Advice on finger foods for 6month old.

[birchykel]

I probably need to give some background here first, my lo is just over 6months now and has porridge, fruit and veg mashed up. When she was newborn she suffered badly with reflux, when we started weaning it made her poorly again so we have been taking it really slowly.
I am worried now though because I don't want her getting too used to blended foods. But am unsure of what finger foods are suitable for her. Any ideas would be very much appreciated. I worry about choking as she had a rusk yesterday and did choke, made no noise so knew it was proper choking luckily I knew what to do but it has put me off giving her anything.
I really do need a little advice on what to give her. I have read that pretty much anything is ok?
Also what age can they have meat?

I must sound a proper worrier.

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Some people like to avoid dairy til one and obviously too much salt, whole nuts are a no-no. Otherwise yes anything!

If you are worried about choking - steamed or roasted sticks of carrot, pepper, courgette, asparagus, green beans, sweet potato. And florets of broccolli and cauliflower. Also fruit like mango, melon, avocado can be cut with a crinkle cutter to make them easier to pick up (Amazon, very cheap). Chicken peeled into thin strips or other meat cut across the grain so it falls apart easier. Twisty pasta shapes, spagetti, even couscous or rice with a sloppy sauce will be fun.

Gagging is a normal part of learning how to deal with everyday food and how to move things around in their mouths so you do need to let them get on with it.

You will probably want a plastic tablecloth or shower curtain under the highchair.

Annabel Karmel has a finger food book out which has loads of ideas and recipes for all little ages!

DD just ate what we did from 6 months, meat, veg everything. (Well, bar the obvious things they tell you to hold off from.)

Pasta, roast beef, lumps of cheese, omelettes all favourites.

Have read a really good book by Gill Rapley on baby led weaning. Will give you loads of ideas, also comes with a recepie book.

My ds still has reflux now (will be 3 next month) although he's not sick as often as he was in the first 18 months, thank goodness, so I can imagine how worried you are. I read the Gill Rapley book on the advice of a friend who'd gone down the baby led weaning route. My ds started eating everything from 6 months - chopped fruit, meat, veg... we didn't look back. I think its important to read the theory behind, because some of it is counter-intuitive, like I would have thought chopping things fairly small would help, but actually it is better to present larger pieces that they can gnaw at, as small bits can be a choking hazard. The gag reflex is normal, and as long as you are with them all the time, they won't choke, might just need a helping hand along the way. I'd read the book - its fab!

Hello, this is my first visit to this site, so please forgive me if I have the wrong section. I am breastfeeding my baby boy who is now 6 months old, last month we tried to give him proper food using a spoon which was a great success he loved it, but it made him constipated and full of gas, poor thing suffered. So I went back to breast only until he was 6 months old, and pooping normally, I then tried him on a couple of spoons full of sweet potato and carrot pureed, again he loved it, he takes the spoon and feeds himself, unfortunately the same problem, constipation and lots of trapped gas. Is this normal? or does it mean his digestive system is not ready and I should wait a little longer? Thank you in advance for your advice :)

Hi Tamara, welcome! I can't give you any advice I'm afraid, but there is a board on weaning. Try re-posting there as I'm sure someone will be able to help.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/weaning

Ok thank you :)

Thanks for advice, poor girl is constipated and in pain today guess its getting use to solids but any ideas what to give her to help? Guess fruit, water etc??

I am being more adventurous with foods so thanks.xx

Both of mine had constipation after I started them in solids. Bloody nightmare but it does pass (ho ho!).

I'm a BLW fan so have tended to chuck most things at my kids. I appreciate that you need to be careful more organised than I am.

Have you tried dried fruit? Particularly apple rings and dried mango. The great thing about them is that they keep their structural integrity (for want of a better phrase). Both are great when they're starting out because they're easy to keep hold of and they can suck and chew and wave them around and generally get used to the whole solid food thing.

I did baby led weaning with my DD who is now 12mo. She hated rusks as they became too mushy in her mouth. She LOVED chunks of banana, lightly cooked buttered toast, pasta tubes (cooked al dente), steamed broccoli and caulliflower, watermelon (de-pipped obv!) and breadsticks. The Heinz biscotti are a lot softer and far more delicious!

DD now eats anything (loves cheese sandwiches and fish) but still gags ocassionally from eating so fast!

As for the constipation, try the TINIEST bit of sugar in a cup of water. I mean like the tip of a teaspoon handles worth. Strawberries also made DD poop for england but they can irritate too.

I'm no where near organised believed me, I just want to try different things so she gets used to it but don't want to make her poorly like before.....although now she is constipated so can't win!

Prob silly question but how do I BLW?

Think my problem is worrying about giving her something she shldnt have, or that would make her poorly.....my god I'm too much, I need to just chill and go with it hey. Lol.

I'm probably the least organised person I know! Which is where BLW comes in handy actually. You dont need to worry about bringing jars or homemade mush out with you when you shop because they can have whatever you eat. DD is a big fan of M&S kiddys cheese sandwiches. At home, I'll standby with a jar just incase I feel shes thrown more on the floor than shes actually eaten!

As long as you stay away from honey, nuts, undercooked egg, high salt or sugared foods you cant go too wrong. Watch out for any signs of allergic reactions and make sure you cut the food into big chunks as shes more likely to choke on smaller bits. When shes older move onto pincer grip foods like peas, sweetcorn, raisens etc- she'll let you know when she's ready!

Heres a website that will tell you more than I ever can!
www.babyledweaning.com/

Thank you reeble, it's mad how much I am freaking out over this. Today I did a roast, I did mash up the potatoe and veg but gave her some chicken for her to hold and nibble on, she has two teeth at the bottom so does bite off more than she can handle so it seems. How old is ur lo? My girl is six months, I'm not really sure what I am worrying about, I think maybe the size of foods I'm giving her. I generally make my own foods up but I like the sound of giving her whatever I'm eating but I am just a big time worrier. I'll check out the website though thank you.x

Thanks for the site Reeble, I have also checked it out as my DS is also suffering from constipation and I believe BLW is the way to go. I sympathise Birchykel just have to keep persisting, I find a tspful of olive oil does the trick for constipation, I am sure your worrying is no more than the rest of us . I am finding out that it is all trial and error this first month, I am sure we will get there and look back and laugh in times to come...

Thanks tamara,, just one teaspoon of olive oil that's it? I'm going to try that then. I know everyone worries about their babies I just sometimes feel I worry too much and need to just go with it more....as I'm sure others do to.
Well I hope olive oil works as she did get better but back to square one again.
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