Mystified by finger foods...

[Sarah O]

Hey guys,

There are some recent posts that are helping me figure out finger foods for my two 8 mo's but I still have some questions so please bear with me!!...

There seems to be a conflict in the information 'out there' re the size of what you put in front of them...I've read that food the size of a Cheerio is choke-proof, but then a lot of the info out there says to put large 'chunks' of food in front of them so it's easy to grasp.  But if they have, for example, a hunk of cheddar cheese...won't a piece break off in their mouth and how do you control the size of that piece?  I'm just so scared of them choking, especially since finger food is brand new to them.  All DD has had so far is a few Cheerios, a rusk, and some grated cheddar.  Also...does EVERY food have a 3 day wait rule?  I've got to admit that I've bent that rule more than once...for example, Tofu...how could anyone possibly be allergic to tofu?  I just feel like there's no way you could ever introduce your kid to all the variety out there if you treat every food as a possible allergen...anyone else cheat too?

Thanks!

Sarah

[LŠuren]

Hi Sarah

The way that I interpret that fact that nearly everyone gives different information/opinions is that it works for them and their LO's and there are different ways of doing things.

At the start of the week I introduced rice and pasta blended down into Calums diet (it still come out lumpy) through out his meal he was gagging on small mouthfulls, I kept giving him milk to wash it down. Now a few days later he takes them happily and he took a big slice of turnip I had given him at the dinner table one day, he broke a bit off and gummed it down happily.

With regards to the 3 days rule, some people need to wait a week, because of allergies. I think it is something that has to be followed to a degree, if allergies run in the family. I found out this way that my DS is allergic to eggs. 

I think you need to do what is best for you and your LO's, try them with different sizes of foods and see how they get on, the key is perseverance.

[tylersmommy]

Honestly, there is nothing that's choke-proof. Some foods are riskier than others, but all they have to do is inhale at the wrong time and they'll gag. You're better off with foods that are cheerio sized, simply because even if your LO does inhale a piece or swallow it whole, it's small enough that air will still pass through and it won't get lodged in the throat or windpipe as easily. That's why I never liked putting large hunks of food out. Like you said, they (and you) have no control over how big of a piece breaks off. When Tyler started finger foods, we started with mushy cheerios and as he got better we progressed to non-mushy cheerios, toast bits, and cracker bits. Once he was pretty proficient there we moved on to the non-dissolvables, like soft fruits and veggies.

Personally, I was a stickler on the 3 day rule until Tyler turned 1. There were lots of foods that he hadn't tried by then, but oh well, he's got the rest of his life. After he turned 1 and his digestive system was a bit more mature, I relaxed a bit more. Well, a lot more. I only did the 3 day rule for new foods that were common allergens. Everyone does it a bit different, so it comes down to what works best for you and your LOs!

[bugbert's mama]

hi!  i have a 7-1/2 mo old and have been wondering the same thing.  i "teach" babies how to eat/swallow and we do it like this...  we keep the size (amount per bite) the same but modify the texture.  start with cheerios soaked in milk, then progress to cheerios just dipped in milk (or pour some drops of milk on the cheerios), then progress to cheerios with just a few drops of milk on them, then plain cheerios.  you can do the same with the amount you cook a fruit/veggie (but make sure they're age-appropriate foods to be eaten both cooked and raw).

to help with the "slipperiness," you can grind up some oatmeal (make sure you already introduced it to your lo's and that they're not allergic to it) and roll the tiny bits of fruit/veggies into it to make it less slippery.

good luck!

[kirsty_167]

Hi

My son is nearly 8 months and i have only just started finger foods.I have a big fear of him choking as my daughter did when she was young and turned blue.....gave me a terrible fear this time round.I am getting over this though,slowly!
I give jakob foods that i know will dissolve(or be sucked so gooey they will be fine)  ie cheese,bisucit,banana strips,bread.

Initially he gagged but i have learnt that this isnt him choking but a natural reaction to first having that feeling of "bits" going down. This is improving each day and he is not gagging as often on the already introduced foods.

I give him the same finger foods at the same time each day so it becomes a little routine.He is then given plenty of opportunity to learn how to eat these finger foods.Each day he manages to do better.When he first had a little marmite sandwich last weekend,he put it in his mouth then spat it out.The next day he sucked it for a bit then threw it away.Today he just about ate most of it (well sucked it into goo and ate it)...its all progress.

HAng in there.I find it really is about trying different things to see what works for your LO's.....

All the best
kirsty