Issues when making baby purée with sweetcorn or peppers

[Yummymummy365]

Hi everyone,

I have a question about making baby purées. When I steam/boil vegetables like sweetcorn or peppers and then purée them, I am left with tiny bits of the skin in the purée. The rest of the purée is smooth but these little bits of skin are enough to trigger the gag reflex.
I've tried boiling for longer and blending for longer but there is always some skin.
Does anyone have any tips on how to prevent this?

Pass it through a sieve?

The gag reflex is there for this reason.

Babies should try all textures, not just smooth puree.

Roast the peppers and peel off the skin. Just avoid sweetcorn for now.
Don't blend too fine though, the gag reflex is just them getting used to different textures and learning to eat.

How old is baby?

You could offer corn on the cob instead. Or if you have a baby that gags on anything not completely smooth then just skip it for the moment. My DD2 was like that despite my intention to do baby-led-weaning. I had to go for baby led smooth purées only as she just threw up everywhere when she gagged. She's now over 2 and it really hasn't had a lasting impact on her eating.

The gag reflex is not a bad thing. It's a normal reaction, and with babies is triggered easily as a "safety catch". It's no need to panic. Gagging and choking are two very different things.

Mongertruffle: I have considered a sieve. Just not sure how well it will work. I might give it a try.

Dermatological: incredibly pointless and unhelpful response. I know what a gag reflex is and what it is for. I didn't ask for your opinion on weaning.

Sheraarghprincessofpower: that sounds sensible. Have you tried that method?

Where's the evidence: 6 months

Quackduckquack: she's too small for corn on the cob at 6 months.

Just to clarify a bit. This is my second baby who is 6 months. I am experienced with weaning my eldest who is a healthy 5yo and loves all food including fruit and vegetables. I did not give anyone the purée with the skin bits, just tried it myself whilst figuring out a recipe. I'm just after tried and tested ideas. I want to use the peppers and sweetcorn in a baby recipe for soup and a different recipie for a sauce.

Thank you for all who responded helpfully!

Notwithoutmymerkin: thank you for the reassurance but I'm not having a panic! Just looking for a method to achieve a smooth consistency for recipes that should have skin!

Shouldn't *

I had a hand grinder - was about a fiver in boots baby section.
You put a couple of spoons of whatever in and turn the handle. It puréed the food but leaves behind the skin and tough bits.
We used to put in a couple of spoons of whatever we were having for tea (minus salt and chillis etc)

Briandchilli: interesting. I will look in to that. Thanks!

I found the kenwood mini chopper brilliant for really fine purees

Yep, roasted lots of stuff. Red peppers work well though, and that's how I do it when I make soup, which I then blend, so basically the same

You can give a 6 month old corn on the cob. But fair enough if you don't want to.

Yummy its not an opinion, it's a fact. Babies should be exposed to texture.

Dermot - as I wished I had said the the HV who said that to me, 'That's fine I'll feed her every texture, as long as you come round to mop up the pool of vomit including the entire previous milk feed.'

The advice really isn't one size fits all - parents can only parent the actual baby they have.