to give 6mo DS a rusk to chew/suck on?

[Undercovamutha]

Having some problems getting started with weaning - DS is not that bothered with the whole spoon-feeding thing - just wants to put his fingers in his mouth instead. Think finger foods may be the answer, but just have not got the time (with DD to also look after and feed) to par-boil carrots to soft etc for each meal/snack (would be okay just for dinnertime). So, is giving him the odd (wholemeal) rusk:

1. Irresponsible and unsafe at 6mo? - could he choke on them?
2. Too unhealthy? - they have got a fair bit of sugar in them (altho nowhere near as bad as the original rusks).

My friend swore by them for her DS, as he could chew on them whilst she was feeding her other children. She used them from 6mo and thinks its fine and safe. The packet says suitable as finger food from 9mo.

I tried DS with one today, and he seemed to get on okay - altho I was panicking in case he choked. He loved it though and cried when I took it away!
Am I officially a bad parent and BU? (BTW DC1 has never had a rusk in her life - my parenting has gone WAY downhill in the past few years !)

[Firawla]

yanbu its fine, but supervise him in case of choking

[BalloonSlayer]

I think if he can manage to eat it fine there is no problem but my memory of rusks is that they disintegrate and cover baby and everything else in beige smears.

I had to abandon a shopping trip once as the baby was in such a state thanks to Farley and Co. He looked so disgusting I couldn't bear the shame .

[smallorange]

Um I wouldn't get too worried about rusks. I used farleys with mine because they kind of dissolve while chewed rather than breaking into pieces. Am very laid back about these things in general though. Have you tried banana? I used to just mash bits of it in the skinand then give it to baby onback of a spoon.

[Sidge]

They're ok but do have a lot of sugar in. How about trying toast fingers, soft fruits, breadsticks, cucumber, cheese, cheerios (although a bit sugary) and ricecakes?

Most babies will gag when learning to eat but gagging isn't choking so don't panic. Avoid small round things like whole grapes and cherry tomatoes. Obviously though don't leave him alone

[SardineQueen]

Don't let rusk paste dry onto anything it hardens like concrete.

Agree rusks fine - also like small orange says bananas are easy.

[groundhogs]

Hmm, go easy on bananas, they are too complex for a 6m old..better nearer 8 or 9m old.

You can get lo-sugar rusks tho, and organiz equivalents, toothypegs or something like that?

Grapes, IIRC are also nearer the 8/9m mark, and can cause gas... and have to be peeled and de-seeded to begin with.

Tomatos are ones also to be careful of, they are not stage 1 food, i can't remember when they are deemed ok, but can cause allergic reactions, and need to be fed in isolation first off, and observed.

Gina Ford Book of Weaning is a very, very good book. It was the only resource I had at the time!

[BertieBotts]

Rice cakes are easier and less messy than rusks, I found. You can buy plain (unsalted) ones from the (adult) cracker section in the supermarket or fruity flavoured ones specially for babies with the baby food.

The organix rusks in particular are very "claggy" and liable to cause gagging.

Why can't he eat what your DD eats? What does she have for lunch/breakfast/snacks?

[SarahinOxford]

From six months on there is very little that you can't safely give your baby. Google Baby Led Weaning and you'll get lots of info (there's also a great book by the same name). Babies can gum practically anything, but you should avoid whole nuts, obviously, and I chop things like cherry tomatoes into quarters and so on.