Infant Feeding

With my first, who was born 6 weeks early I waited until around 9 momnths old to start solid foods, like small amounts of what I was eating but gave puffs and cherrios around 7 months old(6 months if you go according to due date). She did okay but I was slow and it took her a long time to like food, and she is still a very picky eater. I started my son earlier, giving him real food by the time he was 6 months old bananas, pears, peaches in chuncks that he could bite off pieces, i was nervous as he would take large bites, but always coughed out what was too big. He now eats everything and anything. So I would say start asap. My son had no teeth when he started eating and was handling meat well by 9 months with just his two bottom front teeth. He was eating everythng I was by 10 months old with the exception of typical choking hazards. I say go for it!

Giving your baby "people food" is so scary! I too was terrified of my daughter choking, in fact, she just turned 2 on the 5th and I still worry about it. I don't give her any gummy food, popcorn, or raw carrots and I still cut up her hot dogs and grapes. However, she has to start sometime. When my daughter was about 9-10 months old she was eating grilled cheese, chicken and stars soup, toast. I just cut everything up to the size of a cheerio and gave her soft foods. My pediatrician told me that babies don't need their teeth to chew, they just gum everything. My daughter was not premature so I don't know if that would make a difference; talk with your pediatrician.

You may want to try that little mesh bag feeder by Sassy or Munchkin if you're really scared.

http://www.diapers.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?product...

You just stick whatever foods you want in there and your baby can suck on it. Little pieces eventually come through the bag.
Good luck!

You did already introduce all the regular baby foods to her right? You can give any real people food at that age that you want, as long as it is small enough and soft enough. Except for honey and choking hazards and regular milk. Things with the consistency of peanut butter are choking hazards too, because they can clog up their throats. I would thin mine with milk before giving it to my son. Just make the veggies very soft, and cut things up very small, or do a "smashed" consistency. Like smashed potatoes, not totally smooth, but still with some chunks. Meat and other stuff just needs to be very small. And strips of food are safer than round pieces, I think.

I still cut up my son's grapes and other round stuff at 27 mos. I don't give him nuts except the slivered kind, and I still cut his raw baby carrots into matchstick sizes. So you can be totally careful, but still feed them what you are eating. I usually just left my son's food in a little longer to make it softer than ours.

I also would pre-chew meats for him at that age. I know that sounds disgusting, but I did it without even thinking about it. I had been doing it for weeks when my dad noticed and thought I was crazy, but it works. I would just soften it between my front teeth a little so he could gum it. I didnt chew it up and spit it back out or anything. :) If you can get it to be slightly mashed by squishing it with a fork, that works too, just takes longer.

Oh Absolutely, start the people food. My son is 11.5 months and I have been giving him people food for probably about 3 months. Start out with small soft things. They dont need to have teeth to eat people food. Their gums are just as strong. I actually just talked to my ped. about this the last time we were in. He loves people food but also loves his baby food. I always give him some of what we are eating plus his baby food. THe longet you wait the harder it is going to be to get him used to it. He has started to choke a few times but he always coughs it up. Good Luck. BTW with my first one, I was much more scared to try the people food, now the second one, much easier. :-)

I love the dissolving crackers (Yum-Yum). It lets them hold the food and gum it a bit. Have you given any baby food? Did you work through the stages? You can start with that kind of thing, only go chunkier. For example, I made my baby food, so I would steam the veggies and cut into small bit size pieces, and just not puree them. She should be able to tell you if she is interested in something too. All other judgment is up to you. Try it out yourself to see if it is soft enough, and give it a try.

I know it's kinda scary but just start with soft foods. I always do things like mashed potatoes, oatmeal and soups. Also crackers are good because they get really mushy really fast. Also soggy cereal is easy for them to eat too. Just do little by little and you will get more comfortable with it.

You can start now. I started with very soft pieces of cut up vegis. You can start with carrots, potatoes, avacaodo, or anything you can stem until it is pretty soft. I also did a lot of fruit. Start small and see how she does. She may also be able to handle pasta or rice.

Hi A.,
I used to be scared to death that my son was going to choke. I used to have a big choking first aid poster on my fridge. LOL
But she can surely try some stuff as long as it is soft, small and easy for her to handle in her mouth. You can cut up small banana pieces, offer Cheerios, toast with jelly, applesauce, noodles, pasta, pastina, yogurt, cottage cheese and fruit, soft cheeses, etc. You'll be amazed at what she can chew with those 2 little teeth--just nothing hard/crunchy/sticky. I'd avoid honey and peanut butter for another couple of months.

There's no reason to start giving your child finger foods now. You can feed banana chunks, bread pieces, Gerber dissolving snacks (veggie preferred), Gerber Wagon Wheels (dissolving). Canned mixed veggies are nice as they're cubed and very soft and gives a variety of veggies.

No matter how long you wait, the child will gag a bit as they learn how to use their tongue and swallow chunky items. Don't be alarmed. This is how every human learns. You'll be surprised how well she will go with her jaw, 2 teeth or not.

K. B
mom to 5 including triplets

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She's old enough now. Bananas, very ripe peaches and pears, Cheerios, bread, crackers, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes (if you peel them, cut them in chunks and bake them they become very tender and delicioius!) - anything that is soft enough to gum. She may be ready for very tender chicken, too, but I would start with fruits and veggies. Have fun with this new phase in her life!

You can start any time! Just make sure the food is the appropriate texture for her. Take regular food and smash it up! Vegi's and fruits first, then meats later. I have a baby food mill for grinding up regular food. By 11 months, my kids were eating all the food we eat, but I would often grind it for them.

Good luck!
J.

Even at ten months she should be ok, just make sure whatever you give her is soft enough that she can gum it. Steam the veggies and cook the fruit so that they are all soft.
Enjoy giving her new experiences that are healthy and fun! :)

First, she will gag. In time, you won't be nearly so nervous about it. Just stay close by and if she has trouble, get your finger in there and swoop it out! I would check with her ped, but I would imagine she is ready for table food. Make sure you cut it up so that it's about the size of a pea at first. In time, she'll show you when she's ready for bigger sized bites. But as long as the food is relatively soft and small, she should be fine. Have fun with it. One thing I'm really loving right now are the frozen veggie steam packs at the grocery store. With my first child we gave him lots of canned veggies, as they were softer (and easier) than fresh veggies. The steampacks are great though! Softer veggies and they seem fresher than the ones sitting in the cans for years on end.