Scared of giving finger foods

[Starbores]

I'm not usually anxious but My twins are 6 months old now doing well on puréed and
mashed foods, they eat what we eat no jars or dry baby food. I feel like I should start introducing finger foods, they are bringing things to their mouths etc.

I'm so scared of them choking but know I need to get over this! Any ideas on what I can start with that's not too scary?

[YokoUhOh]

My DS never had anything puréed, he just chewed on what we were having. Babies are less likely to choke on finger food than purée, as their gag reflex is much further forward, so they'll never push anything unchewed too far back. At 3, he's totally unfussy and eats loads of different foods.

Carrot sticks with houmous, celery sticks, cucumber, toast fingers, breadsticks, porridge 'fingers', all sorts of fruit, cheese fingers - these are all good starter foods. Chop grapes and cherry tomatoes in half, never EVER give marshmallows (they expand to fit babies' airways! Frightening.). Good luck!

[marmaladegranny]

Are they old enough for Organix carrot etc stix or their rice cakes? they are very popular with DGS. So is avocado, toast soldiers, fingers of almost any cooked root vegetable, fish fingers, banana and a finger of medium rare steak was sucked and munched for ages!

[WelliesTheyAreWonderful]

I felt the same as you. I began with thin bits of banana as sort of a half way house. He did really well with them so gave him the organix corn ring things. He sucks on these and they go soggy and break into little bits. We then tried toast - I found toast fingers broke up too easily so just halved the slice, that worked better. Alternatively you could make the puree more lumpy, or go for one of those weaning nets - some people love them, some hate them.

[NorthernRosie]

Grapes need to be peeled and cut smaller than into halves lengthways. Personally I wouldn't risk them with a tiny baby!!

[katienana]

My ds liked orange cut into quarter wedges he would suck all the juice out. Toast or bread, pieces of pasta, veg you can cut into fingers and steam.

[OneFlewOverTheMumsNest]

I did blw with dd1 and have recently started with 6-month-old dd2. Both have really enjoyed broccoli at this stage and dd1 still loves it at almost 4. It's a nice easy shape for them the grasp and the "tree" but breaks down easily in the mouth so will help you feel more confident.

[BumWad]

I am the same OP. I'm a HCP and have come across so many disastrous choking incidents.

[Beccybw]

Hi

My baby girl is 7 months and I don't know how much she should be eating? She has 5 210ml of formula milk a day, one rusk with milk mashed into a paste and a fromage frais. I've tried other Ella's kitchen vegetable and fruit purees but she doesn't seam interested. I contacted my health visitor who advised trying finger food and suggested strips of chicken so she can feed herself. I tried this with some roast chiecken and she gagged really badly, went bright red and I thought she was chocking. I don't know how much she's supposed to be eating, she always sleeps through and weighs about 19lbs.

Thanks

[NorthernRosie]

bumwad when I asked a paramedic friend and a HV friend they said they had NEVER come across a fatal child choking incident from weaning.

[BumWad]

That's great Rosie but I have.

[Doublebubblebubble]

Yup me too Rosie... Choking IS very scary. Forearmed is forewarned in my opinion.. When I had my DD (7) I went on a st johns ambulance course. They are lifesavers.

[BumWad]

I've just re-read. Yes you are probably right no choking due to weaning, but still scary. I've also done a paediatric resus course which was also mandatory when DS was discharged from the NNU.

Might feel more confident as he's older

[SerenityReynolds]

I was exactly the same with DD1, completely terrified of her choking. I just carried on with purees for a bit and then introduced things that would soften in her mouth (toast, Organix carrot stick puffs, rice cakes) and gradually made her purees lumpier. Things like cous cous were also good. She was managing much better by 8 months and has always been a fantastic eater since (she's now 3). She will literally eat anything.

If you're not happy to do it yet, don't worry about it. I was also concerned DD would pick up on my anxiety and not enjoy mealtimes. I had friends BLW worked great for, but it wasn't for me.

[SerenityReynolds]

Ooh yes, and banana slices.

[SparklyTinselTits]

I was scared at first too...
But now at 9mo my DD eats everything! I put a blob of lasagne on her tray and she pulls it apart at her leisure and scoffs the lot same with casseroles, pasta bakes, curries etc she eats anything we eat!
I haven't braved grapes or cherry tomatoes yet though still too scared for that!
I usually give her big-ish pieces of hard things like cucumber and toast, a bit bigger than a chip so I know she can't put the whole thing in her mouth

[Artandco]

Sparkly - why do you not put food in a bowl/ plate like yours? Surely that's a nightmare to clean?

[SparklyTinselTits]

It is a nightmare to clean up...but a bowl/plate just gets slammed against the tray sending bits flying over the walls, or just gets straight up chucked at the wall/floor

[Starbores]

Thanks all. I'm trained in paediatric first aid so I know the difference between choking and gagging.

I also know that grapes are a major hazard so don't plan on giving them any time soon.

I think I will give toast a go this week. Has anyone tried the Heinz baby pasta? They are tiny so could be a good way to introduce lumps?

[NorthernRosie]

I was really scared of choking but I looked up the statistics and it really is pretty rare. Fatalities due to choking on food were only 218 in a year and of those 50% were over 75 years old. So even if every other cass was a baby (not likely) it would be 100 in a year. Looking at it that way it's a very low risk - and far lower than the risk of dying in a house fire.

Still doesn't stop me absolutely freaking when she gags though!

[NorthernRosie]

Here you go. Source BBC:

About 16,000 cases of choking are treated in UK hospitals each year
In 1999, a total of 218 people choked to death on food. A further 55 died after choking on non-edible objects
About half the choking fatalities in 1999 were men and women aged 75 and over
About 2,600 choking accidents in the UK each year involve children under four years of age