What are the best finger foods for babies with no teeth yet?

Question

I waited to wean my 6-month-old as per current health advice. She's quite happy to eat, but flat refuses a spoon. I can feed her with my fingers sometimes, but she is beginning to refuse that as well. She wants to do it herself!

So far I've been feeding her small pieces of cheese, scrambled eggs (well cooked), avocado, peeled grapes, melon balls, peas, small bits of tuna sandwich and macaroni cheese (she really doesn't like bananas).

I know that I'm technically ahead of the game having a little one feeding herself already, but I'm really worrying about her eating enough. I'm also running out of ideas for foods that she can manage with no teeth, but which also stand up to beigh squished in baby fingers first.

None of my other mommy friends have this problem & the health visitor doesn't seem to take it seriously, but she really isn't eating very much.

I'm in the UK. We don't have Gerber (but I'm American & do know the brand). What type of things do they do.

Answer 1

She'll eat enough on her own. She'd seriously have to have a condition or a sickness to not eat enough when hungry. She might drop a little weight at the begining of her finger food stage as she grows used to the new foods, but thats normal.

Its also really normal for moms to be convinced their infant isnt getting enough foods when on solids. So long as she still takes a bottle, or whole milk in some other way, she'll be fine. If you're truely concerned you can buffer her eating with some sort of pediasure.

All beef kosher hot dogs cut into little cubes are great for finger foods, theyre easily manipulated by gummy mouths and packed with protien. Any kind of fruit, cheerios or other small whole grain cereal, well cooked veggies such as peas or corn...

Its also pretty common for a smart young one at this age to fight you feeding them, since they want to figure it out on their own. But you'd really be doing both of you a service by taking on the spoon battle every day, just so you can rest a little better knowing she's getting some sort of baby food in her, and eventually she'll either give in or pick it up on her own.

Its a frustraiting phase, but as long as you remain calm and dont make a huge issue out of it, she wont pick up on how much of a battle it is, and will out grow it soon enough.

Answer 2

You can also take baby foods (jarred) and mix these bits of food in it. She may like a little more texture to her food like mine does. Gerber does make the fruit/veggie puffs which dissolve in the mouth. You can probably get them on Ebay or from a supplier that will ship to you. Also you may try a different type of spoon. My son doesn't like some spoons but likes others. And give her a sippy cup to get started on now. Good luck--hope this helps!

Answer 3

You're doing exactly what we and every other parent does, worrying about whether you are doing the right thing.

The best advice (I know its also the hardest to do) is to stop worrying.

At six month most of your babies calories will be coming from there milk.

However, I'd start the feeding as you want your child to go on and avoid high sugar foods like cheerios and other biscuits. Most fruits and vegetables will be fine as finger foods, if they are to hard then cook them first.

Answer 4

Soft fruits like melons can be a good nutrious finger food for a baby with no teeth......just make sure there aren't any seeds or anything that will hinder his/her swallowing and digestion. I have also seen some parents give their children crackers to suck on...they eventually get mushy and gross, but I haven't witnessed any harm done. A co-worker of mine even said that she started giving her son food that she blended with a little water in her food processor....but I guess that idea wouldn't count as finger food :)

Answer 5

Toast is always good, anytype of fruit, cucumber, rice cakes!! I think you're doign fairly well!

Hav you tried letting your baby feed herself? i now shes young bt at 6 months my son always held a sppon whilst i fed him with another, the fact he had one made him less aware of the one i had and the fact i was actually shovelling food in!

Im sorry no idea what elce to suggest, is she teething? maybe the spoon s hurting her gums when u feed and thats why she doesnt like it, in which case leave the sppons in the fridge, the cold will help sooth!
x

Answer 6

I think your doing really well with your babe, she's obviously and independent little girl. Even though she has no teeth babies still have the incentive to chew with their gums, i know this sounds strange but they do. If you think about it baby dinners 7months+ start to have bits of meat etc in them to train the babes to chew food. Try stuff like mash potato with a boiled egg mashed in or mash potato and spaghetti this will get her used to different textures and entice her to chew. It will also develop her taste buds i wasn't fussed on canned baby dinners i gave mine what i had but mashed it up..spaghetti bol,.broth, a roast, lots of nutrition and variety.

Answer 7

try farley rusks, toast, well cooked pasta, in Waitrose & larger Tesco they do a 'Peter Rabbit' range for babies with special baby pasta that is nice & small. Peas & sweetcorn. Those alphabet potatos, mash potato that has been baked, easy to pick up & mush in hands & mouth !
Baked beans.

Answer 8

Just make sure she is getting plenty of formula. The majority of her fat and calories will come from that, the rest of the food for right now is just for her to practice chewing. You could try mashed potatoes. I used to roll them in tiny little balls so that my son could pick them up. He loved those! Good Luck!

P.S. Grapes are dangerous because they can choke (they are perfect size to block the windpipe) but if you are cutting them up, they are fine.

Answer 9

Try those little Gerber finger foods...

http://www.gerber.com/prodcat?catid=524

...I heard grapes weren't good to give to a baby by the way...

Answer 10

Gerber fruit and veggi puffs they disolve in babys mouth nad surprisingly they taste good plus they r good for baby