[eli's mama]

Just out of curiosity, does anyone let their teething babe chew on crusty bread? I don't, but just about all the old people in my life and some not so old ones, say "let him chew on some crusty bread!" like that is what everyone does. i'm pretty sure he would choke, but i just wondered what others were doing. And if anyone else is being harassed about this bread thing. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol">

 

[Astromom]

yeah, I get the same! I hear it over at my MIL and FIL's house all the time. We go there for dinner often and every time my FIL sees my slobbering 4 month old, he says "Give that kid some bread!" Um, yeah... not my first choice, but thanks for the tip anyway <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol">

 

[wombatclay]

Hmmm...they probably wouldn't choke (depending on their age and familiarity with solids), but since wheat is a common allergen I wouldn't want to have bread (crusty or not) as a first food or even as an "early" food. The one my older relatives all suggest are meat bones though...which always makes me want to tell them I have a baby, not a puppy! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol">

 

[boscopup]

My 7.5 month old was gnawing on a pizza crust (whole wheat, homemade) tonight. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/duck.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Duck">: But he's been eating solids for 2 months and has eaten lots of large foods like that. He does great with it.<br><br>
And yes, he eats wheat. We have no family history of allergies, so there's no reason to hold off on wheat for so long (unless you're using the argument of babies not getting any grains for the first year, but I don't agree with that, so I give grains now. They just aren't a FIRST food).

 

[Herausgeber]

Yep, it's one of her favorite foods. She eats ww toast for breakfast every morning. pizza crust when i give it to her. pita bread with chickpea or eggplant dip.<br><br>
edited to add: she self feeds. and i've never seen her so much as gag on bread. she handles it really well.

 

[bohemama]

We give our 8m/o pieces of crusty bread when we're having it. She loves it and has never choked or gagged on it. DD1 would not have done so well with bread at the same age. I guess it just depends<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/winky.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Wink">

 

[eli's mama]

But those of you who give it, give it as food, not as a teether right? Granted, they use it however they want to.<br>
Also, I get the meat bone thing too.

 

[wflcpw]

Bread is a great teether. Frozen bagels. No choking, 9 months today!!<br>
Also, if wheat is an allergy in your family, then avoid it, otherwise, it is fine to introduce as early as 6-7 months. DS first food was cream of wheat with fresh strawberries, another "allergen". DS is the 4th - it wasn't a planned first food.<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol"><br>
Now, meat bone - IMO - YUCK!

 

[boscopup]

The pizza crust I gave last night was meant for food, but really he was teething on it as he didn't get much of anything off. I had already given him some bite size pieces to pick up and consume, so now it was just chewing for fun really.<br><br>
I've been tempted to give a meat bone, but we haven't really had boney meat since I started feeding him meat. It was right when we were just starting solids that he desperately tried to get my chicken thigh, and I decided not to give it, but really probably should have. Most of the meats we eat are boneless though, and he gets those (shredded into very small pieces usually). He's even had competition beef brisket. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile">

 

[eli's mama]

Jeez, now i feel like such a non-food feeder. My poor baby. I don't know what's gotten into me, but I am suddenly so scared of choking. I'm going to get over it today. It's not even like he's my first, I just haven't had the energy to do the baby food thing. I thought I'd wait for finger foods. So you guys thing 7.5 months is old enough?

 

[Momma2SoSweet]

My dd uses rolls, breadsticks, etc as teethers all the time. It's intended as actual food, but try telling her that. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngtongue.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Stick Out Tongue"><br><br>
PP- my dd started on finger foods around 6.5 months. We tried 'baby food' around 6 months old and she wasn't having it. She likes real food- whatever we're eating usually. She has had the pincher grasp down and been sitting up great since 5 months. If your lo seems ready at 7.5 months, I'd give it a shot. Just follow your lo's cues. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"><br><br>
Oh, fwiw- my dd doesn't have teeth yet.

 

[boscopup]

If your child acts like he's ready, then 7.5 months is totally fine. I haven't done baby food. I started with whole foods at 5.5 months (when I was wrestling him for my food everyday) and added in finger foods around 6.5 months when his pincer grasp formed. He technically is still working on that pincer grasp, but since he will grab my hand and bring it to his mouth or he'll move his head forward to get his mouth on something, I still consider that self-feeding - he's wanting the food in his mouth, wanting to eat, and is making it happen in whatever way he can. And yes, he really does want to consume food, not just chew on it. He gets fussy now if he doesn't get stuff he can bite off and swallow.

 

[CanBoo]

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<div style="font-style:italic;">The one my older relatives all suggest are meat bones though...which always makes me want to tell them I have a baby, not a puppy! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol"></div>
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Bones are also suggested suggested in the Womanly Art... I have not tried though.

 

[wombatclay]

oh, I know...bones seem to be mentioned in a lot of places as good teething/finger foods (sears baby book, womanly art, etc). We let dd1 self feed from the start and we'll let dd2 do that as well. I just have that "puppy" reaction every time I see the bone suggestion! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"><br><br>
About wheat allergies though...our family has no history of wheat or gluten allergies. But dd1's eczema was eventually traced to gluten. It took a long time and several elimination diets for both of us before we figured it out. So now I am a bit more cautious about introducing little ones to those top 6 or 7 allergenic foods! But that's not what the OP was asking about...I'm sorry my initial reply seemed to sidetrack people a bit!

 

[paquerette]

If you haven't started anything else yet, I wouldn't start with that. We started with fruits and veggies at 7.5 mo (for food, not for teething I mean). For teething you could do the usual cold (not frozen) teething rings, wooden teething toys, amber teething necklace, frozen washcloth, breastmilk popsicle, or maybe some frozen fruit or veggie if you want to start some, in one of those mesh feeders.

 

[liliaceae]

Both my grandmothers have suggested the meat bone thing, and now my mom is constantly harassing us about it <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile">. Every time we eat meat she says, "why don't we give him a bone to chew on?" I actually don't think it would do any harm, but I didn't want to do it the first few times, and I guess I won't do it now just because I feel like I'd be giving in or something <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"><br><br>
I agree though don't start him out on bread, try something soft like fruits or cooked veggies.