Is 24 weeks too young for finger foods?

stouffer · Mar 30th, 2012, 06:55 AM

We've been doing traditional weaning for a couple of weeks but my baby is desperate to feed herself. She gets cross if I make her let go of the spoon and wants to control it herself. She can use a sippy cup by herself so her hand/eye coordination is pretty good.

I'm a bit scared about her choking on finger foods though. She often makes herself gag when in control of the spoon.

When did your baby start? Any problems?

JacquiKeren · Mar 30th, 2012, 06:59 AM

try it and find out how she manages. If you start with things like chunks of mashed potato or mashed food then you get a grasp on how able she is to pick up the food herself. My lo has finger food such as toast and managed really well. He does choke on the spoon tho but thats because he shoves it so far back in his mouth!

You wont know until you let her try it. Good luck!! be prepared for a messy floor lol x

Rosie06 · Mar 30th, 2012, 14:25 PM

i gave my LO finger foods at around 22 weeks could of even been 20 weeks she was desperate to feed her self so we thought wed see how she got on i gave her brocolli that was really well cooked (this is still her favourite veg now!) chunky sticks of carrots swede sweetpotatoe that i steamed till soft banana ect any fruit thats soft really the one thing we always done was we always said chew chew chew and mimicked chewing what yove got to remember is a babies gag reflex is very far forward so will rarely choke dont panic if they start gagging just enourage her to chew

Blah11 · Mar 30th, 2012, 14:55 PM

should do fine at that age

!

bananabump · Mar 30th, 2012, 15:32 PM

Yehh 24 weeks is fine hun. I was quite lucky because Leo has never gagged but try not to let it panic you if it happens! Here's some pics of Leo when he was younger.. First pic is 22 weeks with some apple slices, second pic is at 24 weeks with a finger shaped homemade burger and the third pic is at 26 weeks on pancake day! xxx

P1250001.jpg mmm burger.jpg 26 weeks pancake mmm.jpg

Sideways 8 · Mar 30th, 2012, 22:12 PM

Hmmm my LO is 6 months old (26 weeks? 27 weeks? I've lost count

) and I tried a couple times to let her try finger foods. She has no interest in picking the food up off her tray and feeding herself. She'd rather be waited on, lol. Little diva.

Any advice?? All I've tried so far is a pile of mashed bananas. She'd rather grab my finger and have a suck than stick her hands in the bananas

Should I try to just put a peach slice or apple slice; something that she can grab more easily? I'm just sooo scared of choking!!

OP I promise I'm not trying to steal your thread! I just am curious about this issue as well

patch2006uk · Mar 31st, 2012, 01:43 AM

We started BLW at 23 weeks. It's more about the baby than their age really. As long as your LO is sitting unsupported and is able to manage to get the food to the mouth, go for it!

Rosie06 · Mar 31st, 2012, 02:25 AM

instead of mashed banana try cutting it into a finger size piece, LO will prob gag a bit but its how they learn to move food around there mouth tinned peaches infruit juice is quite good i dried the outside off a bit as is was really slippery but they are really soft and quite mushy fresh peaches can be quite firm, green beans stemaed are quite good too x

mum2jess · Mar 31st, 2012, 02:59 AM

A great little tip for bananas. If you peel it completely, then gently squeeze the end, it will split into three. You can then divide it all the way down and you have sections that are the right size for tiny baby hands and don't go really slippery like it does if you cut it.

Sideways 8 · Mar 31st, 2012, 07:20 AM

Thanks guys I guess I'll keep trying to "teach" her to pick up finger foods every night. Might have a bunch of wasted food but we'll see. Might start with 1 or 2 steamed baby carrots!

Mar 30th, 2012, 06:55 AM	#1
stouffer Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: UK Country: Posts: 2,299 Thanked others: 206 Thanked 597 times in 563 posts Currently Feeling:	Is 24 weeks too young for finger foods? We've been doing traditional weaning for a couple of weeks but my baby is desperate to feed herself. She gets cross if I make her let go of the spoon and wants to control it herself. She can use a sippy cup by herself so her hand/eye coordination is pretty good. I'm a bit scared about her choking on finger foods though. She often makes herself gag when in control of the spoon. When did your baby start? Any problems? __________________ Last edited by stouffer; Mar 30th, 2012 at 07:06 AM..
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Mar 30th, 2012, 06:59 AM	#2
JacquiKeren Chat Happy BnB Member Pregnant- First Baby Join Date: Jan 2011 Country: Posts: 1,097 Thanked others: 134 Thanked 278 times in 245 posts Currently Feeling:	try it and find out how she manages. If you start with things like chunks of mashed potato or mashed food then you get a grasp on how able she is to pick up the food herself. My lo has finger food such as toast and managed really well. He does choke on the spoon tho but thats because he shoves it so far back in his mouth! You wont know until you let her try it. Good luck!! be prepared for a messy floor lol x
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Mar 30th, 2012, 14:25 PM	#3
Rosie06 Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Country: Posts: 1,238 Thanked others: 149 Thanked 377 times in 348 posts Currently Feeling:	i gave my LO finger foods at around 22 weeks could of even been 20 weeks she was desperate to feed her self so we thought wed see how she got on i gave her brocolli that was really well cooked (this is still her favourite veg now!) chunky sticks of carrots swede sweetpotatoe that i steamed till soft banana ect any fruit thats soft really the one thing we always done was we always said chew chew chew and mimicked chewing what yove got to remember is a babies gag reflex is very far forward so will rarely choke dont panic if they start gagging just enourage her to chew __________________
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Mar 30th, 2012, 14:55 PM	#4
Blah11 BnB Spammer Elite ☼ Mummy to Amelie ☼ Join Date: May 2008 Country: Posts: 38,172 Thanked others: 2,759 Thanked 13,672 times in 10,025 posts Currently Feeling:	should do fine at that age ! __________________
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Mar 30th, 2012, 15:32 PM	#5
bananabump Chat Happy BnB Member Mummy to Leo! Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Birmingham, UK Country: Posts: 1,013 Thanked others: 257 Thanked 255 times in 206 posts Currently Feeling:	Yehh 24 weeks is fine hun. I was quite lucky because Leo has never gagged but try not to let it panic you if it happens! Here's some pics of Leo when he was younger.. First pic is 22 weeks with some apple slices, second pic is at 24 weeks with a finger shaped homemade burger and the third pic is at 26 weeks on pancake day! xxx P1250001.jpg mmm burger.jpg 26 weeks pancake mmm.jpg __________________
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Mar 30th, 2012, 22:12 PM	#6
Sideways 8 BnB Addict Mom of 2 under 2 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Decatur, AL Country: Posts: 8,983 Thanked others: 2,087 Thanked 2,583 times in 2,350 posts Currently Feeling:	Hmmm my LO is 6 months old (26 weeks? 27 weeks? I've lost count ) and I tried a couple times to let her try finger foods. She has no interest in picking the food up off her tray and feeding herself. She'd rather be waited on, lol. Little diva. Any advice?? All I've tried so far is a pile of mashed bananas. She'd rather grab my finger and have a suck than stick her hands in the bananas Should I try to just put a peach slice or apple slice; something that she can grab more easily? I'm just sooo scared of choking!! OP I promise I'm not trying to steal your thread! I just am curious about this issue as well __________________ Last edited by Sideways 8; Mar 30th, 2012 at 22:12 PM..
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Mar 31st, 2012, 01:43 AM	#7
patch2006uk BnB Addict Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: West Mids, UK Country: Posts: 5,225 Thanked others: 1,654 Thanked 3,534 times in 2,237 posts	We started BLW at 23 weeks. It's more about the baby than their age really. As long as your LO is sitting unsupported and is able to manage to get the food to the mouth, go for it! __________________
Status: Offline

Mar 31st, 2012, 02:25 AM	#8
Rosie06 Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Country: Posts: 1,238 Thanked others: 149 Thanked 377 times in 348 posts Currently Feeling:	instead of mashed banana try cutting it into a finger size piece, LO will prob gag a bit but its how they learn to move food around there mouth tinned peaches infruit juice is quite good i dried the outside off a bit as is was really slippery but they are really soft and quite mushy fresh peaches can be quite firm, green beans stemaed are quite good too x
Status: Offline

Mar 31st, 2012, 02:59 AM	#9
mum2jess Active BnB Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Country: Posts: 101 Thanked others: 0 Thanked 31 times in 26 posts	A great little tip for bananas. If you peel it completely, then gently squeeze the end, it will split into three. You can then divide it all the way down and you have sections that are the right size for tiny baby hands and don't go really slippery like it does if you cut it.
Status: Offline

Mar 31st, 2012, 07:20 AM	#10
Sideways 8 BnB Addict Mom of 2 under 2 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Decatur, AL Country: Posts: 8,983 Thanked others: 2,087 Thanked 2,583 times in 2,350 posts Currently Feeling:	Thanks guys I guess I'll keep trying to "teach" her to pick up finger foods every night. Might have a bunch of wasted food but we'll see. Might start with 1 or 2 steamed baby carrots!
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