not really sure what I'm doing...

[Annpan88]

DS is just 8 months. We've been doing purees, mostley homemade but also some ellas kitchen (mostly for introducing meats as I wasn't sure about blending them)

He doesn't eat loads. A little porridge in the morning an hour after bf.

And purree of yogurt and lunch and a puree at around half 5.

TBH he doesn't seem interested after the first few mouthfuls. Is it alright that he's just saw of playing with tastes and textures, I heard something like 'just for fun till they're one'?

I guess the main thing is I'm worried about textures. He chokes when given lumps and finger foods like thosw biscottis and I just panic. Is this normal and should I just power on?

Thanks

It is normal - he's not actually choking :)

Is he happy, alert and gaining weight? Then he's fine.

Puree or yogurt. Bloody phone.

Also if people can tell me what they feed their 8 month old/ recipe ideas that would be great :)

Thanks! I never thought I was an anxious person before DS was born. His whole face turns red but my friend with 2 kids was trying to tell me its normal. Thhaaannkkk yooou :)

Lots of babies don't really pick up an appetite for food til around 9 months. My son certainly didn't. At this age its about exploring textures and tastes, not so much about nutrition and volume of food.

When he looks like he's choking he's not. Promise. He's learning about his gag reflex, its a developmental step all babies need to learn. Its how he stops too big bits getting stuck.

Gagging, which is coughing and hoiking up food is not choking, which is lack of breathing due to a blockage. Gagging is actually how they learn to manage lumps so you do need to let them get on with it. I know its hard. Sit on your hands and make smiley chewing faces. Avoid whole grapes and nuts though.

How about soft finger food - steamed or roast veg and fingers of fruit? Give him a few bits of whatever you are having too, even if he just squishes or throws it he will be getting the idea of what foods you eat as a family.

Ds is 16 months and only just started having more than a bite or two recently. His weight gain slowed down but as long as they are not losing weight its fine to let him get on with it.

Most important is to appear to be calm and enjoying meals yourself (even if you are a seething mess inside).

Are biscotti quite hard?

I never really did purees, just finger foods and mashed what we had. At 8 months ds had things like steamed or roast veg sticks, bananas, rice cakes, stuff on toast, fishfingers, pasta and sauce (either those filled pasta things or fusilli pasta shapes were the easiest to hold), baked beans, strips of pizza, spoonfed risotto, cottage pie, stews (mashed up so easier to eat off a spoon). Weetabix or porridge for breakfast. He loved those squeezy pouches of fruit puree as he could do them himself.

If he just gags and coughs on food but brings it back up it's normal. If he is silent, that's choking and is serious. Maybe do a baby first aid course?

This was a favourite for us :

Tin of mackerel, breadcrumbs, tomato puree or salsa, cucumber.

*Mix the breadcrumbs with the tomato puree or salsa
*Put the mackerel pieces on a baking tray or grill pan
*Spoon the breadcrumb mix on top
*Grill or bake for a few minutes to toast the breadcrumbs and heat the mackerel
*Serve with chunky strips of cucumber - great for his gums and easy to swallow.

The mackerel just falls to pieces when he picks it up so no frightening bits. Have some on toast yourself and just let him copy what you do.

Expect to find he eats little but plays lots. Its all fine and good fun.

Thanks everyone!

It was the heinz organic baby biscotti that turns to mush in the babies mouth.

Right am gonna give him some toast...

At 8mo, is your DS still having smooth purees? It's time to start thinking about lumpy foods. As for introducing meat, I don't think you are supposed to be blending them. I've also got the impression it's done as part of introducing lumpy food. In the river cottage baby book, it talks about adding things like lentils, mince, scrambled eggs, grated cheese etc into your veg purees as soon as the baby hits 6 months. Or you could make things like cottage pie, bolognese.