How do we go from stage two to stage three?

[Isom'smom]

My LO is doing great with solids, or rather purees.  He loves food, and keeps eyeballing mine while smacking his lips.  He has three front teeth.  I gave him a few bites of stage three food last night, which he attempted to swallow whole, and then vomited everything up.  He's doing o.k. with cheerios.  So how do you get them past the purees?  Should I wait until he has more teeth?  Are there foods he can practice chewing that won't gag him?  Thanks in advance.

[Tamara]

Ok - first of all I have no idea what you mean when yousay stage 2 +3 foods  :? , but if gagging and vomiting is the prob......

Try sloppy food that have more lumps in them firstly and once he can manage and understand how to swallow lumps

Try solid foods that turn mushy in the mouth, eg toast fingers, rusks, banana, cheese, avocado, peaches are just some that I can think of now

See how you go with that, and don't be put off by some gagging or even vomiting at times - all part of the learning curve - he'll get it in the end

Good luck

[Isom'smom]

Stage two is puree.  Stage three has chunks in it.  Del Monte, Gerber, all jar baby foods I've come across have the stage label.  Thanks for the advice.  Man, do I hate puke!

[NKmommy]

Hi,
When we first introduced chunkier foods, Nathan would gag also.  I think it is more of a reflex when babies are first exposed.  I would keep it up!  Keep exposing him to stage three foods, avocados, semi-mushed banana in cereal, chunkier applesauce, rice cake pieces.  He will get the hang of it.  Oh, and they really don't need teeth!  Nathan can gum pieces of steak - no idea how, but he does!   

[Portia]

I find my LO does better w/ finger feeding himself chunks of food (even if they are less mushy than chunks in jarred foods)...I think he's used to getting pureed food from a spoon & doesn't expect to have to "chew" it...With finger foods he knows what to expect & is prepared to "chew" it...I'm confident things will improve w/ more exposure...

  Portia