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Are bite-sized pieces or bigger finger foods better?

Elfrieda - posted on 12/26/2010 ( 5 moms have responded )

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My son is 12 months old, and I always break everything into little pieces for him to eat. After a terrifying near-choking incident at 8 months (he got into a basket of tomatoes and almost suffocated on a piece of tomato skin), I've been a bit paranoid.

When should he be able to learn not to just stuff a bigger piece of food into his mouth all at once? Have I missed the boat? He's got 8 teeth, but no molars for chewing. I'd like to just give him a big piece of fruit or bread and let him at it, but I'm scared!

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5 Comments

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Candi - posted on 12/27/2010

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Seeing that you are so nervous with the situation, then try bigger pieces, but stay near by. My daughter choked on a piece of whole kernel corn at 10 mos. old and of course I was cautious after that. I didn't want to hold her back from eating normally, so I would give her bigger pieces of cheese, berries, bread, etc. Things she seemed to struggle with biting I would cut into smaller pieces. Cheese was soft, so it was easy for her just like bread. Crackers and pasta were something she did fine with, even pickles didn't seem to be a problem. Raw vegetables were the hardest for her and normally needed to be cut until she had molars to chew with. Just try different things that you think he can handle and give it to him. If he struggles then take it and cut it down a little smaller until he can handle it.

Stifler's - posted on 12/27/2010

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I give my 11 month old pieces of bread with promite cut into 3 fingers and he does fine with it. You have to watch them with food anyway.

Jesica - posted on 12/27/2010

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Every baby is different. Some kids need a lot of supervision. Others not so much. My daughter has always been a bird eater (meaning, she pecks at her food and takes the smallest bites ever). She has been that way since she had her first Farley's Rusk. My niece on the other hand had to be watched very very close. She would put a whole cookie in her mouth and choke. If your nervous about it, stay right near him and let him have fun.

Callie - posted on 12/27/2010

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My daughter is 14 months and only has 4 teeth. The size of food depends on what it is. Things like meat and grapes and other tougher foods I cut into smaller pieces. But I give her whole slices of bread, crackers, some larger veggie and fruit chunks, whole slices of cheese. If I know she can bite a piece of with her front teeth then I give her a bigger piece. If she struggles biting a piece off I cut it up smaller to make it easier to chew. Just make sure you don't leave him unattended while he's eating.

Hayley - posted on 12/26/2010

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i give my LO any thing and every thing, hard food like carrot i grate, corn (if its cooked and soft) sandwiches and sauseges cut down the centre, he will eat a apple whole as well as all other stone fruit. I know its scary but they will have to eat like a "grown up" sooner or later. just stay vigilant and supervise when hes eating, even take a first aid course just to make your self feel more at ease

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