What should my nearly 8 month old eat?

[tmh88]

From 6 months I started weaning with purées, carrot etc. I now give him lumpy purees of what we eat, I keep getting told by people that I need to start doing chopped cooked carrot sticks instead of lumpy mushed etc. I have tried this and all that happens is it snaps in his mouth and I panic and take it out through fear of him choking. I'm starting to dread mealtimes especially if my in laws come round and keep making comments that they feel guilty eating proper food in front of him when he has a lumpy purée and their children were eating everything from 6 months. I feel awful that he's enjoying it and I take it away but it's such a strong fear. I chop fruit such as strawberries and bananas into the size of half my little finger nail ish and he chews and eats them fine? What age did yours start eating proper finger foods?

Mine ate what we ate from 6 months.

Chilli, curry, pasta, roast dinner - anything except honey, whole nuts and whole grapes.

Not mashed or puréed, just chopped into bite size pieces or given a spoon to drop on the floor. I didn't spoon feed either of mine at all, but that was personal preference.

Taking a baby first aid course might help with your anxiety. It is about time you started giving bigger bits of food, he is eventually going to have to move off the purées and feeling like you know what to do in the very unlikely event that he chokes might help you worry a bit less.

Also, by putting your finger in to hook food out unnecessarily you actually increase the risk of choking.

Gagging is normal, noisy and accompanied by coughing. Actual choking is rare, and silent. Look up what to do in the event of a proper choking or do a paediatric first aid course, hopefully that would make you feel more confident.

He can have all foods now, except honey and salty things.

I suggest you attend a first aid training course for infants as this will cover choking and what to do. Chewing foods is really important in the development of the mouth muscles, it’s a factor in helping them to talk.

Dd was baby-led weaned and has never choked. She’s gagged to get something out of her mouth, but it’s fixed in seconds. Don’t let your anxiety reduce the foods your baby is eating. That’s not a criticism, I know how nerve wracking it is watching them shove tons of stuff in their mouths! But he can’t live on lumpy purees either.

Brilliant Thank you everyone! Will start trying larger foods with tea tonight! Will look into a first aid course too don't know why I hadn't thought of something like that sooner!

We did a mixture from about 7 months. I think you need to find a way to work past your fear (which is totally understandable but I think you recognise, a bit exaggerated). Is there anyone you trust to try him with finger food first/alongside you so you don’t feel it’s ‘all on you’? Have you done a paediatric first aid course? Knowing what to do in the unlikely event he chokes seriously may help? Gagging is totally normal and protects babies from choking. It’s a skill he needs to learn and practise like any other and he will take his cue from you so you risk making eating a stressful event for him if you can’t find a way forward...

Ok everyone else has faster fingers good luck!

@moreismore haha thank you! I'm going to try again tonight I have a totally irrational fear think it's because I know he's going to be my first and last and we were both in resuscitation after the birth so I know I wrap him in cotton wool which isn't healthy for either of us (but I'm still waiting for birth debrief) It's just comments like I can't eat in front of him when he's not eating proper food that make me feel horrific people actually sit there and don't eat it's awful and too much pressure for for context he's 8 months old in 2 weeks! I feel safest doing it when my partner is at home in the evenings as daft as that sounds.. so he will be home soon and I'll do some chopped cooked carrot etc to have with tea! Thanks again everyone

Totally understandable in the circumstances but well done for recognising you need to push on! I agree other family comments sound quite unhelpful. Categorise then alongside ‘aren’t you bf?’ ‘Are you STILL bf?’ ‘Is he a good boy, does he sleep through yet?’ And try to let it just wash over you. Also stop having dinner with those people.

@moreismore and everyone else! Just done banana sticks and a rice cake (daring🙈😂) went really well not much gagging at all he literally wolfed them down I am so happy and glad I posted here to give me that push knowing it'll be fine!

That’s great to hear

@TroubledLichen I now don't know why I was so worried! he didn't gag nearly as much as he has done previously though!