how lumpy is lumpy?

[manna]

My ds is 9.5mths and normally a good and varied eater. Recently he's been more fussy. I thought it was teeth or maybe 'I want to feed myself', or even 'this food is too smooth, give me something to CHEW!'. Now I'm in such a muddle. All books say increase lumpiness of food at this age, but how lumpy is lumpy? What kind of finger foods? How can I lay it out attractively (!!) on a plate if he picks the plate up to study the underside of it, or rub his hands into it? How can I give him finger food and then 'slip' normal food into his month if it's stuffed with regurgitated bits of toast? I find this the one really hard bit of this age. I try not to let it show, play etc. take him away if he's had enough, but man.......

hi

My DS is 9 months and has started to turn away from some food - think may be combination of teeth coming through (top ones) and also learning that he can say no (not literally). I have the same problem with finger foods - he tries to tip the bowl up so i just put them on the high chair tray. Finger foods he likes include strips of bread with marmite or cheese spread, cheese, raisins, ham, breadsticks, cucumber but i'm sure there are lots of other things he could eat. IKWYM about storing it in their mouth when you are trying to get other stuff in. One thing is trying to shove it in as they go to put whatever they have in their hands in their mouth - sneaky but sometimes works.

Good luck and wish me luck as we are off to France on Saturday so goodness knows how we will get on with eating there - think will be lots of bread and cheese!

Plates - ha! give up on that plan and just put the finger food on the table or high chair tray and face the fact you will have to clear up later (if you've got a carpet, get a splash mat!).

10month dd is exactly the same. I don't think it's so much that she doesn't want the old food any more, just that it's a bit boring - so smooth and same-y. She can only cope with a few lumps in the purees. I've just bought her a nice baby fork and spoon from Boots (they do one intended from 9 months). Of course she doesn't actually manage to eat with it but she kind of tries which distracts her (I usually spear something like a bean on the fork and that keeps her busy).

Some finger food gets mashed to table, some thrown on floor but some goes in. I've found it usually gets mashed the first time but after a few meals she works how how to handle the new stuff. I tend to try the new stuff at the end of the day as then it can easily be washed out of hair, ears etc at bathtime!

She particularly likes baby ricecakes (she gets all excited when I open the packet now!), raisins, bits of cooked carrot and green beans, halved seedless grapes and slices of mango (small ones though cos it's a bit slippery!).

I've noticed she brings the food to the front of her mouth to chew (where the teeth are, obviously) but that sometimes she miscalculates and it slides down her chin. I generally rescue it and put it back on the table in front of her for her to try again. Icky, I know but that's the way she likes it!

manna, I seem to remember just whizzing the food in the handblender slightly less for lumpier textures - and maybe even adding those tiny pasta stars cooked v well, slip down nicely if you can get past the soggy toast

croissants went down a treat in france!

Thanks guys - I've cut out piece of toast this morning, and will also cut out mid morning snack and see if he's hungrier later! little pieces of sweet pot. in his shepherds pie mix went down well last night - but that was after nothing at all for lunch!!! Wish me luck!

Forget attractive - till at least two I would guess, I know it says it in the books but they are wrong. Agree with straight on the tray or I find I can grab DS's wrist as he tips and aim in the direction of the tray.