The baby food aisle at the grocery store is killing our budget. I run in for a few items for the week plus Carter's baby food and am shocked when I get to the register. We have got to get this baby on table foods. We have tried introducing bananas and strawberries here and there but he always spits them out. He loves bananas and strawberries in a baby food jar, just not the real stuff. I think it is a texture thing. So, this morning I put a small amount of a banana in this new contraption - it has a mesh bag at the end that Carter can 'gum' on and banana magically oozes out into his mouth and then into his belly. Since he can hold it and decide when it goes in and out of his mouth I think it just might work. Anyone have any tricks for introducing table foods?
Just keep trying - I do think it is a texture thing they have to get over! I also used the mesh feeder with canteloupe, which is muy messy but Reid also loved it. I'll email you about some other baby food recipes I used, as I made a lot of Reid's food.
ReplyDeleteSince it was SO LONG AGO when we had to transition you to real food, I don't remember how we did it. Might it be that when C gets some teeth, it might be easier. Possibly he just doesn't like gumming those foods. In any case, I'm sure that this problem will solve itself in its own good time.
ReplyDeleteWe are doing puffs, cheerios, canned fruit pieces (canned in their own juices to reduce sugar!), little pastas, etc. Good luck with it!!!
ReplyDeleteI realize I offered no help at introducing self-feeding and making it interesting--sorry! Try having foods on the tray while you spoon feed and maybe he'll want to "play" with the finger food while eating. You could also try something bigger, like the biter biscuits, to give him something to gnaw on (as he would do with a toy!) J is love pizza crust gnawing these days... Anything to keep the little man happy! Take care!
ReplyDeleteCarter is obviously ahead of what Isaac's doing, but I got a book from our library that I've found very helpful thus far - it's called "Child of Mine: Feeding with Love and Good Sense". It is focused more on the "how" of feeding and the feeding relationship (versus a cookbook). There are sections devoted to the specific needs and challenges of each age through 5 years, so you might find it helpful as well. I give Isaac banana (mashed with a fork) that's more ripe than what I would eat so it's pretty smooth. I've also heard of mixing in a little bit of breastmilk/formula to help them more readily accept it (but not so much that it overpowers the flavor of the food itself) - you could then reduce the mix-in amount gradually to increase the natural texture until it's just the food alone.
ReplyDeleteKai would not pick up anything and put it in his mouth and if we put something in his mouth he'd gag. Then one day, just after his 9 month appointment, I put some cheerios in front of him and he picked them up and ate them. Like magic!
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