Toothless baby: breaking off pieces of food she can't chew..?

[ChateauMargot]

Just wondering what the advice is on this. We're doing a mix of purees and finger-food with my 8 month-old DD, who as yet remains toothless. I'm just wondering about the number foods that she's capable of breaking off with her gums (eg., a stick of raw red pepper) but which she can't properly chew without teeth (and therefore seems to me to be a choking hazard).

Am I missing something obvious here, besides not giving her foods that can break apart but not be masticated? What is the BLW position on this?

?

Their gums are really hard and can break food down. DD1 was 14 months before she got her first tooth and managed to chomp on anything and everything

Proper BLW people will tell you about the science behind why they won't take the food to the back of their mouths and choke

I would stick to finger food that can be torn apart. Strips of chicken or fish, well stewed meat or meatballs, omelettes, cheese, pasta, bread, most cooked veg, soft fruit etc. If you can squish it in your fingers she should be able to eat it.

They can chew fine without teeth - pepper for instance will just squash between her gums

Tickled, that's the principle I've been working on... squishable stuff only (or dissolvable). There's not rush to get raw, hard food down her now, is there?

No, there's no rush at all, certainly not at 8 months. However if you get to 14months with no teeth like my DD you might decide to expand the range of foods and i'm sure she'll be fine with it. Trust your instincts as to what she can deal with