Starting Finger Foods - Los Angeles,CA

You are doing great as far as I can see! Whole foods of any kind are wonderful (like the veggies) and whole wheat elbow pasta is great, because they can just swallow it whole and she probably won't gag on it. Anything soft that is cut up the size of a cheerio is good. Little pieces of chicken work well. My daughter used to gag, too, but she never choked, she usually managed to work it out herself. It does take practice, but she sounds motivated, so just keep on keeping on! OH, and I noticed that some moms recommended eggs - wait until she is at least one year old before giving eggs, strawberries, nuts (peanut butter,etc).

Basically I think that is a self-taught thing. Believe me the older she gets the better she will be at putting all "kinds" of things in her mouth. I loved the puffs too and also the cereal bars that had yogurt in them. Sorry I have had a memory lapse because that is all I can remember right now. Good luck.

whole wheat pasta, no salt beans... are way healthier than fries or gerber puffs. Cheerios have vitamins... puffs don't. Read lables and find something you're comfortable with. Try to avoid sugar and salt and their substitutes. Puffs tastes very sweet and get them used to that. There is nothing wrong w/plain noodles... yams, carrots... anything than can be cut up and easily mushed.

Scrambled eggs are easy (all of mine had eggs early on and were fine), and also cut-up fruit (I would cut up into very small pieces ripe melon, papaya, kiwi, mango, berries, etc).

I'm always a big fan of whole wheat bagels. They make great teethers!
-www.weelicious.com

Happy Melts makes these little fruit yogurt chips that melt in the mouth and are wonderful! My daughter puts so many in her mouth but has never choked on them because they dissolve so quickly. I've seen these sold at BabiesRUS, ToysRUS, and Wholefoods. Good luck!

When my child began finger foods, we started with (and still basically do this at 10 months) small (little bigger than pea-sized) pieces of soft food that you have in a bowl and put a few pieces in front of her. Some things that worked in terms of being soft enough to eat but firm enough for her to pick up: butternut squash pieces, roasted spinach, shredded cheese/string cheese, mandarin orange, turkey, chicken, steamed pear and apple, chopped spaghetti, steamed carrot, soft sticks of sweet potato or plantain. Trader Joes has some good pre chopped veggies and fruits. I also really like wholesomebabyfood.com

A third of her meal will no doubt wind up in her lap or the floor for some time, but practice makes perfect I guess. Also, nursing her just a bit not too long before feeding can help her relax a little for finger food practice.

Enjoy!

Avocado, mashed potatoes, bananas, cooked squash, scrambled eggs.
If you give her pasta, make it whole wheat.

Its totally messy, but we give our daughter brown rice. She picks it up by the handful, drops most of it and ends up with a few peices in her mouth. She spends most of her time trying to pick it up, so it keeps her busy while we eat too :)