When do babies learn to chew?

[mummalish]

Love the idea of giving my baby finger foods, I would love him to eat things he can hold, and chew.

Thought I was very clever by giving him a small rice cake, he happily took it and put it in his mouth. My thinking is that because rice cakes 'dissolve' quite easily, it would be a good thing to try. I was wrong, however, becasue my 6 month old (who has teeth), bit into it and started choking on it.

He bites down on everything, so if I give him a banana to hold, even a small piece, he bites big chunks and starts choking. This is terrifying for me.

What am I doing wrong? xx

We have found both banana and rice cakes to be difficult finger foods... ie cause gagging. My DD is just getting the hang of ricecakes now (7 months) and I'm still too scared to try banana again. You could try toast or Organix Crunchy Sticks as a replacement for rice cakes. I found they go mushy in the mouth much much easier

Thanks, will try something else.

It can be really scary at first but keep trying with easier food first and gradually they get better. The gagging still makes my heart leap into my mouth but slowly but surely she's getting the hang of it

Cut everything into bitesize chunks before you give it him so he can't bite off bits that are too big.