What do you feed a 9.5 month old with no teeth?

[Escaping]

What would you offer a baby who has absolutely no interest in feeding himself and no sign of teeth (still!!) 

I've been feeding him homemade purees which he loves, but if I leave it a little chunky he won't eat the chunks and doesn't even try to gum them.

[skycheattraffic]

I would put soft chunks of veggies (carrots are perfect) in front of him when possible for him to touch and play with anyways. Some babies like hard food to lick/suck/use as a teether too. Apparently my mom used to give me a bare chicken drumstick bone not to eat but to taste and explore. Kids like different textures and you can offer new things even if he isnt interested yet. Being exposed to them should help him by being available when he becomes interested. At this point, pic ring treated like toys is a normal way of exploring food

[nicewife]

Puffed rice, peas, cubes of soft sweet potato, yam, carrot, ripe pear. These were favorites for my LO. She got her first tooth at 10mo, second at 1yr, but since 7mo she only eats if she has at least some food to pick up and explore for herself.

[darwinNJ]

Have you read up on "baby led weaning"? No purées at all. Worked great for my kids and the philosophy might really match your child's reservations to eat "food before one is just for fun!"

[sere234]

My DS1 didn't get teeth until later in his 9th month but he loved food from 6 months on. We did baby led weaning and he basically ate what we ate. It worked fine for us!

[Escaping]

Originally Posted by darwinNJ 

Have you read up on "baby led weaning"? No purées at all. Worked great for my kids and the philosophy might really match your child's reservations to eat "food before one is just for fun!"

I have read up on it but he won't go for it...I always put food in front of him and he won't touch it, if on the off chance he does touch it, it's to throw it to the dogs 

Since he was 6 months old I've been putting food on his tray and there has never been a single occasion where it entered his mouth, it's so annoying! LOL

The problem is that if we're eating, he gets so excited that he sounds hysterical, but if I give it to him he won't touch it, or if I put it up to his mouth myself, he just gags and gets irritated. If I take the same food and puree it with some milk, he LOVES it and makes little hyperventilating noises if I'm not shoveling fast enough LOL

I feel bad eating in front of him when he wants what we're eating so bad... I wish baby led weaning would work for him because it would make my life so much easier if he could at least amuse himself with some kind of food on his tray for a little bit, but no matter what I try he won't do it :(

[Escaping]

Today I tried to put in a bit more of an "active effort" to try to get him to feed himself, I made his favorite foods and steamed the life out of it just to make it easier for him, I even tried to wait it out but it just made him so frustrated :(

Is there anyone whose baby still ate nothing at 10 months? (he'll be 10 this weekend). 

[darwinNJ]

If you go onto some BLW forums (eg Facebook & an actual forum on the books we page), there are some. The whole theory behind it is food is just for fun and if they are under one, don't stress. As long as they are having lots of formula or BM, don't stress that is Just let them touch and babies eat when they are ready- somewhere between 6-12 mos. hope this helps calm your stress!

[Escaping]

It does help, thank you, I'll check those out :)

[bearandotter]

Teeth are optional. My kids didn't get their first teeth until 13 months (same with their daddy). We Baby Led Weaned with both and seriously they are EVERYTHING with those sharp little gums. Either sticks or slices of softer foods (avocado, cooked veggies, fruit) or small chunks of cheese, or meats. By ~10 months they ate all that we ate - from indian curries to lasagna.

But I agree with PPer. Breastmilk is for nutrition up until about 12 months and 'food' is for learning and experiencing (and bonus if they get nutrition from it too).

[Quinalla]

I have to say, lack of teeth didn't stop my DD from eating anything, she didn't get teeth until ~13 months. I'd just keep making some chunkier stuff available and try and offer different things to see if something catches his attention, but also giving purees too if that is what he likes. But most nutrition should be from BM/formula before one, so they really don't need to be eating a lot.

[Mama2Max]

My son is almost 10m and doesn't have a single tooth in his head. He eats pretty much everything I eat with only occasional gagging now. We've been doing BLW since about 7m. You may want to try giving your baby something to dip into his purees and suck on or nibble, like a rice cake or toast strips. I used to give max a half a rice cake and yogurt or mushy veggies. He spread most of it around his tray, bit a good bot did end up on his rice cake and ultimately in his mouth. Teeth are definitely not necessary though. Good luck!