Feeding 7-9 Months FAQs

• My 8 month old refuses to let us feed him solid foods because he wants to be in control of the spoon. NEW!
  
• My son just had his 8 month birthday and adores feeding himself. I was wondering what I could give him to replace the infant cereal.
• For three weeks our 8 month old has had twelve ounces of formula a day does this affect our baby health wise in terms of iron deffeciency?
• I would like to know if you could tell me the benefits of giving babies yogurt. I thought they get most of their nutrients from breastmilk/formula until 1 year of age.
• My breastfed 7-month-old is refusing all solids, but it's a different situation to the one already posted in your FAQ. What should I do?
• My 8 month-old son sucks his thumb in between every single spoonful of baby cereal. Should I do anything about this?
• My 19 month old will only eat veggies in pureed form. Can you suggest anything to help him eat cooked veggies that are not pureed?
• My toddler is a VERY picky eater and does not like trying new foods. Any suggestions?
• My daughter is 8.5 month old. She does not like to sit in the high chair. I am afraid she will get used to be fed everywhere but high chair.
• My son is addicted to the bottle. Can a baby be addicted to feeding?
• Is it okay to give my nine month old daughter finely chopped meats instead of pureed? Also, she is only taking about 14 to 18 oz. of formula a day, is this enough?
• How do you distinguish gagging from choking?
• When is it appropriate for my baby to start self-feeding (teething biscuits, cheerios, etc.)?
• You say not to give babies meat until 8 months...I gave my babies the Earth's Best turkey and vegetable + the chicken and sweet potatoes at around 6.5 months. Is that OK?
• What are some safe finger foods I can give my 7 month old?
• I have heard that you should feed babies yogurt without a certain chemical in it, Is there a certain type of yogurt I should feed my nine month old?
• Do you recommend a book that suggests healthy quick baby meal for a 9 month old?
• My baby is fighting me on eating solid foods... any ideas?
• Where can I find information on raising a vegetarian baby?
• When should I start my baby on juices?
• What are the best solid foods for older infants?

My 8 month old refuses to let us feed him solid foods because he wants to be in control of the spoon. How do we get him to eat more? We've tried giving him a spoon of his own, and using one to spoon food in, but he just gets mad when we take "his" out of his mouth.

Your son is showing some "personality"! Often the two spoon technique works, but not here. Here are some options: 1. wait until he takes his spoon out of his mouth before trying to give him the food on your spoon; 2. patiently sit by and let him feed himself only with his spoon; or 3. try some finger foods (and hope he will like these and let you put some in his mouth). For any of these approaches, avoid struggling with him.
 

My son just had his 8 month birthday and adores feeding himself. So far he has had veggies & crackers. I was wondering what I could give him to replace the infant cereal. I know that it is fortified with the iron, etc. so what could replace that?

As long as your son enjoys infant cereal, keep giving it. When the time comes that he no longer enjoys it, obviously, don't give it to him any longer. If he likes meats, there is iron there, but the bulk of his iron at this point comes from the iron fortified formula. There is also some iron in dairy products. But the bottom line is: give him whatever he likes!
 

For three weeks our 8 month old has had twelve ounces of formula a day does this affect our baby health wise in terms of iron deffeciency?

Infants do require plenty of iron during their first year of life. The two main sources are the iron in infant cereal and the iron in milk (formula or breast milk). There is a good amount of iron in the amount of formula your baby takes each day. It would be even better if he/she still likes infant cereal, to encourage that as well. While more iron is better, getting a bit less will not affect your child's health.
 

I would like to know if you could tell me the benefits of giving babies yogurt. I thought they get most of their nutrients from breastmilk/formula until 1 year of age.

According to experts in the field of infant nutrition, breast milk or formula, is the preferred diet for infants in the first 6 months of life. Solid foods, which tend to be high in carbohydrate, are introduce at 6 months and are given with the breast milk or formula. After 6 months of age, children need more carbohydrate to burn as energy for all the activity they have. Yogurt is another food that is soft and easy to give to infants. They usually like it, also. Yogurt has calcium, calories (mostly as carbohydrate, but also some protein and a little fat).
 

My breastfed 7-month-old is refusing all solids. A different situation to the one already posted in your FAQ. We started between 5 and 6 months and she would take one or two tiny spoons of cereal then, plus pureed vegetables, but now she has decided she doesn't like the "game" and is refusing to open her mouth to anything. If we trick her into opening her mouth and then shove the spoon in, she doesn't seem to mind the taste of whatever we offer and will swallow some, but still refuses to open her mouth for more. We have tried giving it a rest for a few days and the reaction is exactly the same.

I'm a bit worried because our doctor has expressed concern about her lack of weight gain. She has increased the frequency of her breastfeeds from 3 to 2 hours in the daytime. I'm working part-time (only 1 or 2 days per week) and she doesn't take much expressed milk from the bottle while I'm out (300ml in 12 hours) so I am keen to persuade her to accept food from a different source.

We have tried some finger foods in the hope that she might prefer feeding herself, which she does - she has tried pieces of banana and baby rice cakes but has ended up gagging on them and vomiting, so I think she can only cope with swallowing pureed stuff at the moment. Any other ideas?

Your question is beyond what I feel comfortable answering without knowing the patient well. However, here are some general guidelines:

1. many children are not interested initially in solid foods. Sometimes waiting a few weeks and trying again is successful. As you did, trying finger foods may work.

2. Struggling with your child over feedings should be avoided at all costs.

3. Children who don't eat solids initially usually take enough milk to grow appropriately. If your child is not gaining well, this should be discussed with your pediatrician. Is there a medical problem? Are you offering enough milk? Is there something wrong with the sucking-swallowing mechanism? Etc. In a worse case scenario, your child might need to be fed by a nasogastric tube.

4. Some gagging with finger foods is common and normal.
 

My 8 month-old son sucks his thumb in between every single spoonful of baby cereal. Is this normal? Should I do anything about this, or hope he will eventually get the hang of swallowing his food without using his thumb?

Besides the fact that his sucking his thumb gets in the way of the spoon, there is not problem here. After he puts his thumb in his mouth, offer him the next spoonful of the cereal. If he removes his thumb, great! If he doesn't, try once more. If again unsuccessful, I would suggest ending the meal. He'll learn soon enough to keep his thumb out of the way.
 

My 19 month old will only eat veggies in pureed form. He eats fruits in small pieces without a problem. Can you suggest anything to help him eat cooked veggies that are not pureed? Thank you

Your son has definite preferences. If he prefers to eat vegetables pureed and fruits in small pieces, that is fine. The nutrition is the same no matter solid or pureed. Perhaps in the future he will change his mind, but there is no harm in letting him eat the way he prefers.
 

My toddler is a VERY picky eater and does not like trying new foods. He is going through the phase where foods he likes become foods he no longer is interested in. My biggest frustration is getting him to eat more vegetables like he used to. My last resort for making sure he gets more daily allowances of vegetables is to offer 100% vegetable/fruit juice blends but dentists only recommend juice once (or twice daily) due to the sugar. Any other suggestions?

Toddlers are famous for being picky eaters. Although there are always a few kids who will eat all food types, the majority of kids do not like vegetables, and often they don't much like fruits and meats. What they do like are starches (bread, pasta, French fries, etc.). Kids can live quite well on such a diet. Eating must be enjoyable for the child. Food struggles should be avoided. Give him the best possible foods he enjoys, but don't push him to eat one he indicates is no longer a favorite. Some parents find that they can only give the starches; in a case like this, it is o.k. At least try to give the most healthy breads, cookies, etc.
 

My daughter is 8.5 month old. She does not like to sit in the high chair, and I do not force it. Sometimes I am able to feed her sitting in my lap, or by her toys. I have read that by feeding baby in the highchair reduces the risk of chocking. What should I do? I am afraid she will get used to be fed everywhere but high chair.

I prefer having infants get their meals in high chairs rather than on a parent's lap, but I am not aware of any increased danger from feeding children on mom's or dad's lap. The reasons I have for preferring the high chair are: with proper straps/ restraints, there is less danger of a fall; the food mess gets on the chair's table, the infant, and perhaps the surrounding floor, but not on you; we want to encourage children to feed themselves. When a child is a little older and can walk and run, it's nice having her limited to the high chair where she can focus on eating. Otherwise, she may leave the meal and go off to more "interesting" things.
 

My son is addicted to the bottle. He eats about 7 11oz. bottles a day plus 1 jar of 2nd stage baby food. He just turned 7 months and weighs 24lbs. He is a very fussy baby, cries all the time and acts like he is starving. He will have just finished a bottle and 10 minutes later you can give him another and he will literally grab it and smash it to his face like he is starving. Can a baby be addicted to feeding? What can I do to help him realize he is not hungry? Thank you.

If your son is hungry minutes after a feeding, it means he needs a bigger meal. However, in this case, I wonder if something else is going on. His weight, 24 pounds, is quite a lot. Could it be that something is bothering him and he uses the bottle as a soothing mechanism? If he is overweight, discuss this with your pediatrician. He or she may advise limiting the formula and†replacing some of it with water. No one is "addicted" to feeding, but I would suggest looking in to why he is so hungry.
 

Is it okay to give my nine month old daughter finely chopped meats instead of pureed? Although she does not have any teeth yet she has been doing well with the chopped, but all the recipes are for pureeing. Also, she is only taking about 14 to 18 oz of formula a day. Will this cause her to be deficient of any nutrients? She is gaining weight appropriately and has a good appetite with her solids. But, I'm wondering if I should try to push more formula. I would appreciate some input. Thank you.

A child doesn't need teeth to be able to chew small, soft pieces of food. Their gums are quite good at mashing the piece of food. Any finger food is o.k. to give if it is small (size of cheerio), easily mashed (nothing hard or tough), and is a food she is allowed to have. Your daughter is getting enough formula; between that and her solids she should be getting all the nutrients she needs.
 

How do you distinguish gagging from choking?

Gagging is when food is not swallowed and triggers the gag reflex by touching the back of the throat. Choking is when food enters the wind pipe and lodges there, blocking off air entry. However, when a child takes relatively big pieces of food, the fear is that it may "go down the wrong pipe". The gag reflex actually is a defense against this. I recommend giving pieces of food that are small (cheerio size or smaller) and easily mushed by gums or teeth.
 

When is it appropriate for my baby to start self-feeding (teething biscuits, cheerios, etc.)?

As with many questions about infants, there are many opinions and no one right answer on when to start finger-foods. My own preference is to introduce them at about 8 months of age. Two points to remember: not all children like their food as pieces right away, so if he or she prefers pureed foods, that's fine. Also, it is a normal part of learning to swallow pieces of food to let the food touch the back of your throat without swallowing. This triggers a gag reflex. It is not choking and is not dangerous.
 

I noticed on your suggested feeding schedule that you say not to give babies meat until 8 months. I am a new mommy and have not had a guideline to go by...thus I began giving my babies the Earth's Best turkey and vegetable + the chicken and sweet potatoes at around 6.5 months. These are the only meat related foods I have given them and they seem to love them. Is this ok or should I go back to only feeding them a vegetable based diet for one more month?

If they are already tolerating the meats, there is no need to change. The
only reason to delay the introduction of meats, is to wait for the GI tract to
be more mature to try to decrease the chance of food intolerance. This does
not seem to be a concern for your child.
 

My baby is 7 1/2 months old. What are some safe finger foods that I can start giving her? I need foods that will "dissolve" in her mouth with little manipulation. It seems like many of the finger foods contain wheat products. Are these safe in regards to allergies?

Finger foods for children this age should be small (about the size of a cheerio) and easily "mushed" by the gums (teeth are not necessary). I recommend these as initial finger foods: banana (cut up into small pieces), cheerios, boiled carrot (cut up into small pieces). When introduced, meats and cheese also make good finger foods.
It is possible for a child to develop an allergy to wheat. Luckily, most children are not allergic to wheat. For most children, it's worth a trial of a new food containing wheat and observing for any reactions.
 

I have heard that you should feed babies yogurt without a certain chemical in it, Is there a certain type of yogurt I should feed my nine month old?

I am not aware of any chemical in yogurt that should be avoided. I usually recommend any adult, full fat yogurt for infants. I prefer plain yogurt to fruit-flavored varieties because one study showed that the level of calcium is higher in plain yogurt. I tell parents in my practice that if they want flavored yogurt, start with plain yogurt and mix in either pureed/ jarred fruit or small pieces of fresh fruit.
 

Do you recommend a book that suggests healthy quick baby meal for a 9 month old. My daughter is not very interested in eating and is very picky...prefers things such as crackers, yogurt, most fruits, sweeter vegetables. Meal time is not very looked forward to by any of us. I have been reading Gina Ford's book called "The Contented Little Baby Book". This has decent meal suggestions but no recipes.

I am not aware of a book. I usually recommend expanding on the foods a child likes giving them more often. (Try putting cheese on the crackers.) Try to avoid anxiety and anger around food. Children pick up on their care-givers' attitude towards eating. Making meals a battle will get you no where.
 

Question: I can't get my 7-month-old baby to eat baby food most of the time. He sits in his chair with his lips pursed and tears streaming down his face. I've been trying for over a month now with very little success. When he does eat it's not much and then he doesn't want to nurse much. He also seems to be getting constipated. I give him pear juice, but not too much or he won't nurse. He was diagnosed with reflux when he was a month old. I don't know if that has anything to do with it. He seems to be gaining weight and appears to be happy and healthy. What would you recommend that I do? I'm afraid this is going to continue past the point at which I can solely nurse him for health and nutrition.

: It can be very trying for a mom or caretaker when their child refuses to be fed. Your instincts are correct: don't force the issue. (If feeding becomes a struggle, he'll eat less and fight more.) Sometimes, resuming feeds after stopping solids for a week is successful. Other possible causes: 1. he may prefer finger foods to pureed foods (try some cheerios); 2. he may want to take more control of feedings (when he is a little older, he will be able to pick up the finger foods and feed himself); 3. if reflux is the cause of the feeding refusal, the crying should also occur with breast feeds. 4. it is very unusual, but severe food allergy can be so uncomfortable to kids that they won't eat. Before I would consider any of these four, I'd try taking a vacation from solids for a week or two and then resume them.
 

My husband and I are vegetarians. (We do eat dairy.) We want to raise our daughter vegetarian too. Where can I find information on raising a vegetarian baby? Where will a baby 6 months old - 1 year old get protein?

The American Academy of Pediatrics can give all the help you need (http://www.aap.org/" target="_blank">www.aap.org). Between 6 and 12 months of age, vegetarian diets pose no problem for infants. If you use cereal, fruits, vegetables, milk (breast milk or formula), cheese and yogurt, all nutritional needs are met (if most milk is breast milk, vitamins A, C, and D should be supplemented). The protein comes from the dairy products (breast milk and formulas are 20-30 % protein). The body can also make amino acids and protein from carbohydrates (milk, solid foods).
 

My Baby boy just turned 3 months. He is 100% Breastfed. What age should I start him on Juice and which juice should be first- orange or apple?

Juice is not a very important food for infants. From a nutrition point of view it adds very little. Undiluted there are a third the calories of breast milk (or formula). Many parents dilute the juice so that there are even less calories per ounce. Juice is a low calorie item that fills up your child. He/she will be less hungry for higher calorie items if the amount of juice given is more than a small amount.

There is no specific age for introducing juices. Some experts say that once you have introduced apple sauce, you can then give apple juice; after pears are introduced, you can give pear juice, etc. Oranges are usually introduced later than these fruits, so orange juice would be introduced later.

I usually suggest introducing juices between 7 and 8 months of age, but don't give more than 4-5 ounces a day. I don't usually recommend diluting it.
 

What are the best solid foods for older infants?

As infants get older, they come to prefer their solids as finger foods: little pieces that they can pick up and put in their mouths. The infant cereals lose their appeal once this stage is reached.

If your child does want (pureed-quality) cereal, try finger foods. If all your child wants is breast milk, that's o.k. (as long as he/she is gaining weight nicely). Periodically try to offer the solids again.