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Baby food: Mashed, Minced or Lumpy

One of the gifts we received after our son was born was a baby food blender.These mini-blenders are meant to help parents make their own baby food, which is great, but they tend to leave baby’s food in a smooth pureed texture.

While pureed food makes for an easy introduction to solid foods, babies quickly need more texture to help them develop their eating skills.
There’s a tremendous amount of learning and skill development around eating that happens between the ages of six and 12 months. During this short period, most babies will progress from eating just a few pureed or mashed soft foods to eating many of the same foods that the family eats.

Babies are ready to be introduced to solid foods at about six months of age. As your baby develops, try increasing the amount of texture in his or her food.

Babies may gag while learning to eat foods with more texture. Gagging is caused by your baby’s very sensitive gag reflex and actually helps to prevent choking. If your baby gags try to stay calm and reassuring—you’ll both get through it. Even though babies have a built-in anti choking reflex it’s important to be prepared and to keep a close eye on them while they’re eating so you can quickly help out if they start to choke on something.

Do you make your own baby food at home?  Let us know what your baby liked and how you introduced foods with more texture.