Why Wont My 8 Month Eat Stage 3 Foods Yet =(

If he's not ready, then don't give him Stage 3. All kids are different and just because he's not ready for Stage 3 foods doesn't mean he's "slower" than any other kid. Don't compare him to anyone else. He is his own person and will do things in his own time.

Easy. Just feed him whatever he will eat. Keep trying new things, and as he's able to eat them, he will. Nobody ever went to kindergarten eating only stage 2 foods. ;)

Some kids never do stage three, they just go from stage 2 to table foods. It might be a texture thing. My boy hates the chunks, but has no problem chewing up a storm.

You'll sort it out.
good luck to you and yours,
F. B.

Eating is not a race.
My kids pretty much went from breast to table, over time, at about 12 to 18 months old.
They never liked "baby" food and it wasn't really necessary anyway.
As long as your baby is healthy and growing and thriving, that's all that really matters.
Talk to your pediatrician if you think your son is unhealthy or not growing/developing as he should.

Ours is 16months. Never even tried stage 3. Went from stage 2 to introducing finger foods around 9-10 months.

Then we had a mix - one stage two, some finger foods and formula.

About one year we switched to milk, and by then he was wanting to establish his independence in only eating foods he could feed himself.

Even now, we can only occassionally spoon feed him - which is ok with me as i no longer have to sit and spoon feed for EVERY meal.

He's not slower than other kids - he's just perfect for himself. Careful - you don't want to give him a complex already! :)

Everyone needs their own time, however if it REALLY bothers you and changes have not been made by 12 months then ask the pediatrition for a Swallow Study.

My son has sensory issues - most are linked to his face/head region and when he was young he was a "stuffer" I mean his face was chipmunked before he would start to swallow his food or drink and in fact would choke if he did NOT stuff his face before swallowing. We were guided by ECI to hold off on the swallow study until they worked on some more OT, he was not choking eating his way and it went away as his OT services progressed. So, I would simply be happy that your baby is eating foods at all, is nurished and just keep an eye on it. If it helps journal it so in a few months, if needed you have the info when you ask for a swallow study.

Relax -- he's not ready, and he doesn't need to be! Some people don't even start solids with their kids until that age or older (although many start at 4-6 months). He'll be ready when he's ready -- my two kids advanced at very different stages. You're doing just fine -- he's telling you he's not ready.

slow down.. he is not ready. some kids have trouble wiht the textures in # 3 foods.

stop.. wait.. try again in a month. what is the big hurry to feed him anything the baby food is just practice for eating later. his nutrition comes form formula.. not the food.

my daughter was on baby food till 15 months.. she is fine .. it is no big deal.

It's no big deal - just stay with stage 2 long as you want and try stage 3 again several months later or move on to finger foods.
My son was later than most taking to solids - till almost his first birthday.
It's not a contest - every baby has his/her own schedule and there's a broad range that passes for normal.
As long as they are gaining weight and meeting other milestones, you've got nothing to worry about.

My kids never ate stage 3. I thought they looked kind of gross. Around 9-10 months, just start slowly introducing table foods (real food) instead. Cut whatever you're eating into tiny bites and let your son pick those up with his fingers and eat them. If he's not ready, stick to stage 2. There is NOTHING wrong with stage 2 for an 8 month old. Honestly, I think I bought a total of four or five stage 3 jars combined for my two kids and don't think they ever ate any of them.

Neither one of my kids ate stage 3. They are yucky and both of them spit them out. Stick with 2s and move on to finger foods. My kiddos only ate jar food for a couple of months and then quit and now we just have food. We cut some into smaller bites for the 13 month old, but that's it. GL new mama! You are doing a good job!

All 3 of my kids HATE the stage 3 foods. I tried to get them to eat it, but the texture is just ODD. Try it for yourself, and you will see it is really an odd texture.

As suggested to me by other ladies on this list, just put some of the food you prepare for yourself into a food processer/Magic Bullet/or similar contraption and let him try that.

The stages of baby food are a guide for parents, not a hard and fast rule. My kids hated most baby food, even when I made my own, they wanted real food. My first son was eating table food he could feed himself at 7 months, my daughter never ate baby food, my little guy never went past stage 1 foods, he wanted what we had.

Keep feeding your son the stage 2 foods and introduce him to soft finger foods he can pick up and feed himself. If he is still gagging at a year mention it to his pediatrician at his one year check-up.

I love what someone wrote about eating not being a race. It is so true. I read about the obesity problem in the world and shudder. There should be no rush. Are you nursing still? If you are, he's getting all the needed nutrients so don't worry.
I was like that other woman, my daughter went from breast, to our food. Her first food was miso soup, veggies with brown rice.

You are not a bad mom by worrying!!! You're great for wanting to do the best possible thing for him. Just remember not everyone achieves the same goal at the same time. Some are quicker in somethings, some take a while longer. Remember the story The Little Engine That Could? We all get there in the end....

It is NOT a race! truly! both my girls were 6 months when they started on stage one foods, i didn't even try them before then, they were on stage 2 till 8 or 9 months, and then started on stage 3, and were eating "real food" by their first birthdays.

I think way too much focus on having kids do things "on time" or early... what is popular is not always right- kids are individuals! So, keep you eye of the calendar and just follow your baby's cues. How fast your baby takes to solids is not a sign of intelligence... because that sort of readiness is more of a physical development. As long as he is otherwise growing and healthy- relax! I have NEVER seen a healthy child who went to kindergarten with mom spooning stage 2 foods in his mouth! have you?

you don't mention, but does your son have teeth... I think that kids with teeth take to more textural foods better... some kids get theirs as early as 3-4 months old... while some don't get chompers till they are nearly a year. if he doesn't have a good set of top teeth and bottom teeth yet, all you can do is wait...

enjoy him being a baby while it lasts! My youngest daughter just turned one, and there are moments I really wish she would crawl instead of walk, babble instead of talk, and be little instead of so big! They'll be grown up soon enough!

-M.

Your baby isn't ready for stage 3 foods. That's all, it's simple.
Both of my kids never liked the stage 3 foods. They loved the puréed foods, but didn't like the ones that had chunks in them.
Give it some time. Try stage 3 again in a month. My kids never liked them. You may just skip them & go straight to cut up food on his tray that he feeds to himself as he gets closer to a year old.
You're not a bad Mom. He simply doesn't like it.

He doesn't have to eat stage 3 foods yet.

Go according to, your baby's cues.
He is NOT "slower."
He is only 8 months old.

Our Pediatrician, told me, don't even give my kids Cherrios until 12 months, and only per their cues.
There is no rush... to get a baby to eat chunks of food or hard foods or adult sized food pieces.
It has to be according to the baby's cues.

My kids hated stage 3 foods also. I guess it's the chunky consistence that they didn't like. I just stuck with stage 2 and added soft table foods. Take macaroni and cut it up (so its even smaller), bananas, cheese, soft cooked cubed carrots, peas, etc. You can probably start cheerios also. At this stage when he will be starting on a lot of firsts, get only one of something and see if he likes it before you go and buy/prepare a lot. It's frustrating because once they get a 'favorite' and start pushing away things, you will feel like he is eating the same thing every day, over and over. Been there.

My son is almost 10 mos and doesn't like Stage 3 with the chunks or any table foods. He gags on them. He's been like that the whole time....I've had to keep trying, stopping, trying again at each stage. The Ped told me that foods were not an issue and that his bottles were all he needed for the first year. He told me to give him time and eventually he'd figure it all out. Relax! :)

He's too young for stage 3 foods. He should be taking his formula first at this age. It has every nutrients and vitamin he needs. He is doing without nutrition if he is eating these foods instead of taking a bottle first.

This is a mistake many of us moms make. We think they need food to get nutrition. At this age the act of "eating" is only for teaching this child to chew and swallow. Not to be getting their nutrition from it.

Baby food is only flavored goo with a few vitamins tossed in. The baby food company told me so themselves when I called to inquire about expiration dates. They told me it has the very minimalist nutrition allowed to even be called food. It is a teaching tool not for nutrition.

So ignore people who say he should be on this already. They are not doing their children any favors.

Your baby needs you to be a good mom and give him his formula first. Then give him a few bites of baby food to teach him to chew and swallow. When he is older he will be ready for chunky foods.

I recommend just going to table foods that are healthier. Such as mashed potatoes without all the butter, salt, and other stuff. That other stuff is not healthy for the baby but the potato is. He needs a very minimal amount of food anyway.

His tummy is about the size of his hand when he makes a fist so keep any food servings to a very small size to begin with.

My youngest had a hard time getting used to the chunks in his food. It just took time.