https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 24 Apr 2026 21:30:42 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-with-finger-foods#post-2630439 Sat, 01 Oct 2016 14:24:39 +0000 Bubbles 2630439@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wouldn't worry about his grasp, he'll figure it out. DS2 is newly 7 months and has so far managed to get strips of toast, cubes of cheese, sticks of ripe pear, small florets of broccoli, breadsticks etc into his mouth and swallow them - and he has no pincer grasp at all. He just grabs things in his fist and uses both hands to manhandle them into his mouth.<br /> We have also just started purees with chunks and he is enjoying little tiny pasta shapes, also minestrone soup with tiny diced veg. He has spat out a few larger pieces but most of it he happily gums down. Your LO will let you know if the chunks are too big 😊 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-with-finger-foods#post-2630434 Sat, 01 Oct 2016 14:01:07 +0000 pachamama 2630434@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are BLW failures because he would just bite off a big chuck and choke. My son is now 8.5 months old and what I do is take whatever I'm eating, chew it a little bit, then give it to him. In the past, I'd mush it more but now I can just break it a little with my mouth and he can handle decent chunks. Sounds gross but it works. I'm not risking him choking! (We started on purees at 5 months and he's loved everything so far). At day care, he has sandwiches, Cheerios, peas, broccoli, green beans and oatmeal, all just in small pieces! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-with-finger-foods#post-2630253 Fri, 30 Sep 2016 19:41:25 +0000 Mrs. Goose 2630253@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Do both types! That's how he'll develop his pincer grasp. It might be frustrating for him to have difficulty picking up the little chunks but he'll figure it out. </p> <p>If the puree is too chunk he'll gag or spit it out until he figures out the texture change and how to mush the food with his gums/teeth and that's okay-it will depend on yours and his comfort level.</p> <p>I had introduced Cheerios and grated cheese before 8 months and then switched to small chunks of cheese around 8/9 months. Some kids just cram sticks of food like toast in their mouth and then choke on it. I cut my kid's toast into little squares and she eats them that way. My friend's 16 month old has to have his food cut up or she says he'll just cram it in and gag on it. </p> <p>You can give slices/ sticks or chunks of banana or avocado and the same with steamed carrots, squash, and sweet potato. </p> <p>Some people give half a rice cake to their babies to gnaw on. They make different thicknesses and flavours of these. There are also teething biscuits too. I put hummus on soft ish crackers and it sort of helped make them a bit soggy and she would eat those starting around 9 months or a bit after. </p> <p>I started out with finger foods which I feel was slightly a mistake because it took her until 10/11 months to let me feed her stuff off a spoon. Pouches were acceptable. </p> <p>Have you given him a sippy cup to get used to as well? With meals or a straw in a cup? Those kind of things can be helpful if you want to use food pouches with store bought food or your own food. </p> <p>He'll help guide you with his reactions! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-with-finger-foods#post-2630249 Fri, 30 Sep 2016 19:30:35 +0000 MrsSRS 2630249@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Even without a pincers grasp he will be able to rake things into his fist and get some in his mouth. Try softer foods cut up about the size of a puff. Or try some larger BLW style chunks and see what works best for you. If you want to do purees think of them as being closer to stew than applesauce. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-with-finger-foods#post-2630243 Fri, 30 Sep 2016 19:26:06 +0000 DesertDreams88 2630243@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO is 8 months old. We've done homemade thick purees, yogurt, teething biscuits, baby oatmeal cereal, puffs, and cottage cheese. Jumping to finger foods is a whole new territory. He does not have his pincer grasp yet so I don't know what to do. Do I cut small pieces of very soft foods even though his grasp is rudimentary at best? Or, do I cut things into long strips that he can hold onto? What about chunky purees? What if the chunks are too big? How am I supposed to know? Why does each new stage feel so bewildering haha.....</p> <p>ETA: He likes his Nuk sippy, kids Camelbak, and Kidsme silicone feeder, so he is good at holding something big with both hands and steering it to his mouth.</p> <p>Give me your best tips for the finger food transition. </p>