Is it time for finger foods?

Since Danny turned 6 months I constantly come across mention of baby finger foods. I cannot possibly see how my LO could eat finger foods! Even now at 8 months he is not showing a very big interest in food. And if a smallest piece finds its way into his home-cooked puree, Danny gags and looks at me with big eyes. So what is the deal with finger food?

I decided to look into it.

I am reading online and in What To Expect that by 7-8ths month a baby should be able to eat finger food. In some sourced the age is 9 months. And here opinions divide! I read recommendations to encourage a baby to eat rougher consistency foods and finger foods because later on they will resist new experiences and insist on getting the food the way they are used to- pureed. Others say do not rush your baby, when a baby is ready he or she will show interest in food and will swallow little pieces without problem etc.

One of the signs that a baby is ready for finger food and self-feeding is when they learn “pincer grab” – grabbing objects with their forefinger and thumb. Danny has developed pincer grab already a long time ago!

So I am thinking to try introducing him to the safest and easiest finger food. The first choice for finger foods are those that baby can gum or that will dissolve in the mouth without chewing. According to What to Expect book such foods should be cut into “manageable cubes or chunks”. Unfortunately they don’t specify how big those cubes should be. I wish they did.
Here are some foods they mention in their list: whole-wheat bagel, whole-grain bread or toast, rice cakes or other crackers that become mushy in the mouth; oat circle cereal, wheat or rice puffs; tiny cubes of natural but pasteurized cheese (Cheddar, Swiss etc); chunks of ripe banana, very ripe pear, peach, apricot, cantaloupe, honeydew, or mango; small chunks of cooked-to-very-tender carrot, white or sweet potato, yam, broccoli, cauliflower (flowers only); fish in flakes soft meat balls, well cooked pasta…. and a couple others but I’ll stop here.

So reading this list I think I feel more or less brave to try a rice cake, banana, very ripe pear and very well cooked carrot. I wish I knew how big chunks or cubes should be so that a baby feels comfortable with it and does not choke. I guess baby finger food is way different from adult concept of finger food and should be cut into very small pieces…

Toy Review: Chicco Musical Train

We received this toy as a Christmas present from friends. Even though it is meant for ages 9 +, Danny at 7 months is already playing with it and enjoying it. The train ia amazing! I don’t know who likes it more baby or Mommy :-)

This toy consists of 2 parts: train locomotive and a carriage. I should say it is like a musical train activity center – it has so many function! So there is a locomotive part.. On the top of the locomotive there are 4 transparent buttons with 4 animals on them that activate 4 songs with the corresponding animal sounds. The sounds are cartoon like not the real thing. It is very cute! There are 2 setting for volume which is very nice! The locomotive is “operated” by a bear which you can also push to play 2 various tunes at every push. Bell on the side of the locomotive is also pushable, as well as are the handles which I realized by a mere chance when playing with my boy. (I know I should have read the instruction but who has time for this!) One handle makes the chooo-choooo sound and the other sounds like train tracks… What else… On the other side there is a ball and a window: the ball can be spun and it makes rattly sounds and the window can be opened (slid up) to reveal a snail or a turtle – not sure here…

We are not playing with the carriage yet because Danny canot really push the train. Well, the carriage has 4 passengers animals in it that move up and down when the train is moving.

It is a great toy not only for entertainment for an explorative baby but also a great thing for developing motor skill such as hand manipulation! Danny likes to spin wheels and the ball, push the bear and of course just munch on the whole thing! :-)

What I really like about this toy is that it has a great play potential for various ages. Now Danny is mostly hitting the train with his hands and rolling the wheels and the little rattly ball with his tiny finger which is already a great developing activity for a 7-months-old. In the future, not only will he enjoy rolling the train and pushing buttons to play music but I can also teach him which animals are drawn on the buttons and show the corresponding animals riding in the carriage, as well as teach him to recognize the sounds these animals make in the train songs etc. I can imagine several fun games we could play with this train.



PS: Funny observation. The main theme melody in the musical train is The Saints… kind of funny because originally it was used in the funeral music in New Orleans.