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When do you introduce finger foods and what?!

Hi everyone
Theo is 5 months now and has been on 2 meals a day for 2 weeks, he loves his food and always finishes the bowl! I was just wondering when I'm supposed to be giving him finger foods? Also, what do I give him and at what point in the day should he be having them??
Thanks.
xxx

Replies

  • Hi,
    Alf's 6 months and is on 2 meals a day and I started him on finger food today after reading a book about Baby Led Weaning which says don't bother with the spoon stuff just cut to the finger food.
    Makes loads of good points about why it makes sense. Was a bit nervous but he's had banana cut up into finger like chunks-longer than his hand so it pokes out and he can get it in his mouth. That was after his luch at 12.
    Then before his tea we gave him some melon slices again cut like fingers-kept one bit with the rind thing on and he LOVED it! Is teething so that's probably why!
    From what the book says they can have breadsticks, baby rice cakes, carrot sticks (steamed or boiled for a little bit) same with broccoli and cauliflower 'trees' slices of papya. Oh and cucumber sticks, avacado slices will see what else the book says to try.
    There's lots to try and from what the book said anytime is good. Sounds like Theo is already a pro with the food so might be worth a go? Good luck! x
    Sorry just realised I've gone right on!x
  • the first things i gave jayden was banana and them carrot crisp things forgot the name but from most supermarkets and bits of pear, they was the first things i started him on and i gave them in between dinner and teaxxx
  • Hi,
    I've only just started and Callum is 8 months as i was terrified of choking but he loves it and its made lumps a lot easier for him to cope with in his other food. My Supernanny book says to give them finger food when their teeth appear so about 6 mths i guess. He loves mini cream cheese sandwiches for lunch, crusts off and in quarters and fingers of mango, cheese, toast and cucumber. The good thing is it takes him AGES to eat finger food so it keeps him quiet and allows me to potter about in the kitchen!!
  • We started at 6 months, with toast. Gabe loved it - he didn't have teeth till 7 months but managed it very well. We've tried him with a variety of things - fruit and veg, rusks, organix sticks (they are great as they melt in the mouth). Now he's 8months, has 4 teeth and he eats a sandwich quarter, its so cute to watch!
  • ok so should I wait another month?? And what time of day does he have it, as a snack or with/instead of a meal? Honestly you wouldnt guess he was my second lol, i am the official baby idiot.
    xx
  • mum to 1 what book have u got?
  • Hi Princessjane its just called Baby Led Weaning and I thought it looked good but never had a chance to read it. Then me friend rang last night to ask for weaning advice (NO idea why she thought I'd be of use!!!) and it made me have another look.
    Found this on Amazon and this what I got
    Baby-led Weaning: Helping Your Baby to Love Good Food (Paperback)
    by Gill Rapley (Author), Tracey Murkett (Author)
    Bit of a read but I just sort of scanned it if you know what I mean! Made sooooo much sense. Talks about how lo's can't choke as they don't have the muscles to be able to push food to the back of their mouths and they have more chance of doing it when spoon fed as they suck the food off the spoon right at the back of their mouths.
    Would reccomend it! x
  • I never worried about choking too much - he has choked a few times but nothing serious...just coughed and a big chunk of food came up.

    I offer finger foods as a meal. I don't give Gabe snacks, cos he still has 3 or 4 (usually 4) bottles, so if I gave a snack I would be feeding him all day.

  • Thats what I thought, Theo weighs enough as it is without adding snacks! When can they have petit filou (cant spell) and little stars youghurts?
    xx
  • cameron has little stars fromage fras and smooth yogs and has had then from 5 months. he loves them.
    he's 7 months and has dairylea sandwich fingers, toast, organix rice cakes and tomato wheels. im going to try him with sticks of cheese and cucumer too with his sandwich for dinner as he is refusing spoon feeds (except yogs) at the min cos of his teeth coming through.
    i would wait until your lo can sit unaided in his high chair and balance well. i wouldnt of given cam finger foods when he was being fed in his bouncer cos the lumps would slide to the back of his throat
    xx
  • i started at 6 months yes i agree make sure your lo has good head control and sits up nice and straight. the organix carrott stix are like a big wotsit and are brill to start with as they easy to hold and melt in mouth. toast too i started on first not bread as they tend to put too much in mouth. ripe pears and peaches . i allways give finger foods after she been spoon fed we get to eat our dinner then. ooh and those sticks of twisted cheese we gave and baby bels as a first food good luck x
  • Hey,

    I started Louise on finger foods from 5 1/2 months. I'd let her suck on cucumber which she liked so I cut some into sticks and she could pick it up herself and put it in her mouth!

    Louise has cereal for breakfast and then a couple of small fingers of toast.

    For lunch she has finger foods and some fruit puree. Today she had dairylea sandwich fingers, cheese (cut into sticks) and mano puree. She has cucumber sticks quite often.

    For dinner she'll have a puree meal and then she'll have finger foods while we have dinner - she'll have anything from our meal that can be given as a finger food - broccoili, cauliflower, babycorn.......or breadsticks or baby rice cakes.

    In theory (following baby led weaning) if your lo can pick up the food and put it in their mouth they are ready for finger food!

    Louise has bitten big bits off on a few occasions, she just chews it and it eventually falls off her tongue!

    finger foods is safer than lumpy foods as the lumps are not hidden and so are far less likely to be swollowed. You may find your lo just sucks the food to begin with and you'll be amazed how well a 6 month old can chew the food!

    Do have some water nearby - as sometimes I think the food feels funny on louise's tongue and a bit of a drink is needed to wash it down!

  • vanilla - what pasta do you give your lo - it's something I keep thinking about trying but worry about even though i'll try Louise with most other things!!
  • thanks!!!! think we have some in the cupboard.... will give it a try very soon!!
  • i started them on finger foods as soon as i started weaning at 5.5 months, they were always pretty good with them. i mostly give them as part of meals, freya has sandwiches for luch quite often now, she does some times have snacks to, normaly a biscottee or some thing like that. i wouldnt give dairy before 6 months though as it can cause alergies. xx
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