Should my 16 month old still be eating stage 3 baby food??

Question

My son is 16 months old and he is still eating stage 3 and stage 2 baby food..he will only take a couple bites of table food and then he hits the fork or spoon..and i tried the gerber graduates but he only eats like 2-3 bites and his done...everyone looks at me weird cause i feed my 16 month old baby food...is what im doin ok...and will he eventually eat table food soon??? please i need answers!! first time mom love kimberly chenot

hello everyone again...i appreciate all the responses i got in one day...well i was telling you how my 16 month old only eat stage 3 and stage 2 baby food...he does feed himself some cherros, and pasta, and he will eat some rice and...but when he was 7 months old he had ear surgery...he did not eat for almost 6 months....and i feel like now i am trying to catch him up on nutrition...i know it sounds crazy...and he hates the gerber graduates...i think he would rather eat the real stuff...and i also dont know what to cook to make sure he is getting the right foods...like hes jar food...and im jus scared all together. he does mash the stg 3 chunks with his back teeth..and when he doe eat table food he chews with his back teeth..and the jar food is so convienent...like when we are at the mall...its right there....so more answers please...thanks guys

Answer 1

I'm confused here as to why everyone is saying your son is too old for baby food... I dont live in the States anymore, I was in France for the past few yrs and now we're in Australia, but there isnt anything wrong with giving 'baby food' to your toddler where I live. They make food specifically for 12mths+, and 15mths+.... my daughter is 15mths and is just starting to turn down the prepared 'baby foods' for her age group and eats more like we do now. This afternoon at lunch she was doing great with fresh corn on the cob, rice and small pieces of chicken, she was cracking me up! I would think offering some 'adult' table food before offering your son's preferred 'baby food' is a good idea so he can be introduced to new textures. Our children are old enough to know what they like and what they dont, and I dont think it is up to us to force them to do everything we want them to. If someone tried forcing spinach on me or my daughter, you can bet we'd throw it back into their face... but give us peas, green beans, or a variety of other green vegetables and we'd eat a full plate. Our toddlers like us can have their likes and dislikes, for the flavor, for the texture, the smell, etc. Go with it!
The first food my daughter started eating by herself were peas, she's always loved her peas. She used to eat them one by one with her hands before she got the hang of the spoon. Yeah, someone said children this age couldnt use a fork or spoon. Of course they can! My daughter has been refusing to let me feed her for mths now, she must feed herself. Fine, she has her own set of cutlery in plastic that she uses and I just supervise to make sure the carpet is spared being splattered. Offer your son some finger foods, things he can eat by himself, and let him the time to get used to adult food. Ignore comments or strange looks. Your child is getting all the nutrients he needs... isnt that what is important? Isnt that better than having him starve? Even if it's just for a few days, as some are suggesting.

Just a little tidbit that might put things in perspective, in the early 1900's in France children had nothing other than milk until the age of 2yrs. Shocking to us today, as there are so many shoving solids down their babies mouths at just a few mths, but there is NOTHING wrong with how you are taking care of your son. Have faith in yourself.

Answer 2

He should be on table food. Just think of the money you are wasting. That should be motivation enough to stick with it. My 14 month old twins are on all table food. We still eat some of the Gerber Graduates meals for convienence. If he only eats a few bites, then that is all he needs. He will catch up at the next meal. It is totally normal to slow down eating after 1 year, as a matter of fact, it is a necessity. If babies continue on the same pattern of eating, then would all be over 100 lbs by the time they are 2 yrs old.
It will take dedication by you and your family. It may take a few days, but it will eventually work out.

Answer 3

If he doesn't want to use a fork or spoon yet, don't worry. Essentaily, your baby has become lazy, no offense. He knows that you will feed him baby food because, well, you keep doing it. Some of the first foods my son ate(and liked) by himself were macaroni noodles, cut up string cheese, peas, edamame, baby sized goldfish crackers, cut up banana, pears, oranges...give him the "real" version of the baby foods he's been eating and try the tricks like the choo choo or airplane or take a bite of his food and act like it's the most delecious thing ever. He will eat table food when you stop feeding him baby food. If he doesn't and seems hungry, I'd try mixing some chunks of food in with his baby food so he gets used to the idea of chewing, or gumming food. As long as your baby is fed and healthy, I wouldn't be too worried, especially about how people look at you, but YOU have to be the one in control here. Feed him what you eat, within reason, he's old enough, and have you ever actually tasted one of those gerber graduates meals? Yuck.

Answer 4

Stage 3 Gerber Baby Food

Answer 5

Baby Eating Table

Answer 6

He should have been on table food at a year old, but it's not too late. He has to learn sometime and your feeding him baby food is expensive and not really necessary, anymore.
Make simple meals to start and feed him some (at least half of his meal)and then allow him to feed himself. Let him sit there while your eating (offer him food and encourage him to feed himself) and enjoy your meal ( just because he's a kid and he's done eating doesn't mean you have to allow him to run around while you start eating). Most kids should spend at least a half hour or so relaxing in the high chair and eating, eventually they get faster at it or just full ( they drop the food on the floor or play in it).
Like all things (especially with young children) you should have a ritual and stick with it. Don't give in, even when they refuse to eat, eventually they will get hungry and will eat what's given to them. It just takes patience and time and remember you are the parent and know what's good for them.

Answer 7

that is a little weird, not that you are feeding it to him but that he actually likes it! My 2 boys stopped eating baby food as soon as they got enough teeth to eat table food. I would stick with him with the table food, maybe rotate bites of table food and the baby food until you can get him weened off the baby food. I know it can be frustrating but keep with it. If after a week he is still fighting you I would talk to his dr.

My kids loved feeding themselves so anything they could pick up and eat is what they wanted.

Answer 8

No give him real food but if he's just starting out then start small like bananas. My son always loved mashed potatoes mixed with hamburger and a little ketchup. He's 16 months old now and he eats everything i do (except foods that are hard to chew like peanuts).

Answer 9

I would try just giving him the table food for a day or so he will probably get hungry enough to eat more than a couple bites. He is old enough that the baby food is not necessay and you should try to get him off of it.

Answer 10

you are doing fine, my advise is to stop buying baby food, use up what you have, your baby is old enough to eat what you eat now, don't worry he will eat, it will just be an adjustment, baby food is over rated i have never used it, try giving instant oatmeal for breakfast, thats always a good start for the day, don't worry about what people say, and if it makes you feel better to give the baby food then do that, he's your son, you know best