month. Our son will not feed himself and will not eat anything but purée. We will just keep trying. Daycare is trying Cheerios (also with no success).

Sounds like my ds....if I put food in his hand he won't even hold it for more than a moment or two and rarely will make an attempt to bring it to his mouth.

tig594 · November 2013

Started DD with these at 7 months and she's also not crawling. She sits in her high chair and feeds herself (and the dog) puffs and cheerios. When I started giving them to her, though, I wasn't sure she was ready so I broke them in half or thirds as best I could. I still break the puffs into halves and she does great with those and cheerios. Like PP said, it's hit or miss with her getting them IN her mouth, but she has fun trying and it's fun to watch her.

erinmc1 · November 2013

My son eats Cheerios, and sometimes he self-feeds, but most of the time I'm feeding them to him. He has a ton of teeth, so I don't feel it's unsafe, even though he's not crawling yet. He's also eating shredded chicken and beef, and whole blueberries and chunks of beet.

I tend to kind of ignore the age advisories unless they're a hard and fast rule, and monitor him myself to decide what he is/isn't ready to try.

MrsWindyCity · November 2013

We started putting them on DS's tray around 6 months, maybe. He didn't really have the fine motor skills to get them into his mouth (and also didn't seem to want to try) so he mostly raked them around. At this point (about 7.5 months), he can get them (and other) food into his mouth and likes to eat. He's not crawling (close, but not yet).

BigPoppa22 · November 2013

At 7 months, we have tried mum mums once and puffs twice. LO can get them into his mouth, but so far we are 3 for 3 for throwing up after eating. A large piece of mum mum broke off on his tongue and was too much so he gagged and threw up. The puffs, he got 5-6 down and then threw it up shortly after. Not ready, I guess.

bibby32714 · November 2013

We have had puffs on her tray since about 6.5 mo but she just pushed them around and played with them until about 7 mo. We just started the mummums this week, 7.5 mo, and she loves them. We have the banana flavored ones. They make a huge mess but she is happy and content.

luvbug6315 · November 2013

We did puffs at 7 months. Mostly to improve her pincher grip. She didn't start crawling until 8 months. She Loves puffs and they dissolve pretty quickly. Tried the mumum today which she choked on because she shoved so much in her mouth! I would start w puffs I think the dissolve better!

rdbanks · November 2013

We started puffs at about 7 months. My LO isn't crawling yet, but he can sit completely unassisted and was doing so well at grasping objects...so we decided to go for it. He took to it quickly and has become a pro. I didn't know about mum mums until about a week ago, but LO is also loving them...huge mess and all!

CrazyMary77 · November 2013

I just started offering my LO puffs about 2 weeks ago. I break them up into 3 little pieces because I'm paranoid hah! She just plays with them. I've put a couple pieces in her mouth, and she'll eat them but doesn't seem to enjoy it. I'll have to try the mum mums.

paigenicole23 · November 2013

My son loves puffs. He is 6 months old. Try the arrowroot cookies or teething biscuits. They dissolve quickly and are bigger so they can easily do hand-to-mouth with them. Be prepared for a mess though lol

minerswife17 · November 2013

We started DD on puffs almost 2 weeks ago. (She just turned 7 months a few days ago.) She didn't start fruits and veggies into 6 mos. We just started out by breaking off what I call the "petals" and let her experiment with that for several days then we broke them into 3 pieces for a few days and halved for another couple days. She's been eating them whole for 3 days now and she does so good. She feeds herself perfectly fine and wants to crawl but then gets frustrated and rolls over. I'd say try to give them to your LO if you're comfortable. You'll know whether they are ready or not.

Pitterpatter44 · November 2013

I've been wondering about this too. It seems like these would just be empty calories. Are there any of you who have found a good alternative to this or a more nutritious version of puffs or biscuits of whatever?

Ljd425 · November 2013

I just started making my own teething cookies and its soo simple! I saw the recipe on Pinterest and after not finding the arrow root ones and mum mums break off in huge pieces i decided to try them and I'm so happy.

1 cup of infant rice cereal (I use oatmeal)
1 cup or wheat or brown rice flour
1 mashed banana OR 1/3 cup of applesauce
2 T coconut oil
2 t cinnamon
4 T water

Preheat oven to 425 and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper
Stir all ingredients until combined
Roll out dough on floured surface to about 1/2 an inch
Cut into shapes with a cookie cutter (I used a star)
Bake for 15 min and keep in the freezer!!

BigPoppa22 · November 2013

Another attempt at puffs last night (LO is 7.5 months), another chore of cleaning vomit out of the high chair. Sigh. Only took 3 puffs for one to gag him enough to puke.

mhickey426 · November 2013

I just bought her mum mum crackers and she loves them. So far no problems with them other then my dog dying for her to drop it. Thankfully, there isn't anything she doesn't like but they are great.

dkny155 · November 2013

Gave my dd mum mums last yesterday and as far as her doing it herself it was good. She held them and brought it to her mouth but she was getting large peices in her mouth and gagging to i had to take the pieces out. I think i'm going to try something like a zweiback that is a little harder to break off a piece.