Starting Lumpy food

[colenliam]

Hi,
I use Heinz Baby Food and they have a stage 3 food to start at 8 months, which has some lumps in it, like some pieces of soft rice, noodles, potato etc. KWIM.(not very good at explaining things)
Well I started it with DS yesturday, and it didn't go over so well.  I have feed him some plain white rice and pasta b4 from my plate, or on a spoon and he took to well so I thought this stage 3 food would be fine.  Well, he gagged at every bite and then refused it and then even refused his fruit
Any ideas on why and what I can do to get him to eat it??  Or why he gagged so much, could it also be a stronger taste?
 

[me and bean]

hi again...  i had the same problem.  no worries at 7 months with all the 1st pureed foods in jars, but would NOT eat anything out of a jar with texture.  ie 2nd & 3rd stuff.  i tried everything, cold straight out of the jar/can, heating it, giving it to him when he was hungriest first thing in the morning.  no go. but noticed the same thing - he would eat off my plate.

have you smelled/tasted the stuff?  it's disgusting.  i don't blame him.

so, i started to cook for him.  granted it takes time.  but, most veges can be steamed in 10 mins, and cut in little pieces, they can pick them right off the tray.

fruits, i will still mix a jar with cereal, or give him fruits he can eat raw.  ripe pear, grapes, strawberries, grated apple, peaches & pineapple (out of a can), kiwifruit.

pasta and rice he will eat.  i overcook them a bit to soften more. 

meat & fish, i cut into little pieces or buy ground beef, veal etc.

i still have some jars of food left over and i put them in the nappy bag to use if we are caught out.  and to this day he will not eat it!

[Mom to M&M]

A lot of babies do not like/have problems with Stage 3 foods. The problem is that they are a weird mix of textures - some smooth, some lumpy, etc. Most of my friends had much more success going right from Stage 2 to finger foods.... and my Ped recommends the same.

[colenliam]

Thank you for the replys.
i will try finger foods with him and see how it goes.
Jarred is just sooo convient

[colenliam]

So tried to cook chicken and feed to lo, would not have it, and would only eat his yogurt.
How can i get him to eat meat?  Is there a way to puree it and is it maybe possiable he is just not ready for it.
He has 5 teeth and gums on things very well.  He can eat a cookie
What age does he need to eat meat at?
The nurses told me when I took him for his 6 month needles that he should start right away on protein-meat, egg yolk, beans etc.  he is almost 8 months and i just can't seem to get him started.
Any suggestions or any one else having or had the same problem?
Thanks,
cole

[Mom to M&M]

Personally, I recommend no meat until after 9 months (can be hard on the organs) but that's just MHO. My sister used to boil chicken and then puree/blend it - something right with some potato and carrot.