Feeding a 7-9 mth old, moving up from purees, could use some help

I am so freaking confused. I dont know what DD should be eating right now, to move up from purees.

I dont know what she should be teething on. And we dont see her ped for another mth but I dont want to wait that long. But i am afraid she will choke.

DD just has one tooth appearing now...if that means much.

How do you start more solid foods after purees? I was using jar food but would like to move away from that. But I dont know where to begin.

Thanks

Message edited 7/28/2009 9:48:22 AM.

Re: Feeding a 7-9 mth old, moving up from purees, could use some help

My dd is 8 months and she really wants to eat "real" foods. We have started gluten-free pancakes, waffles, and muffins at breakfast time. I just break them into tiny pieces. She also eats small pieces of fruit (peaches, pears, plums). I've done rice pasta in small pieces as well as brown rice. She eats well cooked (aka mushy) pieces of veggies at lunch and dinner (carrot, sweet potato, squash, peas). She doesn't have any teeth, but their gums are just as good as teeth at mashing.

Re: Feeding a 7-9 mth old, moving up from purees, could use some help

When we moved to stage 2 foods (at about 7 months - a little more), my ped recommended starting feed DS yogurt and introducing some finger foods. To start, she recommended crackers (like saltines or graham crackers), and cheese (we break up sliced American cheese in little pieces). She is not a fan of teething biscuits. She also recommends introducing a sippy cup with these "snacks" - even if he just plays with it or it sits on the tray - just to get him used to it.

After a month of the larger crackers and cheese and since we felt like DS was ready, she recommended introducing puffs and smaller finger foods. He has been doing great with those and now we have been giving him the puffs, small bits of things that he has had as a puree (fruits, veggies (soft), chicken, bread, etc)

DS is almost 8.5 months.

It seems like peds vary greatly on what they recommend so DH and I have decided to listen to OUR ped, but mainly go with our gut and comfort level. I totally know how you feel...I watch DS like a hawk whenever he is eating anything because I am a wreck.

This plan seems to be working though...DS is a great eater so far and takes whatever we give him.

HTH!

eta: DS has his 2 bottom teeth and the top 4 are about to pop any day - but he doesn't really use these teeth to bite - he chews/gums on the sides of his mouth.

Message edited 7/28/2009 9:56:24 AM.

Re: Feeding a 7-9 mth old, moving up from purees, could use some help

We've started finger foods with Eliza this past week. Even with no teeth, their little gums are perfectly capable of mashing soft foods.

Eliza has been eating cubed avocado and bananas. We'll be trying peas tonight at dinner. Other foods we did with Madelyn (and she didn't get her first tooth til almost 11 months): halved blueberries, quartered grapes, peaches, ground beef and turkey..

I'm just going to totally skip the stage 3 foods.

Re: Feeding a 7-9 mth old, moving up from purees, could use some help

Posted by Katie111806

When we moved to stage 2 foods (at about 7 months - a little more), my ped recommended starting feed DS yogurt and introducing some finger foods. To start, she recommended crackers (like saltines or graham crackers), and cheese (we break up sliced American cheese in little pieces). She is not a fan of teething biscuits. She also recommends introducing a sippy cup with these "snacks" - even if he just plays with it or it sits on the tray - just to get him used to it.

After a month of the larger crackers and cheese and since we felt like DS was ready, she recommended introducing puffs and smaller finger foods. He has been doing great with those and now we have been giving him the puffs, small bits of things that he has had as a puree (fruits, veggies (soft), chicken, bread, etc)

DS is almost 8.5 months.

It seems like peds vary greatly on what they recommend so DH and I have decided to listen to OUR ped, but mainly go with our gut and comfort level. I totally know how you feel...I watch DS like a hawk whenever he is eating anything because I am a wreck.

This plan seems to be working though...DS is a great eater so far and takes whatever we give him.

HTH!

eta: DS has his 2 bottom teeth and the top 4 are about to pop any day - but he doesn't really use these teeth to bite - he chews/gums on the sides of his mouth.

Re: Feeding a 7-9 mth old, moving up from purees, could use some help

If you haven't already, definitley introduce a sippy cup. It will get her used to it, even if she just stares at it for now LOL.

I started with things like Pastina, baked sweet potato, boiled (to death) carrots and peas, boiled lentils (for protein), ground turkey (seasoned w/ S&P and EVOO), Laughing Cow cheese, smooshed bananas, egg yolks and avocado

I also had started to give him puffs at this point.


ETA: I wouldn't be so concerned with the meats. You are better off starting w/ cooked beans (lentils, pink beans). That way you can smoosh them and they are still getting great protein.

Message edited 7/28/2009 10:02:33 AM.

Re: Feeding a 7-9 mth old, moving up from purees, could use some help

Re: Feeding a 7-9 mth old, moving up from purees, could use some help

Message edited 7/28/2009 10:05:00 AM.

Re: Feeding a 7-9 mth old, moving up from purees, could use some help

Posted by Goobster

Posted by Katie111806

When we moved to stage 2 foods (at about 7 months - a little more), my ped recommended starting feed DS yogurt and introducing some finger foods. To start, she recommended crackers (like saltines or graham crackers), and cheese (we break up sliced American cheese in little pieces). She is not a fan of teething biscuits. She also recommends introducing a sippy cup with these "snacks" - even if he just plays with it or it sits on the tray - just to get him used to it.

After a month of the larger crackers and cheese and since we felt like DS was ready, she recommended introducing puffs and smaller finger foods. He has been doing great with those and now we have been giving him the puffs, small bits of things that he has had as a puree (fruits, veggies (soft), chicken, bread, etc)

DS is almost 8.5 months.

It seems like peds vary greatly on what they recommend so DH and I have decided to listen to OUR ped, but mainly go with our gut and comfort level. I totally know how you feel...I watch DS like a hawk whenever he is eating anything because I am a wreck.

This plan seems to be working though...DS is a great eater so far and takes whatever we give him.

HTH!

eta: DS has his 2 bottom teeth and the top 4 are about to pop any day - but he doesn't really use these teeth to bite - he chews/gums on the sides of his mouth.

Thank you. What I dont understand is do you give a whole saltine or whole graham cracker to them or do you break that? What if a chunk comes off into their mouths?

I am so lost with this. Even chicken, etc, how small do you make the peices? I cant even imagine giving a peice of chicken!

Re: Feeding a 7-9 mth old, moving up from purees, could use some help

Posted by Goobster

Posted by chikita315

If you haven't already, definitley introduce a sippy cup. It will get her used to it, even if she just stares at it for now LOL.

I started with things like Pastina, baked sweet potato, boiled (to death) carrots and peas, boiled lentils (for protein), ground turkey (seasoned w/ S&P and EVOO), Laughing Cow cheese, smooshed bananas, egg yolks.

I also had started to give him puffs at this point.

Thank you. But that's my confusion. How much of these things do you give at each meal? Do we still give cereal? I am worried that I won't be giving enouigh solid food once I do this.

I have introduced the sippy cup. She doesn't do much with it, but yes, I have done that. And I have broken up a few puffs and give them to her, I even gave her an Arrowroot cookie a few times but I got nervous when a peice broke off so I took it away. I wasn't sure if she was ready. Or maybe I am not ready.

ETA_ Also...do you still try every food for 3 days, even something like pastina? Or cheese? That confuses me too!

Re: Feeding a 7-9 mth old, moving up from purees, could use some help

Posted by chikita315

Posted by Goobster

Posted by chikita315

If you haven't already, definitley introduce a sippy cup. It will get her used to it, even if she just stares at it for now LOL.

I started with things like Pastina, baked sweet potato, boiled (to death) carrots and peas, boiled lentils (for protein), ground turkey (seasoned w/ S&P and EVOO), Laughing Cow cheese, smooshed bananas, egg yolks.

I also had started to give him puffs at this point.

Thank you. But that's my confusion. How much of these things do you give at each meal? Do we still give cereal? I am worried that I won't be giving enouigh solid food once I do this.

I have introduced the sippy cup. She doesn't do much with it, but yes, I have done that. And I have broken up a few puffs and give them to her, I even gave her an Arrowroot cookie a few times but I got nervous when a peice broke off so I took it away. I wasn't sure if she was ready. Or maybe I am not ready.

ETA_ Also...do you still try every food for 3 days, even something like pastina? Or cheese? That confuses me too!

I would start with any one of these things as an addition to a cereal/fruit meal or as a snack (in between meals).

It's really just to get them tasting the food and used to the textures. It's not a meal/nutritional replacement yet. All that still comes from the BM or formula.

Once she starts eating more of it, I would start giving it as a meal (probably starting w/ lunch).

Have you started yogurt yet? You could pair w/ the yogurt too.

You don't have to do the every 3 day rule, unless you are starting a fruit she hasn't had before.

Re: Feeding a 7-9 mth old, moving up from purees, could use some help

Posted by Goobster

Posted by chikita315

Posted by Goobster

Posted by chikita315

If you haven't already, definitley introduce a sippy cup. It will get her used to it, even if she just stares at it for now LOL.

I started with things like Pastina, baked sweet potato, boiled (to death) carrots and peas, boiled lentils (for protein), ground turkey (seasoned w/ S&P and EVOO), Laughing Cow cheese, smooshed bananas, egg yolks.

I also had started to give him puffs at this point.

Thank you. But that's my confusion. How much of these things do you give at each meal? Do we still give cereal? I am worried that I won't be giving enouigh solid food once I do this.

I have introduced the sippy cup. She doesn't do much with it, but yes, I have done that. And I have broken up a few puffs and give them to her, I even gave her an Arrowroot cookie a few times but I got nervous when a peice broke off so I took it away. I wasn't sure if she was ready. Or maybe I am not ready.

ETA_ Also...do you still try every food for 3 days, even something like pastina? Or cheese? That confuses me too!

I would start with any one of these things as an addition to a cereal/fruit meal or as a snack (in between meals).

It's really just to get them tasting the food and used to the textures. It's not a meal/nutritional replacement yet. All that still comes from the BM or formula.

Once she starts eating more of it, I would start giving it as a meal (probably starting w/ lunch).

Have you started yogurt yet? You could pair w/ the yogurt too.

You don't have to do the every 3 day rule, unless you are starting a fruit she hasn't had before.

So the 3 day rule only applies to fruit?

Yes, we started yogurt last week. But the Yobaby is very smooth so I didnt think it was a different texture overall.

What about cottage cheese? Did you ever try that? Or ricotta cheese?

Re: Feeding a 7-9 mth old, moving up from purees, could use some help

Re: Feeding a 7-9 mth old, moving up from purees, could use some help

Have you given her egg yolks mixed with water/breast milk/formula yet? That's a good things to try initially. Many give cheese also, but we waited till DS was a year to introduce that. Same with wheat, so toast, etc. took awhile. Cheerios are good though, and contain more oat flour than wheat so you might want to try those, or puffs.

DS had gagging issues with table food big time, and I wound up making my own purees for him for awhile, but I made them a little thicker than the ones in the jars so he would get used to a slightly chewier texture. So you could do that also if you see that she isn't quite ready for table food. Mashed potatoes are good too, or the Praeger potato pancakes. They also make spinach pancakes, and those would probably be easy for her to eat. And peeled, cut up fruit is good--if the fruit chunks are too solid, you can steam them.

I would cut everything into tiny pieces right now--I think it tkaes most kids a little time to get used to the idea of picking something up and biting it.

Re: Feeding a 7-9 mth old, moving up from purees, could use some help

I read on LIF that if you can smush it easily w/ your fingers, DC should be able to chew it. The front teeth come in first and they don't chew with them.

Stage 3 foods are the baby food puree w/ smaller pieces of solid food. My DS gagged on them - he was like - o, i know what this is and then wamb - chunk. So we skipped them too.

I'd start w/ breakfast foods - they are the softest. Then canned fruit (watch the sugars), small pasta, veges, and meat.

If you are worried about choking, call your library, fire house or doc aboutt getting a CPR class. I was nervous - ds was 11 mos before he had solid food - we took the cpr class and now he eats whole grapes