First Foods After Stage 2?

Updated on August 24, 2006
S. asks from Clearwater, FL
12 answers

My daughter is 8.5 months old and she is still eating the stage 1 and stage 2 fruits and veggies. She also eats infant oatmeal and she has a mesh feeder that she loves to eat pieces of banana or other fruit out of. I'm ready to try her with foods that she can feed herself or that she can start learning to chew. I've heard about those puffs, but am afraid that she will choke - seems like a bit much to go right to that. What foods did you do or would you recommend to come next after stage 2?

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D.L.

answers from Pensacola on

My daughter is 17 months and we started her on the puffs around 8 months. they do melt very fast in their mouths so it's really not a choking hazard. Like the other moms said, try them and just watch her and she should be fine.

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M.E.

answers from Orlando on

I too am wondering this myself. I have an 8 month old girl and she's on stage 2 fruits, veggies, and dinners (with meat). She eats rice, oatmeal, and mixed cereal also. I have tried the gerber puffs, but I didn't have a good experience with them. I know everyone says they melt instantly and such (even her pediatrician suggested them), but they didn't for her. She started choking on one and wasn't even coughing - we had to do the finger in mouth bit to get it out. Needless to say, I'm very afraid to try anything after that incident.

I have yet to try the mesh feeder - that sounds like a good idea.

I have heard about mashing up your own food, such as potatoes, peas, etc. - but I haven't tried it yet. Let me know how it goes for you! :)

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T.D.

answers from Dallas on

Hi S.! The puffs really do dissolve quickly, I fed those before Cheerios for that reason. I think Ryan was about that age when I started him on puffs. You can buy a can and see for yourself. Or, maybe some Cheerios on her tray in a little bit of water?

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C.

answers from Miami on

Hi S.,

My son is 14 months and I'm still struggling with this issue. One thing that will help is to give her a little bit of cream cheese softened, so she needs to move her mouth around more, and also try small curd cottage cheese. Both of these things where recommended by the pediatrician, which are good for babies to practice. Also packages of cube cheese that you let out for just a short time till it's not soo cold and hard, is good to modivate babies to chew.

If she has front teeth, then I'd hold the puff and let her bite off one of the pointed sections at a time till she gets more comfortable. Some babies might do great with the whole puff the first time, mine didn't. It was very scary until I held it and let him bit off just a portion, until he got comfortable and could eat it all.

My son easily eats puffs now, but I'm still struggling wtih strands of meats and other foods, eventhough his mouth is FULL of teeth and sprouting mollars everywhere. I know that's probably my fault, always afraid he will choke. Whenever he struggles with a piece of something, I get running hot flashes up and down my body, so I'm always certain my husband is around when I try new foods just incase.

Good luck to you and your child with your adventures with food.

Regards,
C.

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T.O.

answers from Sarasota on

I can assure you she WILL NOT choke on the puffs. If my kids survived them, EVERYONE will! And they ate them like they were going out of style. They couldn't get enough. There's a broad range of flavors now too, so she'll get fruit and veggies. If's she's ready to move on from stage 2, she's ready for the finger foods... the puffs (can't remember the proper name right now), Cheerios, wagon-wheel pasta and similar pasta cooked and cut up big enough to be finger foods but not too big to risk choking, frozen and canned peas mush well and chew easily. The teething biscuits make great cookie snacks too. I also think at 8.5 months she can eat cheese, but I'd verify that with her pediatrician or someone else first. The Kraft singles are perfect for little ones. Boiled and sliced chicken is good too. Tiny pieces of course. Good luck!

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S.S.

answers from Miami on

The puffs are great, my youngest son started eating them around 8 months. They basically melt in their mouths. Just watch carefully to see how she acts. Other than that it should be fine.

S.
SAHM of 3 boys

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S.J.

answers from Fort Walton Beach on

Puffs are great - they actually start to melt once your child puts them into her mouth. Both of my children loved them, although I cannot remember exactly what age they were when they first had them, but I am sure it was around the 8 month mark. Small pieces of banana are also another great food. If she has only a couple of teeth you can always mash them a little before giving them to her. My daughter loved green beans - and still does - out of a can. I am not a huge canned veggie person, but they are soft enough for them to chew, or mash with their gums. Cooked carrots are also good, and semi-soft. The biggest thing is just making sure you cut everything up in small pieces. I hope this helps!

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L.

answers from Tampa on

S. -

My daughter is 8.5 months also and we are experiencing the same thing. I am giving her the Gerber puffs, but I break them in half for now. She doesn't seem to choke as much when they are halved. I've tried the same thing with Cheerios, but the Gerber Puffs dissolve quicker.

Best of luck

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K.B.

answers from Orlando on

Gerber Graduates makes a lot of great transitional foods. The fruit and veggie puffs are a great place to start. They practically disolve in your mouth so you don't need to worry so much about choking. These will help her with her motor skills and hand eye coordination as well as introduce her to a new food and way of eating (plus they're low in sugar). I think my son was about 8 or 9 months when I started him on these. Then you can see once she gets chewing thing down, you can move on to cheerios.

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D.

answers from Jacksonville on

You'll never know if your child is a choker until you try solid foods. I know that sounds scary, but it really is not. Some kids take to it right away, others it may seem like they choke every time they eat. It is just your repsonsibility to be diligent in watching as they eat. At any time a child can choke, just like an adult. They get distracted or anxious to eat they put more in than they can possibly break down. Just cut things small enough so it can be smashed between gums - cooked carrots, bananas, room-temp cheese, even pasta and the puffs dissolve fine. Anything you can steam till mushy, including fruits. If you are anxious while your baby is eating, she will be too.

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J.E.

answers from Orlando on

My son is 8.5 months and loves the stage 3 foods. They have a much lumpier texture and include dinner varities (like beef and vegetables, turkey and rice, ect.)I try everything my son eats and many of them taste ok. He also does well with the Gerber puffs and wheels. I am always concerned about him choking as well...I just recently started to try to give him small pieces of table food. It is nerve racking, but he is getting much better at it ( and making a large mess as well!!)
Good luck to you.
J.

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S.H.

answers from Tampa on

Actually those Gerber fruit puffs and wheels are very safe. I have tried them and they disolve instantly with saliva. There is minimal risk of choking. Cheerios, soft fruits like bananas & peaches, spaghetti O's, cooked and diced carrots and things like that are great starter foods.

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