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Nurseries

Find nursery advice from other Mumsnetters on our Nursery forum. For more guidance on early years development, sign up for Mumsnet Ages & Stages emails.

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Original poster

Baby given apple by mistake - how to handle

58 replies

mylovelymonster · 10/12/2007 14:55

I need a hug - this is going round in my head & driving me crazy so need to vent. My 11month DD is at nursery 3 mornings a week where she has lunch. Today I picked her up and she'd had a change of t-shirt so I asked if she'd been a bit sicky at lunch. One of the carers said she'd coughed up some flem, but when I got home and unwrapped her dirty shirt it was covered with bits of apple - about as big as a finger nail, part macerated with skin still attached. No wonder she'd coughed that up all over her - They generally give the little ones fruit purees only and I did specifically tell them to not give her hard finger foods. I've phoned the room leader and she has apologised but what else can/should I do?? I'm so worried that she will choke on something and apple is so hard - why was she given it? I think I need to calm down and give them until we go back in on Wednesday & see if they've found out what went wrong before I start thinking about not going back to work in January after all........Faith in childcare taken a battering but is this par for the course??

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

jorange5 · 10/12/2007 14:57

Your DD is 11 months old? Am I missing something, what is wrong with her eating an apple?

camillathechicken · 10/12/2007 14:59

IMO and IME absolutely nothing wrong with 11 month olds having apple pieces.

both of mine certainly did. and would happily munch a whole apple

MerryAnnSinglemas · 10/12/2007 15:00

aren't they supposed to be eating harder stuff at that age,for their teeth ? (forgive me if wrong as ds is ten and it's a very long time ago)

ItWasOnlyAWintersTellus · 10/12/2007 15:01

Have you asked for her only tobe given fruit in puree form? Because it doesn't seem unusual to me either.

hatrick · 10/12/2007 15:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

LadyMuck · 10/12/2007 15:01

Tbh if your child has a specific eating disorder/allergy, then nursery care probably isn't your best bet. You would be better with a childminder for example who can better give consistency of care.

MerryAnnSinglemas · 10/12/2007 15:01

it's grapes you need to worry about - should be chopped up to avoid choking - was a thread a few weeks ago.

LyraSilvertinsel · 10/12/2007 15:02

Mine also had apple at that age (peeled). But if you'd specifically asked them not to give it to her and they did, that's a little worrying. The room leader has apologised so I'd leave it at that if I were you.

bossybritches · 10/12/2007 15:02

MLM if your daughter is eating a full solid diet, as she should be by now, fingers foods are a good way of getting them used to chewing & managing solids. Yes they will gag at first but that's the way they learn, they gag ,spit it up & more often than not put it straight in again!! As lng as she is closely supervised & siting up in ahigh chair shewill be fine. Why not have a chat with her key worker?

Original poster

mylovelymonster · 10/12/2007 15:02

She has softer finger foods but as no molars feel expecting her to chomp through apple a bit much. I'm sure many babies are masters by this time but all are different and she still has trouble with banana!
Also, the main point is the nursery has gone against their normal behaviour and what we had agreed. Perfectly willing to calm right down if totally off wall with this, but she's my first.....

OP posts:

Wags · 10/12/2007 15:03

Gosh, at 12m DS was eating a roast dinner, same as us, just chopped up. He had no teeth either until 13m. I remember it well as it was my last pub meal out with him before I returned to work. As long as he was supervised I didn't worry about him having apples etc.

LyraSilvertinsel · 10/12/2007 15:03

Ah, a PFB

Hulababy · 10/12/2007 15:05

Is there any specfic reason why your child can't have harder forms of finger foods?

At 11mo DD was pretty much eating anything and everything.

I would find it unusual to see babies of this age being given purees or soft lumps only.

However if you have spoken to nursery about this and have forbid them to give your DD this food then you do need to go and speak to them to find out why this has happened. You will need to talk to them about whether they are able to met your needs. If they are unable you may need to look for alternatve childcare.

Original poster

mylovelymonster · 10/12/2007 15:06

Thanks for the sensible stuff - I just can't get out of my mind the little girl who choked to death on a piece of apple at nursery a couple of years ago, and yes, I am being overprotective.

OP posts:

ItWasOnlyAWintersTellus · 10/12/2007 15:06

Yes. Have a chat with the keyworker. Mine had no teeth at all at 11 mo but they gummed away quite happily on most things. They do gag, but it is fine as long as they're supervised.

TenLordsaLapin · 10/12/2007 15:06

Was it definitely a whole apple? Could be grated apple?

It's 2 separate things here isn't it - I'm in the "my 11 mo ate whole apples" camp too (he had loads of teeth) - but if you have specifically asked them only to give her puree, then they should stick to that.

I wouldn't panic too much. Have a calm chat with them on Wednesday and see what they say.

Hulababy · 10/12/2007 15:06

Lack of teeth should not worry you. DD had no teeth until she was 13 months, but managed to eat all manner of food with no problems.

Saturn74 · 10/12/2007 15:06

They can chomp away with their gums quite happily.
It is upsetting if you specifically asked them not to give her something like this, and they went against your wishes though.
Luckily all is well, and the room leader has apologised, so perhaps it is best to leave it at that?
I'm sorry your faith in your DD's childcare has taken a battering though.

Brangelina · 10/12/2007 15:07

I think you're being a bit precious tbh. Absolutely nothing wrong with giving an apple at 11mo, they don't need molars before they can cope with finger foods. My DD was eating thick breadsticks at 7mo and she only had 2 bottom teeth at the time. It's all part of learning to deal with different textures, some babies may gag a bit in the beginning but they'll get over it and find out to eat properly.

bossybritches · 10/12/2007 15:07

MLM babies gums are very hard & it help their teeth come through if they can chomp stuff!

LadyM it's a bit harsh to say ALL nurseries can't cope with allergies/eating disorders. We have had no end of different dietary requests amongst the children at our nursery but by talking it over thoroughly with the family &keyworkers & ensuring ALL staff are aware of the potential risks we have never had a problem! (touching wood naturally whilst sain g theis!)

I think it more of a problem at larger nurseries with more staff certainly.

LaCerbiatta · 10/12/2007 15:07

You are right about apples being dabgerous, we never allowed dd to have any at nursery and after 1 yo only in very thin slices. A little girl died in a nursery close to here (i'm in cambridge) because she choked on an apple. Everyone is very caareful about them here.

jorange5 · 10/12/2007 15:07

She wont learn to eat apples if you dont let her! My DD (13 months) always gags a bit on apples and carrots as she only has front teeth but babies are capable of eating them - they don't have to be chewed with molars and there is no problem with gagging, it is just their way of moving the food forward.

Wags · 10/12/2007 15:07

Sorry Mylovelymonster, that was posted before I saw your next post. Wasn't meant to sound 'my DS does this ner de ner' sort of thing. They are all different, especially where food is concerned. It was just a reference as to what he was doing at a similar age. They have a truly fantastic gag reflex at that age, which is what obviously happened with the apple. Keep offering harder finger foods, try and relax and I am sure she will cope better soon.

tribpot · 10/12/2007 15:09

My ds (also a PFB) couldn't eat apple at this age too. I would be annoyed that the nursery have gone against your instructions, and write to confirm you don't expect it to happen again. On the other hand, as others have said, we are being a bit PFBish about this, and maybe it's better to experiment a bit at home, where you can keep a close eye on her.

LaCerbiatta · 10/12/2007 15:10

Apologies for bad spelling and aplle story here

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