Introducing Mashed Foods??

Casey - posted on 08/06/2009

My son was born 15dec and being such a big boy has been eating solids since just before 4 months. He never liked canned foods so I have always made it for him. I have always used a masher to do his veg etc so I guess he is just used to it but he doesnt really like runny food! He eats pretty much anything now

Lydia - posted on 08/05/2009

I had thesameproblemwith my daughter. I have gone back to pureed foods and have started her on finger foods instead. Will probably just skip the mashed stuff until she actually wantsit (if she ever does). I asked my sister about it and she said my niece did the same thing and skipped straight over that stage of food. I think its a texture thing that they obviously arent fond of. You can either soldier through or make thing easier on both of you and go back to puree until she wants the mashed stuff.

Lauren - posted on 08/04/2009

my son is 8 months, born december 3rd, was also on pureed foods since about 4 1/2 months. We tried him on the stage 2 jars when he was about 6 1/2 months and he gagged and couldn't chew the lumps. babies need to learn to chew, my son took a rice cake out of my neighbour's hand and sucked it to death, i took that as a sign he was ready for finger foods..these finger foods have helped him with the lumpier stage 2 jars and he now eats them fine. i suggest waiting a week or two and then giving her a small rice cake, they are soft and babies can suck them. give her a few of these and then try her again on the mashed foods. don't let your health nurse worry you, your daughter is fine and she will do things in her own time.

Cassi - posted on 08/02/2009

Introducing tables foods is really up to the parent if they feel comfortable with it. Some doctors recommend waiting longer. My cousin in laws doctor and my doctor are in the same office and are way different... My doctor was okay with my son starting on baby foods at 3 1/2 months and her doctor says wait until 6 months. Really it is just up to the parent and if the child is ready. Try a cheerio though if you haven't yet. My son surprised us at 5 months and was chewing them very well. Sometimes I think the mashed foods almost imitate the pureed foods and that's why they get choked up on them. My son still sometimes gags on mashed foods, which is why I give him diced foods because he knows he has to chew them. Keep on trying, and yah mixing the mashed and pureed may help! I guess I just got lucky with my boy who loves to eat anything! LOL!

Megan - posted on 08/02/2009

Well if it makes you feel better, my daughter (born Dec 27) is still eating pureed foods. We have given her dry toast and she does fine with that but we haven't tried mashed foods yet. Perhaps we should try.



Thanks for your post. I probably would have waited longer to try mashed foods if I didn't know I coudl give them to her now.

Stacey - posted on 08/02/2009

Thanks everyone, I will just perservere I suppose and perhaps try adding the pureed stuff to the mashed until she gets better with it like Melissa suggested! I have been using the mesh feeders for a while already, she loves banana in it! But that hasnt really helped her with her mashed foods, she just doesnt really want to chew. I think its just that she's so used to the food running down her throat that she doesnt expect to have to work for it!! I really hope that she improves soon though and I'm hoping that we dont have to see a specialist. I think I might give it a bit longer than the couple of weeks that the health nurse recommended, I think all babies are different and she's just taking her time?! Thanks heaps :-)

Melissa - posted on 08/01/2009

i don't think it will be necessary to see a specialist. just give her more time and she'll come around. it took my daughter a while too and then one day she just started eating the chunkier food! one thing you can do is to mix the fresh mashed food with a little bit of the jarred food just to get her going and then decrease the amount of jarred food til she's eating just the fresh mashed. i also did this with my daughter. good luck and have fun!! :)

Rebecca - posted on 08/01/2009

My son had problems with it at first also but I keep giving it to him untill he got it. One thing to keep in mind is that it is easer if the bites are smaller.

Cassi - posted on 08/01/2009

Sounds like she's just not ready to move on yet. It happens. My son was also born on December 30 and has been on pureed solids since he was 3 1/2 months. I made this decision when he opened his mouth when he saw a spoon. LOL! He now eats cheerios, diced olives, diced grapes, diced peaches, fresh banana's, cheese, crackers, baked sweet potatos... pretty much anything I will let him have.



I think that babies know when they are ready for something. I'm no health professional, but I know a few of my friends have had this problem and they just weren't ready yet for the thick stuff until later. I would just keep giving her what she will eat, maybe introduce some cheerios? My doctor said that as long as it can be mashed with your tongue and can be mashed with their gums. They also have these amazing things that are like mesh that you put solid foods in and they just chew on them and get small bits and mashed stuff that they won't choke on. I haven't tried them because my son is good about eating, but maybe you should try that and maybe feeding herself that way would help? You can find them at WalMart in the baby section usually where the spoons and cups and stuff like that are. Here I think they run just over $3 for one, so it would be inexpensive to see if she'd try fresh foods that way...

Good luck and keep posted on how she's doing!