Routines, Meat, and Table Food! I need some advice!

Danielle - posted on 05/26/2010

Wow you guys were very, very helpful thanks so much!

Sarah - posted on 05/26/2010

I am the same about table food, I am worried she will choke but the doc said I need to start feeding them because if I wait it will be harder later to get her to start. They need to try different textures. This is the list of foods he said she should be eating and he said she can eat them without teeth. I have noticed that she does not choke on anything if she hates it she spits it out. I am worred I waited too long because she does not like anything I give her.

Apple peeled and cut into eights
orange sections, peeled and loose membranes removed
peaches, ripe and peeled
egg boiled, scrambled or poached
soft cheese
soft custards
carrots and other veggies, cooked soft
macaroni pasta
egg noodles
rice
toast
bagel
tender meats, lamb, veal and some beef
spagetti with meat sause
fish
tiny meatballs
soft cooked pieces of chicken

Rachel - posted on 05/26/2010

Our pediatrician just told us at the 9 month appointment we could start jarred and table meats if they're just little pieces. He also told us we can start trying yogurt and cheeses. We started out with Gerber puffs so Ben could practice picking up food and we usually let him try a little of what were having like banana or a little bread from a sandwich. Hope this helps!

Megan - posted on 05/25/2010

Gerber has a great chart on when to start kids on different foods. It has to do with the strength of their torso on how chunky of foods you can give them. I think the milestone for 2nd foods is sitting independently, and the suggested milestone for 3rd foods/table foods is crawling.

Tracy - posted on 05/25/2010

my son eats 3 meals per day - the same time we eat - breakfast is cereal and fruit and usually 6 oz, lunch is a veggie, fruit and 6 oz, supper is something like mac n cheese, veggie and a fruit if he's till opening his mouth, he ends the night with 6 oz - he will take a bottle in between meals too, usually about 36 oz total per day. He's still on stage 2's - he gags if I try 3's so obviously he's not ready, but he has no teeth. I never pushed the issue of advancing them to table too quickly. I tried the puffs,and he does okay, if he tries crackers though he will gag. If your son is taking the stage 3's good, and can pick things up with his thumb and index finger and put them in his mouth and doesn't gag, has a few teeth that he can chew stuff, try advancing him, cut things up small, bite size or take something you are eating for supper and try mashing it like, carrots or peas if he does well, the next bite don't mash as well, and keep doing it until you get to the thickest consistency that he does not gag on. if your giving him small bites he may gag but he won't choke. for meat I would try the baby food, stage 2 to start if he does well go to 3's - kids can be fussy with meat, it has a funny texture to them they don't always like. Just avoid, nuts, hotdogs, grapes, popcorn the obvious choking foods unless like hotdogs or grapes, cut up in quarters

Megan - posted on 05/25/2010

At 9mo, my kids have the following eating schedule:
Breakfast: 8am - formula (amounts differ with every child) from a sippy and baby cereal/cheerios.

Lunch: Noon - formula, 1/2 jar Stage 2 meat & 1/2 jar Stage 2 Vegetable *or* one Stage 2 jar of a meat/vegetable combo.

Supper: 4pm - formula, Stage 2 jar fruit

Bedtime bottle: 8pm

Cheerios are a good food to start kids on, because they have a hole in them so the child can still breathe if it goes down whole.