Pureed Food Unneccesary

[Artechim]

Spring, soft pawpaw should be fine. I would give the zuchini unpeeled.

Have fun, it will get messy!

[Bathsheba]

With my first baby (13 years ago) I introduced solids at 4 months like they told you to... ugh, what a waste of time... she just pushed it all out with her tongue... we battled every meal because of the pressure of that "guideline" and we were young and inexperienced I guess. Eventually at about 8 months she started to enjoy finger foods but i still insisted on spoon feeding and I was often frustrated.

9 years later and much wiser (and new guidelines) I waited until 6 months. I introduced the same food: rice cereal mixed with breastmilk and my baby ate it all up, not spilling a drop! The joke was that he didn't like to get his bib dirty LOL He was a great eater... still is a great eater... feeding him was a pleasure i think because i wasn't trying to be the perfect parent (I'd worked 5 years in childcare and was a lot more relaxed about everything).

3 years later i had my third child. Being a busier mum i didn't get around to trying solids until 7 months... at which time he pushed it all out with his tongue... wasn't interested at all... oh well, he was a getting lots of BM and didn't seem hungry... why stress? At about 8 months i just started handing him the odd crust, bit of fruit, wedge of avocado, stick of cheese to suck on... and he ate them no worries. I haven't bothered making him separate meals at all... he always just has what we have... I park him next to the table when we all sit down for a meal and put bits and pieces infront of him... if he eats them great, if he doesn't who cares? He's doing fine. Is totally non-fussy about everything... his favourite food now are sushi handrolls. I'm still BFing him as a 21 month old because i think it's important. It seems to be what the human baby is designed to do... and all the time I am hearing of new reasons to continue BFing: "New research indicate that there's stem cells in breast milk!" and of course he's getting my antibodies and not suffering as much from colds etc.

Oh and if he's struggling with something (like chicken) I'll chew it for him. Call me gross... but there are enzymes in saliva which help to break protein down... seems logical to me... I'm sure caveman did it. I also like to chew fish for him to check to see if there are tiny bones. I don't know why more parents don't do it.

ETA: my babies have never been constipated.

[*Efjay*]

I pushed solids from 5 months with Evan, he was my first & had to do as I was told etc. But he refused after going well for about 2 weeks & was a struggle & didn't get back into it till about 8 or 9 months with out too much fuss. But I still tried. He is now a fussy eater.

Glenn & Isla (and all future bubs) were just left to pick off my plate when they were ready (after 6 months closer to 8 really). I didn't push it & they both eat well.

[Neenee Jellybeanie]

I tried the finger-foods with Aurelia a few days ago, she nearly choked on a piece of banana. Scared the living daylights out of me. I guess she's just too young at 7 months, I read an article that said it wasn't a choking hazard, but alas, it is. She doesn't know how to manage with real food, she doesn't know to take a small "bite", mush it with her mouth and swallow it. Right now i'm giving her lumpy puree and I think we'll stick with that for the time being.