Finger foods/stage 3 foods/self feeding - Confused and could use some BTDT advice

Once DC starts finger foods, must all meals be eaten by feeding themself? Do we still give cereal or other foods that we may have around? Do all meals need to be chewable for practice or do they only need to feed themselves X amt of times a day?

I hope I am making sense. If I let DD fed herself entirely, she would not get enough solid food as she needs per day. Someone please help me understand finger foods and stage 3 foods (lumpier foods).

Re: Finger foods/stage 3 foods/self feeding - Confused and could use some BTDT advice

I continued cereal, jar food, yogurt, etc. when I started finger foods. As far as stage 3, my dr. advised me aainst them. I think they felt it was confusing. Mooshy but pieces that need to be chewed. They said to just cut foods muself into small peices. Worked for us.

Re: Finger foods/stage 3 foods/self feeding - Confused and could use some BTDT advice

You can definitely still continue feeding her, and also continue jars if you want. Just phase out the jars gradually as time goes on and her feeding skills improve. Just go with the flow, let her feed herself and practice chewing when possible, but spoon feeding her is totally normal (cereal, yogurts, pastina, soups, etc)

Re: Finger foods/stage 3 foods/self feeding - Confused and could use some BTDT advice

Under 1 year old-I still fed DS cereal/fruit/veggies. But at approximately 11 months, I started really letting him self feed using things like cereal bars, goldfish, etc.

After he turned 1, I stopped jar food totally and started making things I know he would eat and he fed himself. I did feed him yogurt for a long time, but probably stopped around 20 months old or so.

Somewhere along the line (I think about 18 months?) he learned to use his own utensils.

Re: Finger foods/stage 3 foods/self feeding - Confused and could use some BTDT advice

My DD is one and I still feed her plenty of meals throughout the day in addition to what she feeds herself. I usually feed her cereal and fruits and veggies unless it's something she can pick up on her own like banana pieces or mashed potatoes. Until she's able to use utensils on her own I expect I will be feeding her a lot of her meals.

Message edited 9/28/2009 6:08:54 PM.

Re: Finger foods/stage 3 foods/self feeding - Confused and could use some BTDT advice

I let them have finger foods at every meal now, but I still give them baby food(mostly stage 2 mixed with pastina, oatmeal or mixed grain.) If they ate a good amount of table food I have them split a jar so 1/2 jar each. I do make the food a lot thicker now

Re: Finger foods/stage 3 foods/self feeding - Confused and could use some BTDT advice

Re: Finger foods/stage 3 foods/self feeding - Confused and could use some BTDT advice

We did the same as most people suggested, though he did not take to finger foods well at all initially (texture issues lots of gagging). I wound up going back to stage 2 foods, yogurt, etc. for awhile when it was clear finger foods weren't working for him. So around a year he started eating table foods. Our pediatrician recommended skipping stage 3 foods also, but I wound up trying them at some point since he had a hard time handling a lot of table foods, but he could handle these.

Good luck!

Re: Finger foods/stage 3 foods/self feeding - Confused and could use some BTDT advice

OMGosh, thank you all so much. I didn't know if I should still be feeding her "baby food", or feeding her at all or if she was expected to eat her required amt in finger foods (which she can't do!).

So thank you all, I get it now!!!

Re: Finger foods/stage 3 foods/self feeding - Confused and could use some BTDT advice