My husband is eager to get our 7 month old on 3rd foods but he has no teeth. I thought they had to have teeth to eat the "chunkier" foods. But the label says that it is designed to train them to chew before swallowing food.
I tried a little bit and about one out of every 4 bites he would gag a little. But he never choked. Is he ready to upgrade or should I keep him on 2nd foods?
Yes. Most food is chewed with the molars, which don't come until much, much later. A baby's gums are very hard and can easily chew stage 3 foods.
The only qualifier I have is that you watch closely for choking like you would in any case.
You should make that decision based on your child. My daughter (second child) didn't get any teeth until she was one years old. However, that didn't stop her from eating table food at 7 months; grilled cheese, fruit and even corn dogs. She was eager to try everything, she even asked for asparagus. Like one mom said, we chew with our molars which don't come in until 2 years or later.If your child is doing well with baby food, he should do fine trying new chunkier food, just keep an eye on him.
I say what is the rush as well, so many yummy foods for kids with no teeth! mashed carrots, avocado, sweet potatoes, peas, banana's, etc.. check out www.askdrsears.com for more food ideas, they have an ages and stages section, search "first foods" on their site to get some ideas.
Have fun!
M.
Sounds like the problem is with your husband, not the baby. He is 7 months old! Why are you rushing him? Teeth are a good indicator of when your child is ready for "chew" foods. Let your son develop at his own pace.
What the heck are 2nd and 3rd foods? When I raised my kids we went from liquids(breastmilk or formula) to soft cereals to soft foods like applesauce and then to food they could grasp like sliced bananas and Cheerios and then to more complicated and hard foods as the teeth came in and their digestive systems matured. What's the rush? Each child matures at their own rate. My children crawled, walked, and talked at very different ages. You don't have to buy baby food. Is this some new trend like back in the days when doctors where telling mothers that formulas were superior to breastfeeding? SLow down and enjoy your son. He will tell you when he is ready for the next level. I think your instincts are telling you something here. Listen to that inner voice as a mother. Fathers don't always know best.
Gums are some strong grinders, so 3rd foods would be no biggie...except... I'd be more concerned about 7 months being a little young for it. MY daughter didnt get her first tooth till 15 months old..so she ate a lot of chunkier foods prior to having teeth, but she was old enough to understnad the concept..I'd be a bit careful on the 3rd foods..and if your unsure..ask your pediatrician for advice.
while it's okay, what's the rush? is it because of the options that there are with 3rd foods? eating is a learning experience for the child. let's not make it an experience that you'll learn how to give your baby back blows (infant cpr)
Yes. All of the baby food are very soft and can be chewed and swallowed without any teeth. I believe you should only give 3rd foods if the child is old enough and has been exposed to enough other basic foods. This normally is determined by age rather than teeth. :) Some of my friend's kids don't have any teeth until after they are one! Poor thing if they can't eat anything until then!!! Other foods that baby can eat without teeth: tofu, avocado, rice, well cooked noodles, banana, and other well cooked foods & meats. He'll just learn to chew and eat like a grandpa without teeth. ;) Oh, gagging is just a process they go through to learn how to chew and swallow. Don't over react, he may like your response and do it more, but keep an eye on him till he's mastered the eating technique. :) Have fun!
I had a real hard time with my son eating anything that was even slightly chunky.He'd also gag and at times would even vomit.I kept telling myself ITS NOT LIKE HE'LL GO INTO KINDERGARDEN WITHOUT KNOWING HOW TO CHEW.At about 12 months he became interested in table food, like softly grilled cheese. He totally skipped stage3. Now at 17 months old I give him stage three foods as a side to his meals. For example, stage 3 chicken noodle w/veggies along with his chicken nuggets. I noticed Beech-nut is way chunkier than Gerber and I feel the makers are aware that not all babies have teeth at the same time and the consistency is especially to help infants learn to use their jaws even without teeth. Don't hurry. stick to stage 2 and maybe only stage 3 fruits with no chunks and only thicker consistency. Good Luck!
