Can a 5 month old have finger food?

[Whatsthatspookynoise]

He's my second child, but the first is nearly 9 so I can't really remember when he started any solid type of food! I thought maybe rusks or baby biscotti, but everyone has such different ideas on when a baby should start eating that I'm confused. When did your baby start solids/finger foods?

NHS Guidelines say 6 months.

We weaned from 6m and did finger foods from then. At 5m both of mine still just had milk.

Guidelines say 6 months. Guidelines when mine were babies said 3 months or 12 lbs whichever is sooner.

I think around 6 months is good but with the proviso that if a baby is reaching out for food a week or 2 earlier then that is likely to be the right time for that baby and sucking on a biscotti or rusk at that age, under supervision, is not going to cause any harm.

I’m weaning my second now and like you I’ve forgotten! I tried her with some wafers and she took off a massive chunk which scared me so I’m personally going to wait a while x

Yes, I tried a biscotti and it broke off in his mouth, so I quickly took it out and gave up on that. I thought it would go mushy like a rusk. Guess I'll be waiting too. x

@Khione

Guidelines say 6 months. Guidelines when mine were babies said 3 months or 12 lbs whichever is sooner.

I think around 6 months is good but with the proviso that if a baby is reaching out for food a week or 2 earlier then that is likely to be the right time for that baby and sucking on a biscotti or rusk at that age, under supervision, is not going to cause any harm.

I thought he might need it a bit sooner as he's one of those 99th percentile, big babies. 😬

Babies should be fine on just milk until 6 months, it’s not dependent on the size of the baby as they tend to get very few calories or nutrition from food in the first few months of weaning.

The signs to look out for are: sitting unaided, reaching out for food, bringing food to the mouth. Sitting unaided is particularly important as that physical milestone tends to coincide with intestinal maturity; meaning the cells within the gut have close and are ready to produce the enzymes necessary to digest food properly. Early weaning can cause the development of food intolerances.

As a disclaimer, I weaned my son at 5 months but he was showing all the above signs.

Guidelines are 6 months. But even if you do start solids sooner why would you start with rusks/biscotti?

I started at 6 months with proper food; steamed vegetables he could hold himself, banana, toast etc.

I started weaning just before 5 months (not in UK so different guidelines) we only did purrees for first month and now introducing finger foods, 1 week before 6 months. Started with soft boiled sticks of veg so even if he bites a piece off it will be easy to mash in his mouth. Only trouble I'm having is getting right consistency for him to hold. If it's too soft it just collapses when he grabs it in his hand.