Finger foods

[momma.bear]

My LO has become disinterested in breast feeding for about 3 weeks now. I've resorted to pumping (except her early morning feed) and giving her a bottle during the day, but even that is a struggle. I have to distract her with toys as she's drinking or she'll just push the bottle away. She is also teething, so that may have something to do with it as well. She'll often knaw on the nipple.
She was eating 3 meals a day, usually 2 oz. per meal plus once a day she'll have 1-2 Tbsp rice/oatmeal. The past few days she's now disinterested in solids as well.
Just wondering if I should try finger foods. What are good foods to do this with? I've got tons of pureed foods in the freezer so I'm really not looking forward to starting over again though. Also, how small to you cube the food so that they don't choke?
My LO also gags on baby mum mums as well as homemade oatmeal (texture issues). Do you think she'll do well with finger foods?

[Lemonthyme]

How old is your girl?  It could be an age thing.  My son was very difficult to feed in the day from around 4 months to 8 months (then we had a major nursing strike but that's a different story).  I ended up doing a lot of APing and feeding him when sleepy during the day.  I won't pretend it didn't cause problems; it did.  We struggled with getting him down for naps without it but we did get him out of the habit in the end and it got us past a frustrating time.

Other people suggested at the time though some other things and I'd be interested to see if they work for you:

Feed in the dark (or as dark as you can)
Try a breastfeeding necklace (they fiddle with it as you feed)
Try a different position
Try a wrap so they can't be as distracted

As for finger foods, it depends on age but generally you should start no earlier than 6 months and use bigger pieces.  Think about needing a handle as they can't work out how to eat out of their palm till they're much bigger.  Between 6 and 9 months, they will develop a pincer grip and be able to pick up things like peas and sweetcorn.

Generally to avoid choking I made sure things were soft enough rather than concentrated on the size.  Be aware that they can choke on anything including purees though so don't leave unattended.

There's no need to give up purees entirely though.  You can give them alongside finger foods or even use them as pasta sauces if you like!  There is a perception in some groups that it's either puree or finger foods.  There is no need to be so black and white about it.  You can feed part of a meal as a puree and part as finger foods; have some meals as 100% finger foods, etc, etc.  Just do what works for you two I think.

[Lemonthyme]

Sorry, I should have said, some gagging is entirely normal.  Don't ever force purees or finger foods on her and watch out for choking (but choking is silent, gagging isn't.)  If you're worried, do a baby first aid course.

[momma.bear]

Thanks, that is helpful. She is 7 months old. I've tried feeding her in the dark and this works best, but it has to be totally dark, which only happens during the night here as we have lots of light in our place. Today I took her shopping and she fed incredibly well in the middle of the mall. Lots of distraction there!
In reference to gagging, she will cry if I try to give her the same food after gagging so I think I'll wait a while.