Mumsnet Talk

thanks for the tips everyone, I think maybe I tried a bit too soon. Will try some of these ideas this week and see what happens...

I cynically exploited her very impatient and easily frustrated side (but she HAD unceremoniously fired me from holding her bottles when I took a milisecond too long to remove the cap of the bottle a few months before that - stroppy little creature that she is) - held food up for her, but deliberately not quick enough for her liking so she'd start grabbing it off me as a first move - lots and lots of help needed to start with as her fine motor skills weren't there - but it all really clicked in about the last month (so around the 10 months/8 adjusted and slightly beyond point) and now she'll swap hands, turn bits of toast around to get the narrow bit in her mouth and eat for England.

I found pitta bread split in half and toasted worked better than normal toast to begin with in terms of her being able to suck toppings off it, the much-touted bananas were effing useless as they were so slippy they'd just ping out of her hands (and embed themselves in the carpet or dog), really ripe pears worked quite well cos they just dissolved (I took the skin off them to start with - now I leave the skin on them), oh and those packs of pineapple fingers Tesco do - she loved them and they were pre-finger-shaped (and I'm a lazy git).

The one workaround we found with bananas that works if you've got slightly on the underripe side ones (I'm sure Lakeland must market some gadget for weaning and slippery bananas) was to slice a one in half with skin on - and use the half with the stalk - peel it from the cut down toward the stalk but leave the bottom inch or so of stalk and skin on so it's got a banana handle.

Hi OP, my DC was 36 weeks born so not that prem, but I started weaning at 24 weeks. Initially she didn't really take much in so I left it for a few days and then started again at 25 weeks. She's now 27 (I think, have lost count ) and is much more confident with finger food, but I would say she has come on leaps and bounds over the last week. Keep persevering and just offer a range of finger foods - she will eventually get the hand of it. Mine now likes to grab handfuls and drop it over the side of the highchair

Also, I don't know if this is relevant or not, you can get suction toys that affix to the highchair tray - it might make DC a bit more aware of the tray IYSWIM and therefore be more interest in what you put on there in terms of finger food.

Hi mini pops mum, my dd is only just getting into finger foods.
She is almost one corrected (a former 27 weeker) but has quite poor fine motor skills.
I would say just go at your babies pace, there is no rush, I was slow to give finger food to eldest and she was full term. Try to offer a variety of things?

I give toast fingers for breakie, after lunch or tea rice cakes, sticks of mild cheddar, rusks as these just dissolve, satsuma, pith and skin removed cut in half.

To begin with they tend to explore it, most will end up on the floor but over time more and more gets eaten!!

Good luck and just let your baby dictate the pace x x

Hi, Minipop!
Babygoat was born at 31+4 and we started weaning just before 6 months actual. He is now nearly 8 months and we have started finger foods in the past two weeks. This was because we went to a baby class where he was offered a mini bread stick - I thought he would just drop it, but to my amazement he took it and gummed it until he had swallowed half of it. So breadsticks are still good, as are thin fingers of toast with spread (non-dairy in our case). We have also done pear and avocado with skin left on the bits he holds. Banana and anything else slippery is hopeless. We have just tried scrambled egg too - I'd say half landed in his mouth! some days are better than others I have to say - today he wanted feeding by spoon (although he 'helps' with that )
That's out experience, anyway!

Hi - sorry I can't help, but would also love to know what advice people have!

How are people introducing finger foods to their premmie babies? What works and what are good things to try?

My LO is 9 months actual, born 10 weeks early, and weaning is a very slow process.

Purees fine, textured small lumps fine, but can't handle stuff like toast yet. Rice cakes and those carrot wotsit things are ok.

any advice would be appreciated