Question for experienced moms!

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-30-2004
Question for experienced moms!
6
Wed, 07-07-2004 - 7:57am
Hi. My DS is 11 months and I have been hearing that he should no longer be eating baby food from the jars. He just got his front bottom teeth and I find that he is just learning how to "chew." I was wondering when you stopped giving your kids baby food. TIA, Elyssa
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Wed, 07-07-2004 - 8:16am
Hi Elyssa,

My DD never did like baby food from the jars. I guess she didnt like the texture. I would spoon it in and it would come right back out. I started her on table food (little bites of what we were eating) at about 6 months. She likes to be able to chew whatever she is eating. My older boys didnt eat baby food either. None of my kids got any teeth until they were a year old so I dont think that causes a problem.

If I were you I would gradually cut back on the baby food and start giving him table food. I have heard that if they get too used to the bland baby food it is hard to get them to eat table food.

Hope that helps

~Mollie

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-06-2004
Wed, 07-07-2004 - 8:23am
Well, I really dont have advice since I do not know your child and how he would handle things...
Have you talked to his ped?
I also think you should use your own judgement on how he might handle it since you know him better then anyone....

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iVillage Member
Registered: 02-27-2004
Wed, 07-07-2004 - 9:20am
Well if your son only has like 2 teeth i dont think he is ready for big kid food. Once they get like 4 or more then its ok to gradually start him on some noodles and then veggies and meats. But I would hold off until he gets more teeth to chew with. Baby food is healthy and theres nothing wrong with it and I wish my kids were still on it cause its much easier to pop open a jar then to cook...lol. But only you know what your child can do. Good luck.

Sheri
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-17-2003
Wed, 07-07-2004 - 9:46am
I wouldn't worry about his lack of teeth - when my youngest son was 12 months, he only had one tooth but had been eating some table foods for nearly 3 months. He had grown up sitting at the table watching his two brothers eat table food, and he wanted what they had! There are plenty of solid foods that don't require teeth to chew if you cut them up small enough: soft bananas, peas, boiled squash, cooked carrots (although I think I remember hearing something about what the cooking process does to carrots that may not be good for babies - it increases the nitrates or something. You might want to check on that). You also can do small cooked noodles, rice, cooked apples (cut up). Just make sure that everything is cooked well enough to make it soft and cut up small enough to prevent a choking hazard. Good luck!

Paige

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-30-2004
Wed, 07-07-2004 - 11:40am
Thanks to everyone for their suggestions with this. I am a first time mom, so all your advice is helpful and appreciated!

-Elyssa

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-16-2004
Wed, 07-07-2004 - 11:12pm
I thought I'd put in my 2 cents as well. My 7 month old hasn't had a jar of baby food yet. Some may call me nuts, some may agree with me. Why? I use the food we eat (very lightly salted mind you) and put it through my food processor until it's the consistency I think he'll eat (which has a lot of texture too). Fresh steamed veggies, and meats, put through a processor on the "chop" mode works just great and they have less preservatives than the jarred food does. I also buy large cans of fruit, and put them through the processor as well, giving that a bit of texture too. To portion the food out, I "flash freeze" it in ice cube trays, then pop them out and put them either in freezer bags or plastic containers. Makes it easier to thaw out if it's in that size. I personally don't think that what we eat will hurt him (keeping in mind that, yes, some foods can be dangerous before the age of 1), but that you have to make it in the size that he/she can consume without choking. Good luck to you =)

Carson - SAHM to six