Starting finger foods

[FPT23]

Hi! I have a question! I have began table foods.

I have a question- how do I teach him to eat on his own or start?

I have been giving TINY pieces of steamed veggies or soft fruits, but he stuffs his face and gags on his food so I freak out!!

Can someone tell me how to do this part? I've always fed homemade purée with a spoon but I'm trying to do this baby led weaning...I think I'm posting in the right spot? :-P

[*Ali*]

It is better to give sticks/finger shaped foods to start so they can get a feel of the taste and texture before biting it off. Excessive gagging is common if LO is used to just moving food (milky cereals or pureed) to the back of the mouth and swallowing. It may just take him a while to get used to it. Gagging is not choking and is not dangerous it is just his way of moving the food back to the front of the mouth to avoid choking. I know it can be scary though.

[FPT23]

Omg I hate the gagging! So scary!

I mk his bby food- any suggestions? So far all I have success is with Cheerios lol

I tried peaches but he couldn't pick them up well lol and gagged a lot Bc he over did the eating too lol fatty :-P

[*Ali*]

I just give what we're having, sometimes cut slightly differently and without the salt.

Some favourites here are marmite on toast fingers/squares, sticks of cucumber or cooked carrot, halved cherry tomatoes, wedges of watermelon, cornflakes with a tiny bit of milk drained off (I use a stick down bowl), shredded chicken, peas and corn on the cob.

[FPT23]

Oh ok! He gagged on steamed carrots tht were pea sized!

But yes ok those are great ideas! As long as they are soft and easily mashed in the mouth. Right?? Got it. I give him what we eat too but when he started gagging I didn't like it :-/
He won't choke on shredded chicken? I've considered tht... But wasn't sure. He's had steamed rice and corn and steamed veggies.

When it comes to wedges or diff cuts- how big do they have to be?

[*Ali*]

The idea is that they can hold the sticks and still have enough poking out their name to put in their mouth. When you feed him the tiny bits are you giving then to him to put in his mouth? You're not putting it in his mouth for him right? He needs time to explore the food and work out its taste and texture so he knows what to do with it. Their gums are really hard so you'd probably be surprised at what he can mash up without many teeth.

[FPT23]

Yea I just let him play with it

And he grabs the pieces and eats. But the "finger" foods, he won't tk like a chunk off and choke lol ah. First time mom :-/