Help with getting baby to eat "real" food. (day care, ideas)

[floridadreamer]

I was just wondering if anyone can give me ideas on how to get get my child to start trying to chew. He is 10 months old now and the pediatrician said to start trying to give him things like gerber graduates and stuff because he should be getting towards eating some regular foods now.

Well, we've tried stage 3 foods (anything chunky like mac and cheese), he gags. Any gerber graduates, he gags. Besides this, putting little pieces in front of him doesn't even seem to work, he just plays with it and then throws it on the floor, or he wants to shove several pieces at once into his mouth, and then of course, gags.

I bought one of those real food feeders, he hates it. He's happy to chew on things like celery and carrot sticks which was fine before, but now he has teeth, he bites of a piece, and again, gags on it.

HELP! I am starting to feel like I am going to have to feed this kid by hand until he's about 10... Please with some new ideas.

[gallowsCalibrator]

First things first. Don't get so frustrated with your little boy. He's only 10 months old. Even though his body might be ready for solid foods, he may not. If stage 2 food is the only thing he's not gagging with, then keep buying it. Every dinner, try giving him something solid. Let him play with it for a while, but if he's not eating it, then take it away and feed him the other food.

It took my daughter till 13 months before she was able to eat solids.

[Tressa]

Just give it time like Kuharai said it will happen, but for your own peace of mind give him Stage 2 he will get his nutrients and then gradually add Stage 3 every now and then. Gagging is so scary, it freaks me out when my granddaughter does it so guess what she now thinks it's a game we are working on it.

[MsV]

Good advice goes before me. I'm an "older" mother of 3, who ran a day care center for 16yrs ~ listen to your dr's advice, then do what you think is best. No child should be MADE to adhere to a dr's projected schedule for them...just keep what the dr says in the back of your mind, and guide your son to get to that goal, but as Kuharai posted, he may just not be ready yet. Try thick-grade baby cereal and keep feeding him by hand until his "pushing food to the back of his throat & swallowing" technique is better developed. It IS a messy period, but he will grow out of it soon. Maybe give him (Moms, help me here) something like a thick piece of pork chop or steak to gum & bite to death (something he can't really break up), and he'll get frustrated enough wanting to swallow it...then the toddler food might work.
Also make sure he's hungry when he sits down to eat, and maybe find some "new" items to play with and keep him occupied during the meal. Good luck, granted it isn't always easy.

[BusySocialWorker]

I agree. no need to rush Have you tried the teething toast or biscuits? They were a good start for us!

[LauraPetrie]

Florida, dont worry ..It takes a long time for babies to like and get used to different foods. They dont usually like chunky foods at the first shot. They need time to adjust to new tastes and textures. The key is to keep trying and not lose patience. Besides, your baby is only 10 months old. My now 3 yr old didnt start eating normal real food until he was almost one and a half. I would just have to mash up everything and feed him to make sure he wouldnt go hungry . So take your time and let the baby take his

[floridadreamer]

Thanks for all the advise everyone. I guess I'm not so worried about the eating graduates etc...it's just that he wants, like you said, to push everything to the back and simply swallow it. If he happens to get something in the side of his mouth, he will work it with his tongue to get it out, so I guess that's promising. He didn't even want cereal til he was 6 months or older and then he still doesn't like rice cereal, so, he's probably just got his own schedule in mind. Sure wish he could share his intentions though. I figured the "real food" feeder would be awesome, I can't believe he doesn't like it.

I keep looking for those teething biscuits and can never find them at Walmart.

[sbd78]

Some of the stage 3 foods like the oatmeal and cereal (they still come in the jars, I'm not talking about the stuff you add water to) has a thicker texture than stage 2 foods, but no actually chunks like the stage 3 dinners (chicken noodle, beef vegetable, etc.) Maybe that will be a good thing to get him used to thicker textures before adding chunks. Also, my son did well on the Graduates finger foods puffs when he was learning solids. (They come in a little can type thing in different fruit flavors.) They look like little pieces of dry cereal but they dissolve in babies mouth. Maybe something to try? But anyway, be patient and things will work out, he's just moving at his own pace.

[floridadreamer]

He has had some of the stage 3 cereals. As long as I don't put too much on the spoon, he seems to do okay with those. I think I will try some of the puffs, thanks for suggesting it.

[Wi_Girl]

We had issues with this at first too. but one day I happened to be video taping her and I put mashed potatoes and chicken nuggets on her plate (she would NEVER eat them and always spit them out). Well, i was taping her and she all of a suddent just started eating it, out of the blue! I was so excited and it was amazing, after trying she just decided one day it was time and she was ready. I think your baby will eat when they are ready, but like everyone said dont push the issue. That will just frustrate them more.