My daughter will be 9 months next week. She has her 2 bottom teeth. I'd really like to start offering her table food, but am TERRIFIED to do so! I have a serious fear of her choking! My questions are~Did anyone else have this fear, and if so, how did you get over it? What did you introduce to your little ones to get them used to eating, but not something they can choke on? I've been givin her the gerber puffs, but even those I am breaking into halves, or even thirds! I know I have to get past this for her health, but how!?!? I really want her to be able to experience everything she can, but I can't get myself to get over this!
Any advice would be great!
Continue to cut everything up. You'll get over this eventually when you realize she can eat without choking. =) I feel the same way about a lot of different dangers. I just go with life, tell myself the truth, and go for it afraid if I have to...LOL I also pray a lot. Eventually, I'll realize that my fears are gone and wonder what in the world my problem was.
My daughter is 9 mos with only 2 bottom teeth as well and she eats all day long! As long as the food is soft she wont choke. If youthink about it we chew with our back teeth and they dont get those until much later so trust in their powerful gums. My daughter loves eggo waffles toasted just enough so they are soft and torn into pieces about thumb nail size or slightly bigger. I like them because I can buy them in a variety of flavors and they last so I save money. She also eats pancakes, noodles, muffins, chicken nuggets, mini corn dogs, pieces of cheese or shredded cheese, cheerios, cut up soft veggies, cut up plain pizza, and a variety of things as long as they are soft and her gums can mash them. I was nervous as well but she hates being fed and only wants to feed herself so I had to get over my fears and just watch her like a hawk until I was comfortable. If she isnt used to texture yet try the gerber 3rd foods for a bit to know that she is getting the nutrients she needs and start introducing a "finger food" with once meal until she gets used to the variety and the chewing motion.
They way I felt more comfortable with puff was to actually put one in my mouth to see that they really do melt. My son started eating them with his bottom two teeth. He would sometimes bite/break them in half on those teeth before putting them in his mouth.
Other foods we started with - over ripe banana pieces, roasted sweet potatoes, boiled apple pieces.
I started with super small pieces and one at a time and once he handled that I would let the pieces get a bit bigger. I don't think he really had to chew anything when I started out since I made it so small. But once I saw he was making the chewing motion it made me feel ok to give him slightly larger pieces.
My 7mo has 2 bottom teeth and I give her the puffs. In the beginning I actually broke them into 5 pieces! Now, only a few weeks later, I give her the whole thing. She loves them! I tried one of every flavor to make sure they all melted and turned to mush. The organic one I bought... I think Plum Baby... they take longer to dissolve, but she gums them to death!
I've also given her some pieces of banana and she really enjoyed it. I know it's scary. I sit and stare at her to make sure she's chewing and I also make sure to give her sips of water very often so her mouth doesn't dry out.
My girlfriend has given her son table foods since he was about 8 or 9 months and he did great with it. Actually, better than with baby food. He used to gag on baby food. He just didn't like the texture.
Good luck!
I just make sure to have water near by when giving the puffs... if she starts to choke just give her a little sip of water, and the puff pretty much dissolves. BUT... My dd has been getting table foods since she was about 7.5 months old (when she got that first tooth). At first I was really nervous, but now (9 months old) she can pretty much eat anything. She gets pastas, softer meats (I'm still nervous about those though... cut up really tiny) veggies, softer fruits, etc. To get more comfortable, you might try getting some stage 3 foods... they have a few tiny chunks in them... That didn't work for my DD though because she hated the texture of stage 3.
Feel her gums when she bites down! The are as hard as teeth! My son is 13 months and until a month ago only had the bottom 2 teeth. He chewed just fine just make sure things are cut up well!
must be your first :) it takes time, I did the same thing with those puff with my first too...not joking. to give you an idea with our third who is 9mo right now also I give puffs, bananas, gram cracker (most any crackers) and I take whatever meal we are eating and use a pampered cheff chopper (or any chopper will work) and chop it up then ad water (milk, broth) and feed her, I don't do much baby food like gerber.
things I would avoid for a long while yet, bread (espeically like pizza crust, grapes, raisens, hot dogs, marshmellow (even baby ones) . Similar things to those.
