Breastfed Baby Won't Eat Any Finger Foods.

Hi H.,
I'd wait until your son develops the pincer grasp on his own, then start with the puffs. If you try them, you'll notice they dissolve in your mouth right away. My daughter developed the grasp somewhere around 9 months old, I think, and she started on solid foods then. She liked black beans, and canned vegetables (I bought the no salt added kind).

Give him another few weeks, and see how he does. Put some puffs on his high chair and let him play with them, and put them in his mouth if he wants to. If you have him on stage 1 foods, you may try gradually moving on to stage 2 and 3 foods before you try anything chunky so he does get used to the texture. I'd say the most important thing is to let him be the one to decide he's going to pick it up and eat, rather than have you feed it to him.

Good luck!

HE IS NOT READY FOR FINGER FOODS, at 8 months old.
Stop.
Our Pediatrician said, at 12 months old, to introduce Cheerios, as the 1st finger food.

Your baby is gagging & vomiting because, he is simply too young and not ready. His "gag reflex" is still prominent... you cannot wish this away nor teach him 'not' to have it. It is an INSTINCT and in IN-voluntary reflex, in a baby.

It is NOT just about it being a 'texture' thing. It is about their intrinsic development, digestive system, motor system etc.

Also, the 'pincer grasp' is not something you can just 'teach' them at your timing... their fine-motor skills and reflexes has to be ready, at THEIR timing. If a baby can't 'grab' they can't grab.

Your baby is ONLY 8 months old.... there is no reason to rush it. Introducing foods, has to be age appropriate and appropriate for the baby's 'readiness.' So gauge your baby and go according to HIS lead.

You cannot make your baby eat these things... it's not appropriate right now, hence you have a gagging/vomiting baby. And yes, he IS looking at you like you are 'hurting' him....because he is not ready for all those 'toddler' foods, and he IS hurting.

All the best,
Susan

H.,

I'm sorry, but if your son was looking at you like you were trying to hurt him then, he was trying to tell you something!!!

One year is the age for transition to introducing finger goods like cheerios, puffs and very finely diced fruits and veggies. HE IS NOT READY. Eight months old is just TOO YOUNG to expect a baby to learn how to pincer grasp or even not gag on foods that his body isn't ready to eat.

IT IS NOT A TEXTURE THING!! The gag reflex is in place as a protection mechanism for infants...it goes away as they become more ready to try more solid table foods, but this age is just too early.

Please talk to your son's doctor about appropriate ages for foods. Read a book, look on-line...here's a link to baby center with food serving suggestions.

http://www.babycenter.com/0_age-by-age-guide-to-feeding-y...

Please be very careful what you try to feed your baby...he should not be gaging until vomitting with anything he eats.

i gave my babies finger foods from the start--anywhere from 6 months to 9 months. sometimes it was just bits of baked yam or potato; sometimes it was pieces of ripe banana; sometimes an apple core to teethe on. i looked at it as a learning about new flavors, smells, feel of textures, and not as anything to fill them up. i always nursed first, so the edge was off of their hunger and they'd be more open to trying something new. i don't think you can "teach" the pincer grasp; it just happens in time, like other developmental tasks: sitting up, swallowing foods, etc. some babies really enjoyed small foods like cooked pinto beans, frozen green peas or blueberries. some liked whole grain toast, cut into strips. some liked to gnaw on a chicken drumstick bone (with the splint bone off). it helps to try one new food per week, keeping track in case of allergic reactions. best,
N.

My ped., who is usually quite conservative, recc'd starting DD on finger foods (Cheerios and peas were the examples she gave)at 7 months - mainly to develop the pincer grasp. My DD absolutely LOVES Cheerios.

You may want to start giving him food w/ more texture, too, as an intermediate step - mashing foods w/ a fork rather than completely pureeing, making it chunkier as he gets used to it.

Good luck!