6 month old and tongue thrust reflex

[Etherealhedgehog]

DD is six months and one week, we've been attempting solids for a couple of days now, starting on mash rather than purees as she is over six months and in line with our local HV recommendations. So far, nothing has gone in as she's just pushing it all straight out again with her tongue. I understand that loss (or reduction) of tongue thrust reflux is a sign of readiness for weaning, so we should just leave it a week and try again. But then various things I have read also suggest that once they turn six months you should start them eating a variety of foods as quickly as possible. So which is it? Do I wait until she's ready for mash even if that's another few weeks? Or should I try her on purees in an attempt to get some food down her despite the reflex?

Has anyone else had a baby who still had strong tongue thrust reflex at this age and what did you do (and when did it go by?)

Can she pick up food herself and get it to her mouth? If not, and she still has a strong thrust reflex I really would leave it a week as these are the signs of readiness for starting solids

@BunnyRuddington she definitely has the ability to do that, as in she picks up everything else and gets it to her mouth! Though we were laughing today about the fact that the offered finger food is the first thing she doesn't seem to have wanted to put in her mouth (though she's been interested in getting at our food for a long time). But then I think she was distracted by DP cooing and taking photos so might attempt again without that!

I think she was distracted by DP cooing and taking photos so might attempt again without that!

I would. My DS would happily let you feed him but DD was very clear that she wanted to feed herself. I'd just put a couple of things on her high chair tray whilst you eat and try to ignore what she's doing as much as possible

@Etherealhedgehog you need to understand how eating , chewing and swallowing works. So many make the same mistake and decide their child hates spoon or food.
When you suck on bottle or breast, the liquid is projected by the tongue to the top of the palate and from there goes down the throat. When you eat, the tongue needs to push the food at the back. However this is only half the job, because without the chewing mechanism and the saliva, nothing will move. You can try yourself. Take a spoonful of mash and try to swallow it without the mechanism of chewing, no lubrication from the saliva. It gets stuck. You don't chew only to break down food with teeth, but to activate salivation.

That's why first food needs to be wet, so make your mash more liquid-y. Why not prepare a tasty broth and add a couple of spoonful of the broth to the mash.
In France we start with soups, which will get thicker with time, and in which you can later also cook rice or baby pasta. The liquid will stimulate the movement of the jaw and teach chewing.

[quote Cormoran]@Etherealhedgehog you need to understand how eating , chewing and swallowing works. So many make the same mistake and decide their child hates spoon or food.
When you suck on bottle or breast, the liquid is projected by the tongue to the top of the palate and from there goes down the throat. When you eat, the tongue needs to push the food at the back. However this is only half the job, because without the chewing mechanism and the saliva, nothing will move. You can try yourself. Take a spoonful of mash and try to swallow it without the mechanism of chewing, no lubrication from the saliva. It gets stuck. You don't chew only to break down food with teeth, but to activate salivation.

That's why first food needs to be wet, so make your mash more liquid-y. Why not prepare a tasty broth and add a couple of spoonful of the broth to the mash.
In France we start with soups, which will get thicker with time, and in which you can later also cook rice or baby pasta. The liquid will stimulate the movement of the jaw and teach chewing.[/quote]

I'd put some finger foods on the highchair tray and let her try feeding herself. Steamed broccoli, strips of omelette, fingers of toast etc.

you need to understand how eating , chewing and swallowing works. So many make the same mistake and decide their child hates spoon or food.

Yeah, it wasn't really that that made us think she hated being spoon fed, it was more the pushing the spoon away, shouting and trying to grab food that she could pick up herself.

And I'm not sure that all first foods need to be wet. Her first food was a ham sandwich.