Eager for solids but doesn't swallow

[afeswick]

Hello there,

My son is almost 6 months, and has all the signs of being ready for solids.  He opens wide when the spoon with rice cereal comes near his mouth, and eagerly accepts it, but then kind of lets it drool out of his mouth.  But then he cries for more.  I've tried making it runny and more solid, but its like he doesn't know how to swallow.  He'll grab stuff off our plates and suck on it furiously, but if little pieces get broken off he makes strange faces and tried to spit them out.

My question is, is this normal? All I've ever read is that babies will refuse food if they're not ready, but it seems like he is telling me he is.  Any advise? 

Also, I was going to try pears instead of the cereal, by putting them in this little mesh bag so he can chew and suck but not choke on solids....should I cook the pears, and if so, why?

Thanks,

Ethan's Mom

[First Time Mom]

Yes, that's a totally normal reaction when they start! They don't quite know what to do, they need time to figure out how to push the food to the back to swallow it. My ds still makes the funniest face whenever I introduce a new food, and sometimes he squints up his eyes, raises his eyebrows, and starts to hum while slowly dropping his lower chin down, letting all the food drop and dribble out .

If you are using the mesh feeder, I would not steam the pears, it will make them soft and mushy and will go right through the mesh feeder. The mesh feeder is for them to suck the food, and gum it in the bag (at least that's how I used it with my dd, not doing the mesh bag this time around with ds).

Enjoy and take loads of pictures when he is making the faces and spitting out the food!

[afeswick]

The spoon feeding is going much better...he's figured out how to swallow and is loving it!

[First Time Mom]

Good to hear he's figured it out and enjoying it! My little guy is throwing me for a loop, he's now 8 months and he's still doing this! I've been doing finger foods (usually steamed veggies) which he is doing well with picking up but he totally gags and turns red with every mouth full. He then opens wide and lets the food drop out (or I have to spoon it out of his mouth for him because he doesn't want it!). We're still on pure mush. Just goes to show how all los are so different!