Baby Food

[Mato]

How long before you no longer have to mush up fruits and veggies for baby? Our little one has teeth, but his tummy hasn't been able to digest non-mushed up foods yet.

[roitelet]

You should talk to your Health Visitor Mato, they will be able to advise you.

[rpt]

How old is your baby?

[donnakebab]

Do you mean it's coming out looking the same as it went in? As rpt says how old? and what are you mushing?

[chris]

You can start offering solid foods (in terms of baby led weaning) from 6 months old - the stomach is mostly ready for "proper" food then. But as above, you should seek proper advice from your GP, Health Visitor or other qualified person.

We did baby led weaning for both our children, from 6 months - but earlier for our most recent addition as she required it. I believe she was either 5/5.5 months old but it's not generally recommended until after then.

No mushing up of foods for us, just gave both ours exactly what we were eating and let them eat if they could grasp the food. As they're were (and still is in the case of our 8 month old) still being breast fed they got the nutrients they required from the milk - but when they were able to eat properly, our eldest self-weaned from the breast, and our 8 month old now has dropped a lot of her day feeds.

[janeyo]

I remember blitzing the food completely to begin with, then as they got nearer to the age of 1, adding more lumps, but less vigorous blitzing, then moving to mashing instead... it's a gradual process. Also giving them boiled veggie sticks to nosh on themselves and 'gum up'..... I love the feeding part, so much fun! About the only thing mrjaneyo is looking forward to with this next one! lol

[HeyWayne]

We gave Bean carrot sticks, slices of pepper, celery - all sorts that we were prepping for our dinner when he was teething. He'd gum away on them for ages. Also used a "mesh dummy" for soft fruits which got him used to flavours without the risk of choking on pulp.

Blitzed his food gradually less and less.

He eats virtually anything now.

[HeyWayne]

In answer to your question btw - you'll know when the right time is for you.

In our experience there's far too much pressure on parents to do things "at the right time". Babies develop at different times for different things. Physically. Emotionally. Academically.

Just enjoy it, it don't put too much pressure on yourself to follow charts.