Good afternoon ladies,

It's been a long time since I posted. I've been really busy here. Rebekah is all over the place and my DH is recovering from back surgery. I've got a question about feeding. Rebekah has been eating baby food for months. She has eaten everything I've offered to her (everything except for the plain meats...I certainly don't blame her). Within the last couple of weeks, I've tried mixing in extremely fine pieces of food into the baby food. For instance, last night I finely chopped some sweet peas and added them to the baby food sweet peas. In general, she eats less than half of what she used to eat. I could count on her eating 6-8 ounces of food per meal. Now, I'm lucky if she eats 3-4 ounces (and that's a combination of "lumpy baby food" and smooth baby food). Now, if I feed her bites of my meals, she'll eat and eat and eat. I gave her small bites of pasta from my microwave dinner today. She seemed to like it. So, for lunch, I tried to give her stage 3 baby food pasta. She ate maybe 2 ounces. Then, she refused to eat smooth green beans (she's never refused them before). She kept her lips pressed firmly together. I couldn't have gotten the spoon in her mouth if I tried. Then, I offered her a few bites of cheese and puffs (which she fed herself). She ate both of them. I thought about moving away from smooth baby foods, but when I normally offer her "lumpy foods" from her own bowl, she doesn't eat much. Sometimes, smooth baby foods go over well (if no "lumpy foods" have been offered first); however, other times she won't touch them. I guess I'm not sure which way to proceed. Should I still continue incorporating smooth baby food as I move towards more table food? Should I just jump in with table foods? I wish there was more of a pattern to guide me in this decision. It's really the first time I've dealt with some defiance (I know, it certainly won't be the last!). Looking back, I wish I had skipped baby foods and jumped in with table foods later on. Oh well. Any advice on how I should proceed would be appreciated!

Oh, for the record, she only has 2 bottom teeth right now.

Megan

03/06/98 - Married DH
10/10/08 - Welcomed Rebekah Faith

Ya, we didn't do much of the baby foods, just jumped straight to what we were eating (sometimes a softer version or slightly varied, depending on the food). I'd say she is telling you she's done with the baby food and ready for regular foods. :) Just offer her whatever you are having and she will let you know what she likes and can handle and what she can't!

If she loves your table food, then GO FOR IT! Seriously...baby food is just a marketing ploy...be happy she likes to eat! my dd doesn't...

this is just me, and I know there are a lot of mommys who disagree, but at ten months, we'd been long gone from baby food. I think most of my kids were eating table food around seven months or so. I would just forego the baby foods and let her eat what you guys eat, only mashed up with a fork. I wouldn't process it in a grinder, it'll look like baby food them. steam the veggies in large pieces, she'll probably like that.
As for meats, at that age, mine were eating chicken and hamburger and doing well.

Patrick was eating steak with NO teeth at all. He didn't get any teeth until well after his first birthday.

I only used store baby food with my first and he didn't like it. With the others, we did baby cereal then to bites of mashed foods, also we got a "tommy tippy" grinder, handheld baby food grinder, doesn't make it liquid just little chinks and used that with whatever we were eating. They know when they aren't getting what you have. lol

I was giving ds table food mashed by now also. I would do whatever she is wanting at this point and see what she does.

kiddies are all different , if she's interested in your food then i would give her family meals , from what you've said it sounds like that's what she's wanting . i know we had trouble with our youngest started weaning at 6 months ,which went ok but a week later she really fought us , it turned out she just wanted to feed herself lol!!

Really from about the age of 6 months and up, most babies do just fine with mashed table food. There are a lot of moms who never even use baby food at all.

Just go with her cues and you'll be fine! :)

Ya, we didn't do much of the baby foods, just jumped straight to what we were eating (sometimes a softer version or slightly varied, depending on the food). I'd say she is telling you she's done with the baby food and ready for regular foods. :) Just offer her whatever you are having and she will let you know what she likes and can handle and what she can't!

Exactly what we do here. Callum has been on table/finger foods for a while now. Applesauce is about the only thing he will let me feed him these days. [whatwacko] I think she is just learning that she can feed herself and wants to be in charge of doing it herself now! And if she gobbles up the food when offered that way - great! Let her! :D