We decided to let him join our meal last night. We had sweet potatoes cut up and baked as fries and avocado slices. I was thinking it would take a few times for him to even get the food in his mouth but he went crazy town! Not sure if anything was swallowed but he was trying to smoosh it all in his mouth. The avocado was a little too ripe so it slipped out of his hand. He sucked some of it off his hand though. DH did let him suck on a big strip of pork chop which did make me a bit nervous. I admit I'm a little paranoid of choking but hopefully it passes after a while.
Edited for terrible grammar in the middle of the night.. This leap sucks
Love this thread idea. Choking makes me so nervous but I'm curious on what others are going to do. I know @henrytviii says to def get educated on this/read up first!
We skipped purees and started our LO on finger foods from 5 months. It's been great, she eats everything. If it's hard we will steam it until it's soft but she is doing really well with meats, chewing them and swallowing. The only gagging and couldn't swallow we've had is from some chicken. She really finds it hard to eat chicken but not beef.
I think people mistake gagging for choking, our LO gags but then swallows her food, other times she won't just watch them closely and as you both gain confidence it'll become more fun and messy!
@janit368 I found that our first didn't really eat meat if it was just meat, more sucked on it. So a larger price of steak or chicken worked well. This doesn't work for us right now because we aren't eating meat as adults. What I found worked really well was meatball form. So minced chicken, potato, carrot, parsnip mashed into balls and then pan fried or baked. Same with white fish, potato, broccoli. I like this method because I can prep and freeze. Right now we are just doing crinkle cut oven fried of potatoes, squash, and carrot while he figures it out. He's reaching for my plate now so I'll try to eat stuff he can eat. By meatball I really mean baked or pan fried mashed, stick form or large patty cut into strips works best.
@klkonwi The most helpful thing i learned about choking is that if they never learn to slurp a watery puree to the back of the mouth they are at lower risk. The will naturally keep food at the front of the mouth until they can chew or mash it enough to safely move it to the back and swallow. If it gets back their and they can't swallow it they gag. The gagging is disturbing and terrifying for you but natural and safe for them. It is not choking. The other rules I learned are never put anything in their mouths and bigger French fry size food is the safest for them to work with no teeny bits. I think that covers everything. I'll skim the book I have and come back with anything else. Most of what went in the mouth came right back out as mush with our first until about a month of practice. It was a great month for the dog and DS really started eating about 6-8 weeks in.
"there" not "their", I know the difference but this darn phone . . .
All cuts, depending on what it is depends on how much gets eaten. If it's steak maybe 1/4 gets eaten the rest sucked on, our LO has 8 teeth now so I think that helps with the chewing. If it's mince (ground?) she 3/4 of it, same as above I make it into meatballs, burger patties or just bin it's normal form. Start off with finger foods that are easy to grip.
We started on celery, asparagus, dates, fresh apricots, cherry tomatoes. These seemed really easy for her to grip and allowed her to build up her coordination. Now she will have softened muesli for breakfast, fruits, veggies, cheese and an egg and then dinner is what we are eating pretty much. My husband accidentally fed her a spicy curry and she was fine with that too. Just try everything and see what works but you have to read up about the gag reflex and make sure your comfortable and understand what it's all about. If your out and you haven't prepared any food and have to buy some then I get 10mo-1 year old food and she eats that successfully without messing up the finger food process.
At the start I was worried about how much food she was getting but they also say not to worry because they will still have as much milk as they need. 7 weeks later she is down to 3 bottles a day and 3 meals a day
@mishmardhiono Sounds like your LO is really good at solids, probably good with her hands as well. I've found that for my first kid and most of my friends that did this our LOs started around 6 months and didn't ingest too much before 7-8 months. The it was rapid progress and they became great eaters. I just bring this up for others so they don't get discouraged if their LOs can't manage many foods at first or seem to just play and chew and spit for a while. Normal. In my experience anyway. My little one is 6.5 months and doesn't quite have the hand coordination for this. He's working hard and seems to like it. It's just going to be slow going until he catches on. He definitely ate a little bit of roasted squash today (day 3). We were surprised to see him swallowing so soon. I hope he doesn't get to eager because his lack of hand coordination will frustrate him if he's really trying to eat.
Thanks that's a very good point, it took us 7 weeks to get her eating any substantial amount. She stayed on 6 bottles a day until about a week ago. One tip I can give is invest in an ikea plastic high chair, it's so much easier to clean.
Trust yourself and your baby that you both know what to do when your both ready. It's a very enjoyable time and even when they aren't successfully eating much it's still doing so much for there development and coordination. If your not sure about a food just cook it
@henrytviii I think that's what threw me off. I was expecting him to play for a couple weeks and again on day 2 he inhaled his sweet potatoes. It got real fast!! I hope he doesn't get frustrated either
She eats what we eat. I shred meat . Boil veggies. Her favorite stuff is sweet potato and steak. Lol I make bitter biscuits she will break pieces off then spit it out if it's too big. I have mini heart attacks every time . She has no teeth.. But doesn't seem to slow her down. She still drinks a bottle 6 ounces every two hours during the day . ( sleeps from 8pm-8am with no bottles)
We just started him yesterday with some bell pepper (raw for texture and baked to make soft). He loved the raw and hated it soft. He loves prunes, but has only had them smashed because I wasn't sure how else to get them manageable. He ate them on his own with a spoon, though. We have some baked sweet potatoes and and peas on the menu for tonight.
We're going to a steakhouse for a family birthday, so that'll be what I'm eating as my sides. He likes to feel involved, and I like to be in control of how his food is prepared...so this seemed like a good compromise. Maybe it won't be. Who knows. Lol
We just started him yesterday with some bell pepper (raw for texture and baked to make soft). He loved the raw and hated it soft. He loves prunes, but has only had them smashed because I wasn't sure how else to get them manageable. He ate them on his own with a spoon, though. We have some baked sweet potatoes and and peas on the menu for tonight.
We're going to a steakhouse for a family birthday, so that'll be what I'm eating as my sides. He likes to feel involved, and I like to be in control of how his food is prepared...so this seemed like a good compromise. Maybe it won't be. Who knows. Lol
Elle hated prunes. I think I lost her trust for a full day after. Lol
How are you serving peas? I'm worried about choking with them. I've tried banana, sweet potato, and avocado. I have mashed all of them up bc it was too hard to manage avocado and banana and he got frustrated. When I mashed it up he was shoveling food into his mouth!
We've tried new foods and he has to end each meal with prunes or beets. He will yell if he doesn't get them. He's given a new definition to 'old soul'
Peas were fun, though.
How do you go with the beets and Lo being stained? She eats in her nappy and I want to try beetroot but I'm worried about her being stained and how long it's going to take to get out of her skin.
Peas, raises and cherry tomatoes are great, if your worried about joking not squish it first
A week or two ago I created a thread about how my LO was turning his nose up to pureed foods. I was getting frustrated because he was doing so well and then he stopped completely. Turns out, he wanted the good stuff like grapes, strawberries, blueberries, cheese, kielbasa, chicken and crackers haha. It all started with a bit of smoked cheese and the boy was hooked. I was hosting a little get together yesterday and there was an array of yummy foods and he went to town. Of course I cut them up into extremely small bites. He will be 7 months next week so I know it stills a little early but I'm happy he seems to enjoy different foods. He can eat it off a fork if I'm serving him but still can't feed himself if we put it on the tray. Meh, he'll get there. I can't wait to see what else he will eat.
A week or two ago I created a thread about how my LO was turning his nose up to pureed foods. I was getting frustrated because he was doing so well and then he stopped completely. Turns out, he wanted the good stuff like grapes, strawberries, blueberries, cheese, kielbasa, chicken and crackers haha. It all started with a bit of smoked cheese and the boy was hooked. I was hosting a little get together yesterday and there was an array of yummy foods and he went to town. Of course I cut them up into extremely small bites. He will be 7 months next week so I know it stills a little early but I'm happy he seems to enjoy different foods. He can eat it off a fork if I'm serving him but still can't feed himself if we put it on the tray. Meh, he'll get there. I can't wait to see what else he will eat.
Why is it early? I've been reading anything after 6 months is ok.
Cross-posting with "Feeding LO - December" thread because my kid seems super nterested in food but doesn't seem to enjoy mashed or puréed food.
I have the same question as above about peas - can they eat them whole or do you squish them a bit first?
^^ If they can grab them whole is fine ( or was for my first, in my non expert opinion and reading), they'll mash them with their jaw before moving them to the back if their mouth. Otherwise they gag and bring the back forward.
My LO picking up a pea would be a joke! Poor little guy, you know that game where someone else puts their arms though your shirtsleeves at camp? Yeah.
I disappeared, but we're alive. Promise. Peas I just cook until they're essentially mush and serve them whole. He normally smashes them pretty good in his hands before they ever even make it to his mouth. As far as beets, he eats nekkid. He's a mess, so it's just easier that way. So far, his hands sometimes turn red but we're stain free. He eats over laminate and the dogs tend to clean up pretty fast. No issues with the floor yet.
^^Rice crispies. I can thank my three year old for this mess but now that we know how much he loves the activity it's a good way to keep him busy for a while and let him practice eating. Nutrition? Not so much. But if we get the box out for DS LO squeals until he gets some too. Weird.
We recently started "solids" and I really want to try out actual finger foods for her to experience, but I might be close to chickening out. She recently turned 6 months and we started out with mashed sweet potatoes. Next we tried avocado (I need to get better at properly picking out a ripe one) and I let her handle a slice (made the slice the same size I saw online when reading up on baby led weaning). She ended up taking maybe a quarter or nickel size bite out of it (which made me nervous) and after a few seconds pushed it out of her mouth. Does that sound normal/OK? As far as taking a big bite at first?
He doesn't pick peas up, exactly. He just kind of slaps them until they stick. Lol
This is all normal, apart of his development. He'll get there, right now it's just the beginning. Tonight after near 3 months I think our LO injested 70% of food with huge mess.
I'm going to try the beets, I could have a little strawberry child for a while haha.
@enigmaticjj, if your feeling nervous that's normal but keep reading and understanding the process until your confident and go as slow as your wanting to. To me that sounds fine and remember it's very difficult for them to choke, their gag reflex is in their mouth not throat. You'll LO will gah away, spit it out and repeat and it's all learning. And if it does scare you remember it's not necessary to go down this path just yet, just follow the way you feel most comfortable and your LO will thrive
Re: Finger Foods
Edited for terrible grammar in the middle of the night.. This leap sucks
Choking makes me so nervous but I'm curious on what others are going to do. I know @henrytviii says to def get educated on this/read up first!
I think people mistake gagging for choking, our LO gags but then swallows her food, other times she won't just watch them closely and as you both gain confidence it'll become more fun and messy!
@klkonwi The most helpful thing i learned about choking is that if they never learn to slurp a watery puree to the back of the mouth they are at lower risk. The will naturally keep food at the front of the mouth until they can chew or mash it enough to safely move it to the back and swallow. If it gets back their and they can't swallow it they gag. The gagging is disturbing and terrifying for you but natural and safe for them. It is not choking. The other rules I learned are never put anything in their mouths and bigger French fry size food is the safest for them to work with no teeny bits. I think that covers everything. I'll skim the book I have and come back with anything else. Most of what went in the mouth came right back out as mush with our first until about a month of practice. It was a great month for the dog and DS really started eating about 6-8 weeks in.
"there" not "their", I know the difference but this darn phone . . .
We started on celery, asparagus, dates, fresh apricots, cherry tomatoes. These seemed really easy for her to grip and allowed her to build up her coordination. Now she will have softened muesli for breakfast, fruits, veggies, cheese and an egg and then dinner is what we are eating pretty much. My husband accidentally fed her a spicy curry and she was fine with that too. Just try everything and see what works but you have to read up about the gag reflex and make sure your comfortable and understand what it's all about. If your out and you haven't prepared any food and have to buy some then I get 10mo-1 year old food and she eats that successfully without messing up the finger food process.
At the start I was worried about how much food she was getting but they also say not to worry because they will still have as much milk as they need. 7 weeks later she is down to 3 bottles a day and 3 meals a day
Trust yourself and your baby that you both know what to do when your both ready. It's a very enjoyable time and even when they aren't successfully eating much it's still doing so much for there development and coordination. If your not sure about a food just cook it
He loves prunes, but has only had them smashed because I wasn't sure how else to get them manageable. He ate them on his own with a spoon, though. We have some baked sweet potatoes and and peas on the menu for tonight.
We're going to a steakhouse for a family birthday, so that'll be what I'm eating as my sides. He likes to feel involved, and I like to be in control of how his food is prepared...so this seemed like a good compromise. Maybe it won't be. Who knows. Lol
Peas were fun, though.
We get less ripe avacado and then he can pick up the slices. We also made liver pate and he mauled it... And smeared it all over his face
Peas, raises and cherry tomatoes are great, if your worried about joking not squish it first
Cross-posting with "Feeding LO - December" thread because my kid seems super nterested in food but doesn't seem to enjoy mashed or puréed food.
I have the same question as above about peas - can they eat them whole or do you squish them a bit first?
My LO picking up a pea would be a joke! Poor little guy, you know that game where someone else puts their arms though your shirtsleeves at camp? Yeah.
Peas I just cook until they're essentially mush and serve them whole. He normally smashes them pretty good in his hands before they ever even make it to his mouth.
As far as beets, he eats nekkid. He's a mess, so it's just easier that way. So far, his hands sometimes turn red but we're stain free. He eats over laminate and the dogs tend to clean up pretty fast. No issues with the floor yet.
I'm going to try the beets, I could have a little strawberry child for a while haha.
@enigmaticjj, if your feeling nervous that's normal but keep reading and understanding the process until your confident and go as slow as your wanting to. To me that sounds fine and remember it's very difficult for them to choke, their gag reflex is in their mouth not throat. You'll LO will gah away, spit it out and repeat and it's all learning. And if it does scare you remember it's not necessary to go down this path just yet, just follow the way you feel most comfortable and your LO will thrive