My almost nine month old is refusing mush solids. I went to earths best third foods about a week ago, he hates them. I then went back to the second foods. He hates them. He has decided he only wants things he can feed himself. Well, now I ask you ladies...What is that? he cant live on gerber puffs and stars, and really really cooked carrot pieces. What can I give a nine month? he has eight teeth, doesnt quite fully understand chewing but is getting there. Niether of my other two did this with me!!!
Both my boys were the same way, so I just started feeding them regular food cut into very small bites. They were both completely on table food (besides their bottles) at 9 months. They were able to eat meals with the rest of the family and it was much cheaper than buying the baby food!
Give him the same things you give to everyone else. My son quit eating baby food at 8 months old. He has always been a self-feeder. Cut things up and use your common sense about things. Don't worry about making things blander for him either.
I talked to a lady last week on another mama website who said her nine month old was eating ONLY finger foods and had been for a month. I was surprised, but then I read that at 8 months you should start letting them try to feed themselves and by 9 months it is ok for them to eat all cubed foods instead of purees. I use www.wholesomebabyfood.com for my puree babyfood recipies, but they also have finger food ideas. I also use a website by Annabel Karmel. http://www.annabelkarmel.com/ I know gerber also has a lot of finger food type sutff available, but they might be a little big for him yet. I have also seen little tiny cubes of dried fruits in the baby isle at the grocery store.
He has eight teeth and is old enough to be eating everything except honey. Just cut it up into bite size pieces for him. It doesn't have to be mush anymore. So just give him a plate of whatever everyone else eats.
My younger was the same way. She just has to be like her older brother. Cut up bananas, chicken nuggets and cheese, cereal, peas, rice, canned fruit chunks are all things that he can pick up by himself. If he is still breast feeding, or drinking formula, you don't really need to worry about solid foods supplying nutrition at this point, so if he eats only a couple of things it is okay.
Try finding chunky handled spoons and bowls that suction to the table/high chair...let him feed himself yogurt or apple sauce...you did say you wanted a mess to clean:-) Makes for good pictures, and lets him start feeling he can do things for himself like his older siblings.
Beans are a great choice! String cheese is good if you pre-slice it so it's not a throat sized circle! Peas, corn, blueberries, cut grapes, pasta shells, all good choices!
Cheerios, Cheerios with yogurt mixed, scrambled eggs, little pieces of pasta with tomato sauce/cheese, refried beans, bananas, strawberries(cut up really small), blueberries (I use thawed frozen ones), bite size peanut butter & jelly, potatoes/sweet potatoes. There are lots of things that they can eat - my daughter is 13 months old and would NEVER eat baby food. It was definitely a challenge, especially because she only had four teeth until this past month, but she is just fine and eats just about everything now.
Yes, I agree with the rest below... just about anything that you can serve soft, and let him "dig in"! lol I have a crib that I'd love to sell, if you are interested, let me know, that has a tray top that is dishwasher safe that snaps on the big tray. It's awesome! I would use it as a big plate for them and they loved being able to "do it themselves". You could chop up green beans to 'pea sized', and little chopped up broccoli or other cooked veggies. Cherrios... I should have bought stock! lol They loved them. Have you tried giving him a baby spoon and see if he can do yogurt on his own? I would cook apples diced small, maybe with a touch of cinnamon on them. You might try making some healthy muffins and breaking them up for him, too. Good luck!
Pastas with sauce, cooked peas and greens beans, cubed potatoes, either white or yams, steamed broccoli. Very well done chicken or beef chunks.. cooked moist so they'll mush under pressure. A friend of mine cooked pot pies and used them for 'junior' style meals for her kids. He's imitating his older brothers, it's okay. Give him a sipper cup to drink from at the table. Mashed potatoes with crumbled meat broth/gravy. Enjoy!!!
soft cubed avocado is great, cooked sweet potato cubes, cooked peas... anything like that... my now 2 1/2 year old loved all of those at that age when she wanted to be miss independant feeding herself. cheeses too if you have introduced that and banana peices, papaya, cantalope.... you get the idea... for us, variety helped a lot and she now will still eat most anything as long as its not "picy" as she says. :) good luck.
I wouldn't worry too much if he does not like baby food. Just try and give him the same things the baby food would give him. If I were you I would buy, cook and cut up: sweet potatoes, potatoes, apples, pears, peaches, green beans, brocoli, califlower, carrots, etc. You can also just cut up what the rest of you are eating for dinner. Whole grain noodles and cheerios are better than that Gerber stuff because of the whole grains. Eggs and cheese are other items that you could feed him as well a cooked hamburger. I am sure if you get creative and give him all the real healthy food he wants, you will have plenty of messes to clean up!
