Am I doing it all wrong?

[themummyonthebus]

I fed number 1 mostly on purees as I wasn't very confident about giving him big things to chew on until he was older.

Number 2 is currently 7.5 months and going great guns with food. He loves having something to chew on that he can hold as well as being spoon fed as he constantly complains if the food doesn't come fast enough. He usually has something like a piece of rice cake, hunk of cheese, chicken or asparagus spear in his hand and is spoon fed whatever we're eating, mashed up a bit if appropriate.

A friend, who's a very experienced childminder, came over for lunch today and was horrified I was feeding him rice with peas and beans in it and bits of chopped up chicken (spring paella from this month's Good Food if anyone's interested). She said he should be on purees until he's older, although I can start introducing lumps when he's around 10 months or so.

I thought we were getting on just fine but now I'm worrying I'm putting him at risk of choking by feeding him inappropriately. Should I only be spoon feeding purees not lumps? I know with blw it's considered OK to let them have chunks to chew on if they're holding it themselves, but should I stop feeding him lumps with a spoon?

Or can I just carry on as we are? I thought it would be easier second time around but I'm more stressed than I was the first time

[ExBrightonBell]

Hmm, experienced but maybe old fashioned child minder I think.

The only thing that would worry me at 7.5 months is if the peas were whole. If spoon feeding I would just have squished them a bit. If your ds is coping well with mashed food then I would stick to what you're doing.

I did BLW with my ds, who would pick up handfuls of food like that and shove it in! I don't think that's significantly different to it being on a spoon. As long as you're letting him control taking the food off the spoon and manipulating it in his mouth himself then I wouldn't worry.

[ilovepowerhoop]

she's talking mince! If he is coping with it then leave him to eat the lumps - some people give finger foods only from 6 months so never have purees.

[themummyonthebus]

OK I did squish the peas a bit but not the beans. I'll pay a bit more attention to that then.

[ilovepowerhoop]

if they are cooked they will be squishy anyway

[crikeybadger]

Even when you start with purées finger foods are suggested at 6 months anyway so your friend is a bit out of date with her information I think.

[themummyonthebus]

Crikey It was lush and very easy.

Flour and season chicken thighs (skin on)
Brown in tbsp olive oil then into 160deg oben for 30 mins.
Sweat 1 chopped onion and 3 cloves of garlic in another tbsp olive oil.
Add 400g rice and 1.5L stock. Bubble until rice is soft.
Add 200g each frozen or fresh peas and broad beans.
Cook through, nestle chicken into rice and serve except to a child under 12 months of age

[crikeybadger]

Ooh thanks mummyonabus, nice to have new things to try