Texture aversion

[meredith1851]

I am wondering if anyone elses's little one wont touch or self feed wet/slippery/mushy foods? My DS is almost 10 months and likes all the dry puffs and yogurt melts, diced cheddar cheese, toast, rice cakes and will eat totally smooth pureed food if spoon fed, but if I try to dice up cooked or mushed up soft fruits or veggies he looks at with a dirty look, touches it and refuses to put it in his mouth. I get the sense he does not like the texture of soft foods that feel mushy or slimy/lumpy. Not sure if I am making sense or not..He seems to have the same issue if I spoon feed him some of the stage 3 foods that are thick or lumpy. He just lets it slide right out of his mouth which I don't understand as he loves the puffs and toast and seems to mash them between his gums just fine.

I am not sure what else to feed him!

[Lemonthyme]

I'm not keen on lumpy purees either and I'm an adult! I figured there are very few lumpy purees which are normal adult foods so i started feeding foods which are naturally lumpy, eg minced meat, pasta, green lentils, fish pie etc and he would eat those and eat finger foods so I didn't worry!

[Syedoo]

I'm going through exactly the same thing with my 10 month old! Reading along for other responses - good luck - I know how frustrating it can get. My LO won't eat pureed food either - just yoghurt and cheese!

[We Three]

Soooo many kids hate the stage 3 foods...and I wish someone had told me that!!!  When I asked, every one of my friends told me their babies wouldn't touch it either!!!  A food sometimes does need to be offerred multiple times for a lo to try it...so do keep offering.  When you find a palatable food, try to add something to it...like if lo likes toast, try putting apple butter on it one day! Or cream cheese!  If he doesn't like "mushy", then offer him fruits like cut up watermelon or ripe pear...would he consider that mushy?  Sometimes it can be a temperature thing as well...(ie cold stuff from fridge). Keep offering, and know that until age 1, solids are just for experimentation...and that is just what you're doing!!     If he likes cruchy things, expand on those...(waffles, bits of grilled cheese sandwich).  And presentation is key....my dd would refuse some things unless she did it herself, other things she would only eat if I fed her...go figure! 

[Buntybear]

Hi, my LO stopped eating anything 'wet' at around 12 months. At 21 months we still have problems! He still eats mostly finger foods. Never had a problem with porridge or yoghurt though.

As said, just keep offering a variety of foods.

[*Kara*]

Soooo many kids hate the stage 3 foods..

My DD is another hater of stage 3 foods... Won't eat a lumpy puree that I make either... but really, as adults, we don't eat many lumpy pureed foods either... If baby is fine with smooth purees and fingers foods, I wouldn't worry at all.

[meredith1851]

Thanks everyone. I went back to buying the stage 2 foods along with his toast, yogurt melts, nutragrain bars seems to be working. Is there any problem with keeping him on stage 2 as long as he gets his other finger foods?

[Lemonthyme]

I'd try and move to more him feeding himself with finger foods and with a spoon (eventually, it's a messy journey).  Also I'd try making your own stage 3 style meals.  Small pasta shapes are good.

[*Kara*]

I wouldn't worry at all - mine will not touch a stage 3 food, store bought or  homemade, but she is fine with all finger foods   If you think about it, when do you ever eat anything the texture of a stage 3 food?  Maybe stew...

And yes, for sure introduce a spoon and keep the camera close by - great pictures from that learning experience!

[Lemonthyme]

Well stew is a really good idea.  I often cook a stew of beef with vegetables, sometimes with potatoes in there, it's one of the things he completely self fed with a spoon first.  Heading into stew season.  With a slow cooker a stew is probably less effort than going to your local shop for a jar.

[*Kara*]

So true!