Going slowly... When to worry and what to do?

[MiniMaxi]

DS is 10.5 months (9 months corrected for prematurity).

Weaning is going OK but slowly - and I'm not sure if I should worry or not (and what to do about it).

There are some things he loves (fruit puree, yoghurt, buttered toast, pieces of cheese / sweet potato, peas etc) - but he still doesn't like lumpy or thick / textured purees and doesn't eat much meat or veg.

Questions are:

• It is ok to keep giving him smooth purees as he's having finger food too?

• What's the best way to "add lumps" to puree and actually have him eat it? Can it be as simple as mashing some sweet potato and stirring it in? Or does it have to be proper lumps eg diced veg?

• What's the best way to get him to eat stronger tasting foods (especially savoury)?

All advice welcome!

Could you try fingers of cooked sweet potato/potato/carrot etc instead of lumpy purees? We're having a nightmare with weaning my DD, she absolutely wont tolerate lumpy purees but will have a go at some finger foods. Health visitor has said by 9 months it's fine to be giving them fingers of stuff instead of textured purees.

Yes I think that's what we'll do, thanks. Good to know your HV says it's ok - I haven't seen ours re. weaning at all.

So far we've been giving him little pieces of things to eat rather than fingers but I think he's ready to progress (he sat quite late and hated his high chair so wasn't ready for finger food until the last 6 weeks)

I don't have much advice but my DD has also been slow! She's 10 months and just starting to 'get it'. If he will take some finger food I'd just keep going with that rather than worry about lumpy puree. Expand what you give him, try introducing stronger flavours but give him something he already likes alongside. It's worrying when it's slow going but if his weight gain is fine and they're making progress I we just keep going!

Thanks Edward! Always reassuring to know others are in the same boat

Any ideas for stronger flavoured finger foods? What does your LO like?

DS (9mo) is the same as the previous poster - he just didn't like lumpy purees. He still has the odd pouch of smooth fruit purée when we're out and about (he's a bottomless pit at the moment) but he's happy to take soft stuff like Weetabix and finger foods like chopped up cheese, sliced fruit etc. I tried with roughly mashed things many times. He just didn't take to it very well, but nowadays is a bit happier to play around with, for example, mashed potatoes, on his high chair tray and stick some in his mouth with his hands.

With regards to strong flavours, I give DS toast with various toppings - houmous, peanut butter etc. - and things like cheese cubes. He likes garlic bread.