My ds is 7months old. From what I have read I can start to give him toast w/out crust. Is this accurate info? I don't feel comfortable giving him any graham crackers, cheerios, toast....I'm scared he will choak. What do you think?

Thanks.

By Nancy on Wednesday, June 9, 2004 - 03:21 pm:

I see parents giving kids this age all sorts of things. I was scared to even give my dd a whole cheerio. Poor thing had to eat it in fours. She probably couldn't even taste it.

Have you tried the teething biskets? I can't remember the name, but I think they are made by Gerber. The are hard, but turn to mush while they eat them. At this age it's not so much for the nutritional value as it is the eating experence. Do what you are comfortable with. Maybe call his ped to see what they suggest.

By Momaroze on Wednesday, June 9, 2004 - 03:25 pm:

Boy I can relate. I give him baby mum mums, they dissolve pretty much instantly because they are made from rice cereal. I think I will wait another month or so. I just don't feel comfortable yet. I know cheerios will dissolve easily too....I guess I'm just not ready. LOL. Just wondering what other moms do? Thanks.

By Kaye on Wednesday, June 9, 2004 - 03:30 pm:

I think that woudl be fine. I do childcare at our church nursery and a lot of that age mom's have some sort of gerber wheels, they just pretty much disolve too. Pretty much if you give them small pieces, place them in a high chair, they should be fine. List of things to avoid, animal crackers, raisens, grapes, any circular food that could block their airway, and sticky food, like peanut butter, gummy candies, etc.

By Pamt on Wednesday, June 9, 2004 - 03:37 pm:

IMO, I think it is important to start exposing him to different textures now. Cheerios dissolve quickly, plus if he did swallow one whole he wouldn't choke on it. Graham crackers, small pieces (I would cut a slice into fourths) of ripe banana rolled into graham cracker crumbs, small bits of bread or toast, partially mashed green beans, potatoes, cooked carrots, etc. My boys were exclusively eating table food at about 10-12 months. I think older babies need experience with different textures to prepare them for table food. It helps desensitize their mouths and it strengthens crucial lip, tongue, and jaw muscles. Children this age also need to start experimenting with self feeding. First, they'll use a scoop grasp with the whole hand and then start to refine the pincer-grasp and be able to pick up one cheerio at a time. BTW, I would break graham crackers and stuff into small pieces. Otherwise my boys would shove the whole thing in their mouths.

By Amy~moderator on Wednesday, June 9, 2004 - 04:21 pm:

I agree whole-heartedly with Pam. At about 6-7 months with all three of my boys, I started offering them Gerber Biter Biscuits, Gerber Apple Wheels, graham crackers broken into pieces, toast with the edges cut off, etc. My youngest ds is 9 months old right now, and he is now starting to eat *some* table foods that are not very seasoned/spicy. Definitely avoid the foods mentioned above as well as nuts, seafood, honey, egg yolks. I definitely think you should begin letting your baby try self-feeding under supervision with foods that we have suggested. Pam is very right - these foods help to prepare their mouths for table food. By the way - I haven't ever fed my babies cheerios until they were about 1 year because I too was afraid they would choke. After hearing what Pam has said though, I will begin giving Cheerios to my 9 month old and see how he does. Good luck to you and HTH!

By Emily7 on Wednesday, June 9, 2004 - 04:45 pm:

Gerber makes the veggie & fruit wheels that disolve instantly, my ds loved them, I think. I let my son have a spoon while I fed him so he would get the hand to mouth coordination. It is very important that you give them things that feed themselves. When my son was teething I also gave him frozen waffles to chew on, of course I never left him alone.

By Children03 on Wednesday, June 9, 2004 - 10:49 pm:

Gerber Teething cookies are messy, but my girls loved them. They don't usually choke because they just send to melt or get slimy. It feels good on their gums when they are teething.

By Ladypeacek on Friday, June 11, 2004 - 02:08 am:

My first child i was a nervous wreck but with my second he was eating all kind of things at 7 months! Of course it depends too on how many teeth! Mine had all his teeth by 8 months so he could handle a lot of things. If yours does not have many teeth then the i agree with the others, teething biscuits are great, toast is good too.

By Boxzgrl on Friday, June 11, 2004 - 06:40 pm:

I started DD on Cheerios at about 6 months old and she would choke on them then, even with her 2 bottom teeth. So I broke them into 4 pieces as well! I tried again a few months later and she did fine. All you can do is try and if you are still concerned about choking then wait. Good Luck!

By Mommierenee on Saturday, June 12, 2004 - 01:04 pm:

Now that I am on my 3rd, I gave her LOTS more than my other 2! Boy, I sused to be so paranoid! Those biscuits are good! They're called Zweibe or something like that, anyway they are in the area of the grocery near the baby food. Also, saltine or graham crackers are ok. I even gave my youngest some cereal (not cheerios) at 7 months or so. She liked lucky charms. I have always been paranoid about the cheerio/froot loop thing! I wouldn't give any bread just yet, unless it's toasted, and I also wouldn't give anything like pasta yet, unless it's overcooked & cut up into tiny pieces!

By Momaroze on Saturday, June 12, 2004 - 10:04 pm:

Thanks everyone!