Today is all about FOOD! How to make it, when to introduce it, when to move on to finger foods, etc. I’ll start with saying, I DON’T have the answers today! If anything, I’m looking for guidance :). I have found feeding to be the most challenging part of motherhood. It was super easy in the beginning, because I had a great “latcher” that had no problems breastfeeding. The only problem was that my body gave out on me around 4 months so we had to switch to formula. I made the decision based on my pediatrician’s recommendation to wait and try solids when Lincoln was 6 months old. Right around 5 months and 3 weeks I started buying cereal, oatmeal, jars of food, etc to gear up for the coming week. I was shocked at how pricey the food was! And on top of that, I was still buying the formula. Now I ‘m a huge saver… I don’t throw any food away and almost to a fault! I was even more annoyed that the jar I popped open for Lincoln ended up mostly on him, me, or the floor. Or he only took a couple of bites and the rest had to be thrown out after a day or two. What a waste! And I know it is all trial and error and they are supposed to learn more than anything, but this whole food lesson seemed pretty pricey to me. So I decided making my own food couldn’t be THAT difficult!

I found a great website Wholesome Baby Food that gave me hundreds of different recipes. I got a Cost Co membership and purchased everything in bulk. I used my blender rather than one of those fancy and expensive baby food making devices, and I was set! I immediately started making all my baby food and he did great! And I felt better about it, because it was less processed, cheaper, and didn’t spoil as quickly. The only problem I found was that it was difficult to emulate the chunkier consistencies that you are able to get from store bought baby food. So when it was time to start graduating we were still on mushy 100% pureed food. Hindrance? Maybe.

Around 11 months I started buying baby food here and there just because I was able to get more variety with flavors and chunkier textures. The downfall to this was that now Lincoln no longer wanted to the food I made and turned his nose up to everything I had made for him. I guess Gerber really knows what they’re doing, because he much preferred their food over mine. So now he was completely on store bought food and I was no longer pureeing, but had a freezer full of sweet potatoes, green beans, and carrots. Great, what a waste!

Around 8 months (2 months after starting solids) we started experimenting with finger foods, like puffs, cheerios, cheese, etc. Lincoln was doing really great for a while there at taking the puffs and putting them in his mouth. Then he just sort of stopped. And I didn’t really force the issue, because I didn’t like dealing with the mess any way. Should I have started finger feeding earlier and enforced it? Maybe.

So here we are, 17 months young today and Lincoln only pretends to feed himself. We’ve experimented with a spoon and letting him feed himself and he’s decent at that. But every time I put finger foods on his tray he throws them off. Every time I offer him a finger food he turns the other direction. If I attempt to feed him chunkier textures, he chokes! Even if I put chocolate pudding on his tray, which is his absolute favorite, he only smears it all across his tray. So is this entirely my fault just because I wanted to save money and not deal with a mess??? Maybe!

My kid barely chews, refuses finger foods, and is a super finicky eater! The upside, he’s lean. The downside, he’s developmentally hindered. And I don’t know if it’s all because I pureed my food, or the fact that I didn’t force him to finger feed early on, a combination of both, or if it’s just him. I think it’s great to make your own baby food and maybe I just missed the boat on the whole finger feeding thing. So tell me Moms, when did you start finger feeding? Did you make your own food? What should I do now to get this kid to feed himself??? HELP!

1 COMMENT

  1. I started j on finger foods around 8 months. Started with puffs ( even though I was deathly afraid of him choking) and he did ok. Then tried a chunkier baby food which he despised, so I went right to chicken and tofu. He hated tofu texture but digs cottage cheese ( go figure). He now gets mad if I eat food in front of him and he doesn’t get any.

    Haven’t tried letting him have at it with his own food though. Maybe try medium tofu since it’s soft ( marinate it so it has flavor) and see if he’ll feed himself??

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here