Feed the 9 mouthed baby

Smarter Spoon-Feeding - Feeding Littles

Many parents who follow Feeding Littles utilize the concept of Baby-led Weaning (BLW), which means that babies feed themselves whole foods from the start. (Don’t worry – it doesn’t mean that baby weans early from the breast or bottle – the term weaning is the European use of the word, meaning introduction of solid foods.)

With BLW, parents don’t spoon food into a baby’s mouth. While this approach can be great for many families, it doesn’t fit everyone, and many parents choose the “Traditional Weaning/Feeding” (TW) route where babies are spoon fed purees and gradually eat other textures, building up to self-feeding all foods. The goal of either approach is for a baby to learn how to eat all safe textures; BLW babies get there faster, but TW works well for many families too.

With spoon-feeding, parents are sometimes coached on what to feed baby and how much to offer, but nobody tells them how to actually do it. Turns out, most of us don’t do it correctly from a developmental and motor perspective. Since Feeding Littles supports all ways of feeding babies (as long as they’re fed!), we want to give you some pointers on how best to spoon feed a baby. Even if you plan to do BLW, keep reading – these tips apply to feeding kids in general, and some of these concepts may be completely new to you!

Remember: we share this information to educate and help you have your best feeding experience possible. We never intend to offend or shame anyone into thinking they have “done it all wrong” – we simply want to provide information that most people don’t learn anywhere else. In the end – your child, your choice. Do what’s best for your family.

#1: Starting too early - remember, "solids" refers to anything but breast milk or formula.

Parents hear that most governing bodies, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization, recommend waiting until around 6 months to start solid foods. Some interpret this to mean that purees should be started earlier and whole, more “solid” foods can start at 6 months. This 6 month recommendation is meant to apply to all “complementary foods,” which means anything but breast milk or formula, not just food that is in whole form. Your baby’s baby’s gut and immune system are more ready for food around 6 months and when baby is showing readiness signs – see below. For some babies, this is earlier than 6 months, and for others it’s later. We don’t recommend starting much later than 7 months for allergen exposure reasons. From an Occupational Therapist’s perspective, additional cognitive signs are important to watch for when assessing readiness for any food. Before starting spoon-feeding (or any complementary food feeding), make sure to ask yourself these questions:

Can my child sit with minimal assistance on the floor? As in, when I put them on the floor do they topple over right away, or can they stay there for a bit – even if they’re wobbly? (This usually happens around 6 months. )
Does my child bring their hand or safe toys to their mouth?
Are they interested in food?
Has the tongue thrust reflex disappeared, or are they still pushing out everything with their tongue? (We expect this to minimize before 6 months.)

Here are some additional things Judy looks for when evaluating whether her clients are ready for solids:

When you are eating in front of your baby are they reaching to get your utensil from your hand?
Can your baby follow a slow-moving object with their eyes? For example, can they watch a slow moving spoon come toward their mouth? (A spoon flying quickly and in an unpredictable pattern like “here comes the airplane” may be too hard for them to track!)
Does your baby recognize the breast or bottle at first sight?
Does your baby pat the breast or bottle during feedings?
When placed into a high chair, does your baby lean in toward the food? Can they tilt forward to grab something?

Starting food too soon may not only cause digestive upset (including constipation!), but for some babies it can be a negative experience when they’re truly not ready. Watch your baby and look for these cues that they’re ready for food!

#2 Force feeding, holding down baby's hands, and tricking baby to eat.

As parents we have a lot of things to accomplish on any given day. Sometimes feeding seems to be just another item on our endless to-do list. Try to remember that your child’s feeding journey is important in establishing great feeding dynamics into adulthood. We want our kids to know how to eat when they’re hungry, stop eating when they’re full, and fill their tummies with foods that help them feel their best. That process starts the moment your child is born, as you learn your baby’s hunger and fullness cues. It intensifies as you begin your solid food journey. Below are a few tips to help you honor your baby’s cues and help them listen to what their body – not the clock or an external rule – has to say:

Babies who are too tired, hungry, or overstimulated will probably not enjoy the eating process. Wait until baby is in a better state emotionally to offer food.
Let your baby guide the spoon-feeding process. Never trick a baby into opening her mouth or slide the spoon into their mouth without them realize what’s happening. This may cause feeding aversions and fear of the eating experience, and it takes the control over what goes in their mouth away from your baby. (Judy and I have worked with kiddos who are fearful of mealtime for this reason alone.)
Stay engaged in the feeding process – try not to be a passive participant. We recommend removing devices from the table.
Go slowly so baby can manipulate the food in her mouth and feel their body’s signs of fullness. Don’t be surprised if they don’t like a food right away or seems startled by the texture. Honor their cues if they’re refusing a food, and don’t give up offering that food another time. It may take 20-30 exposures for them to enjoy it. Forcing them to eat it will make it worse.
Feed baby until they indicate that they’re full. Conversely, never force them to finish the last few bites of food in the bowl or jar – when they’re done, they’re done. We don’t want them to learn how to overeat.
Never hold a baby’s hands down as they’re trying to grab for the spoon. Their desire to hold the spoon and do it themself is a fantastic developmental step that we celebrate!

#3 Scraping!

When spoon feeding, most of us put the spoon toward the top of a baby’s mouth and then scrape the food off the top lip or hard palate so it’s comes off the spoon. Watch this video for an example of what this looks like, and notice how baby is also being fed quickly and without much time to open his mouth or respond to the spoon. See how he leans away and looks a little overwhelmed:

Furthermore, as baby gets messy and their face becomes covered in food, we usually like to scrape it off with the spoon. Here is an example of face scraping:

Depositing food at the top of a baby’s mouth makes them an inactive member of the feeding process and doesn’t teach them where food should go when they eventually bring it to their mouth herself. We want babies to be an active participant in the experience!

Face scraping seems practical, but it can be uncomfortable for babies. Plus, we want them to be A-OK with food remaining on their face as they eat. As they get older, if they can’t handle some food on their face it will make it difficult for them to eat foods like a sandwich or a big watermelon slice.

Here are some tips for spoon-feeding without the scrape:

Hold the spoon 12 inches in front of your baby’s face and let them notice the spoon and open their mouth. Remember, if they’re uninterested or distracted, don’t slip in the spoon while they’re not looking.
Guide the spoon toward the back corners of her mouth, not their top lip or hard palate.
Pull the spoon straight out instead of scraping it against their lip. This lets your baby remove the food from the spoon themselves!
If baby starts reaching for the spoon, great! Let them guide it to their own mouth and get messy.
It’s OK if baby has food on their face – work on cleaning it gently after the meal is over. It’s important for babies to get messy and to touch food with their skin.

#4 Staying on purees for too long.

Pureed food is a great option for families who feel uncomfortable starting with finger foods. However, if a baby isn’t introduced to other textures relatively quickly, they can struggle to graduate off of purees. One study suggests that if babies aren’t fed lumpy foods by 9 months, their risk of feeding difficulty later in life might increase. Babies aren’t meant to be on pureed food for life – the goal for all babies is to eventually chew real food.

Once you feel confident in your baby’s eating abilities with purees, play around with lumpier foods like mashed fruit or veggies, soft finger foods like cooked green beans, or ground meat. Spoon-feeding pureed food should be a short stage in your baby’s eating experience. Your baby won’t be able to pick up small pieces of food until they have their pincer grasp, but they can get longer, strip-shaped foods starting at 6 months.

Side note: keep in mind that baby food pouches are still pureed food, and they don’t offer a sensory experience for the eater like chewing real food. However, for many families they can have a place. If you want to use pouches, make sure that your baby is also exposed to those foods in their whole form.

#5 Spoon or hand-feeding your toddler.

Barring developmental or medical challenges, most toddlers should self feed without being hand or spoon fed by a parent by 12-14 months. Some parents of older toddlers hand-feed them regularly in order to “get them to eat,” and we completely understand the fear behind trusting that your child will, in fact, eat when they’re hungry. However, keep this in mind: hand-feeding toddlers doesn’t allow them to decide how much to eat and can start to interfere with their hunger and fullness cues. It also prevents your toddler from practicing age-appropriate feeding skills. if they’re not feeding themselves, barring medical or developmental issues, they might be missing out on sensory and motor-development experiences. If you need strategies to help with your picky toddler, check out our online course.

When spoon-feeding an infant who starts to grab for the spoon, instead of getting frustrated, try to celebrate this huge developmental milestone! Your baby is showing you that they want to start feeding themself – remember, that’s the goal! Check out this video of a parent appropriately responding to her baby’s desire to self-feed:

In this next video, watch how mom hands baby a loaded NumNum GOOtensil, which is designed to encourage babies to self feed. The center of the GOOtensil is hollow and allows purees or other smooth textures to be captured without worrying about which side of the utensil is “up,” and the handle is short – perfect for baby’s hands.

Need more help feeding your baby? Check out our online Infant Course ($59), and get practical, professional help letting your baby learn to feed themself!

Tagged with: Spoon-feeding

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7 Everyday Objects Baby Shouldn’t Be Playing With

We’ve all been there: You’re out running errands with baby, and to keep him from going nuts in the grocery store, give him your keys or cell phone. But is it really safe to give baby certain everyday objects? We had experts give us the inside scoop on what baby shouldn’t be playing with.

1. Keys

Babies love the shininess and sounds of metal keys, but are they really okay for baby to fiddle with? Jeffrey Berkowitz, MD, a pediatrician at Pediatric Specialists of Plano in Texas, says nope. “Keys are made of brass, which may contain small amounts of lead,” he explains. “Additionally, keys can cause injury to the mouth if the child falls while he’s sucking on them.” Instead, stick to the plastic ones. They might not be as shiny, but at least baby can put them in his mouth without harming himself. Or if baby likes the cold feel of the metal in his mouth, try out these kleynimals—they’re non-toxic, eco-friendly and baby-safe.

2. TV Remotes

Baby might be intrigued by the remote control, especially because she sees how much the grown-ups grab for it. But you’ll want to keep it away from her. “Remote controls aren’t safe to play with,” Berkowitz says. “They contain batteries, which can be dangerous if ingested. Also, remote controls may have other small parts, which could break off and become a choking hazard.” Once baby is older than 18 months, it’s okay for her to play with a remote-control toy, like the Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Puppy’s Remote ($10, Amazon.com).

3. iPads and Other Tablets

Giving baby an iPad to play with might seem totally natural, especially with so many kid-friendly apps out there. But the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that, aside from video-chatting, babies under 18 months shouldn’t be exposed to screens, including tablets, smartphones and TVs. (Even for babies 18 months and older, the AAP advises parents to limit baby’s screentime to educational content like Sesame Street and PBS. ) That’s because research has found that kids under 2 still learn best from unstructured, unplugged playtime, and a media overload can interfere with face-to-face interactions, physical activity and sleep. “Even though manufacturers come out with great, colorful apps for kids, they’re not designed for a baby or a small child to play with on his own—they’re designed for parents and babies to play with together,” says Monica Vila, founder of TheOnlineMom.com, a website that educates parents about healthy digital consumption. Plus, electronic tablets have glass screens and batteries with electrical charges. “It wouldn’t take a lot for a baby to bite it or drop it, and batteries or liquids inside of the tablet can come out,” Vila says. “Those aren’t safe for eating.”

4. Cell Phones

Have you seen those news reports that say cell phones have traces of poop on them? (Gross!) Knowing that cell phones are riddled with germs is probably reason enough not to let baby touch your phone or put it in her mouth. “These phones that might be covered with germs could cause serious illness,” Berkowitz says. Also, like remotes and iPads, cell phones contain batteries and other small parts, which aren’t safe for baby if she puts them in her mouth. Instead, get baby a toy cell phone—there are plenty that are much more kid-friendly and a lot more fun than a grown-up phone. Try the VTech Touch and Swipe Baby Phone ($16, Amazon.com).

5. Coins

Baby might come across your jar of loose change and want to rattle it or play with the shiny things inside, but don’t let him. “Coins are a choking hazard and can cause tracheal, esophageal or intestinal obstruction,” Berkowitz says. So not worth the risk. Make sure there aren’t any coins lying around the house or car where baby might reach them. Instead, point baby in the direction of the Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Piggy Bank ($20, Walmart.com), which comes complete with plastic coins.

6. Pens, Markers and Crayons

Maybe you and baby are doing a crafts project or you’re showing baby how to draw. “Most markers and pens are nontoxic but can cause injury if the child pokes themselves with it,” Berkowitz says. If baby puts the pen cap or crayon in her mouth, she could choke. Also, for the sake of your home decor, keep baby away from them—marker, crayon and pen marks all over your walls and floor won’t be a pretty sight. You should hold off on letting baby use crayons and markers until she’s a toddler, and even then they call for supervision. When it’s time for your tot to use markers and crayons, look for nontoxic and washable ones, like the My First Crayola Easy Grip Washable Markers ($6, Crayola.com).

7. Baby Wipes

While he’s on the changing table, baby may grabs at the wipes and even stuff them in his mouth (sound familiar?). While it’s tempting to just let him—especially if that’s the only way he’ll quit wiggling—experts say don’t. “It’s not wise to allow baby to suck on wipes, because he could ingest the chemicals in them,” Berkowitz says. “Also, if baby chews or tears pieces of the wipes off, it could result in a choking hazard. ” To distract baby while he’s getting his diaper changed, keep a teething ring or other age-appropriate toys nearby. One to try is the Lamaze Freddie the Firely ($19, Amazon.com).

Plus more from The Bump, check out our babyproofing infographic:

Image: Kate Francis

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.

Diet for a child aged 9-12 months

By 9 months the main complementary foods have already been introduced, so the expansion of the child's diet continues. It is important to know that at this age the consistency of the products should change from homogenized to finely and coarsely ground.
A meat dish for an older child can be offered in the form of meatballs, which diversifies the child's diet and stimulates the formation of chewing skills. Canned meat industrial production for children over 8 months. - coarsely chopped, spices and spices (white pepper, celery, parsley, dill, onion, basil, thyme) can be added to them.

The amount of fish puree increases to 60 g per day by 12 months. Fish is given 2 times a week boiled without broth (instead of meat).

At this age, children's pasta can be offered to the child.

The number of children's cookies and crackers is increased up to 10-15 g per day (2-3 cookies).

By the year it is useful to add finely chopped fresh garden greens (dill, parsley) to various dishes, which significantly enriches the diet with vitamins and minerals.

Sample diet for a 12 month old child:

breakfast 8 hours	Dairy-free or milk porridge* Butter Boiled egg yolk Fruit puree	150-200 g approx. 1 tsp. 1/2 pcs 50 g
lunch 12 noon	Vegetable puree Vegetable oil Meat puree (meatballs) or fish Bread/rust Compote	180 g about 1/2 tsp. 50 g 10 g 50 ml
afternoon snack 4 pm	Breast milk (kefir or yoghurt)** Cottage cheese Fruit puree Baby biscuits	100 g 50 g 50-70 g 2 pcs
dinner 20 hours	Vegetables or porridge** Meat puree Vegetable oil Fruit juice	180 g 20 g 1/2 tsp. 50 ml
before bedtime 11 pm	Breast milk (DMS)***	200 ml

* - dairy-free porridge should be diluted with breast milk or infant formula that the child receives. Milk porridge is diluted with water.
** - daily volume of kefir or yogurt can be up to 200 ml,
*** - baby milk formula

Approximate diet of a 12-month-old child with an allergy to cow's milk proteins:

breakfast 8 hours	Dairy-free porridge* Vegetable oil Fruit puree	150-200 g approx. 1 tsp. 50 g
lunch 12 noon	Vegetable puree Vegetable oil Meat puree/meatball Bread/crust Compote	180 g approx. 1/2 tsp. 50-70 g 10 g 50 ml
afternoon snack 4 pm	Breast milk or medicated formula for infants with cow's milk protein intolerance Fruit puree Rusk	150-180 ml 50 g 10 g
dinner 20 hours	Vegetables or dairy-free porridge** Vegetable oil Meat puree Fruit juice	180 g approx. 1/2 tsp. 30-40 g 50 ml
at bedtime 11 pm	Breast milk or formula for infants with cow's milk protein intolerance	200 ml

* - dairy-free porridge should be diluted with breast milk or formula for children with intolerance to cow's milk proteins.
** - you can either alternate porridge or vegetables, or offer a mixed dish - porridge with vegetables.

The materials were prepared by the staff of the Laboratory for Nutrition of a Healthy and Sick Child of the National Research Center for Children's Health of the Ministry of Health of Russia and are based on the recommendations given in the National Program for Optimizing the Feeding of Children in the First Year of Life in the Russian Federation, approved at the XV Congress of Pediatricians of Russia (02.2009g.)

Baby menu at 9 months

6-12 months

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Although breast milk or formula remains the mainstay of an infant's diet at this age, a 9-month-old baby's menu becomes more varied with new complementary foods. The correct diet of the child is the basis of his harmonious development, good health and good mood. But how to organize a diet, what can be given at this age and how much should a child eat at one meal?

8 min. for reading Feb. 17, 2022

The correct diet for a nine-month-old baby includes 5 meals: a day, the baby receives liquid food twice and thick food three times. This is due to the fact that mashed potatoes and cereals take longer to digest than milk, so they give the baby a longer energy supply. Feeding is usually carried out at intervals of 4 hours. If the baby asks to eat 2-3 hours after liquid food, offer her a baby snack, fruit or vegetable (in small pieces or in the form of a puree).

A 9-month-old baby's daily diet includes many healthy foods and drinks that provide essential nutrients such as vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates, fats and minerals. In addition to milk and infant formula, the following products can be given to a child:

Fruits and vegetables in the form of puree (apple, pear, cauliflower, etc. )
Fruit juices and compotes without sugar.
Meat in various forms.
Fish.
Kashi from various cereals.
Chicken or quail egg yolk.
Children's fresh cottage cheese.
Children's low-fat kefir.
Children's cookies, croutons, bread.

Read also: The baby refuses new products

According to WHO recommendations, by the 9th month, all of the above products should already be on the menu. If something from the food is still unfamiliar to your child, it is recommended to gradually add it to the diet.

Start with smaller portions and see how your child reacts to the new food. If there is no allergic reaction to the product, you can increase the volume and add it to new dishes. New complementary foods are recommended to be introduced at intervals of 5-7 days. An indicative table for one day will help to create an optimal diet for health. It also shows how much formula or milk the baby should eat per day.

* infant formula.
**Dairy-free porridge should be diluted with breast milk or infant formula given to the baby. Milk porridge is diluted with water.

I feeding 6 hours	Breast milk or formula for infants with intolerance to cow's milk proteins	200 ml
II feeding 10 hours	Dairy-free porridge*	180 g
	Vegetable oil <	about 1 tsp
	Fruit puree (apple, pear)	70 g
III feeding 14 hours	Vegetable puree or pureed soup	180 g
	Vegetable oil	about 1 tsp.
	Meat puree (rabbit, turkey)	50 g
	Fruit juice	70 g
IV feeding 18 hours	Fruit puree	50 g
	Vegetable puree or dairy-free porridge	180 g
	Vegetable oil	about 1 tsp.
	Meat puree	50 g
V feeding 22 hours	Breast milk or formula for infants with intolerance to cow's milk proteins	200 ml

*dairy-free porridge should be bred with breast milk or it is safe for children with allergies to cow's milk proteins.

** you can eat porridge or vegetables, so you can eat grass - porridge with vegetables.

1st day

First breakfast	Breast milk or formula
Second breakfast	Buckwheat porridge with pumpkin, juice
Lunch	Pumpkin steam cutlets, veal puree
Snack	Rusks or baby biscuits, yoghurt
Dinner	Cauliflower puree
Second dinner	Breast milk or formula

2nd day

First breakfast	Breast milk or formula
Second breakfast	Oatmeal, berry juice
Lunch	Steamed fish, rice, fruit compote
Snack	Vegetable puree
Dinner	Vegetable puree
Second dinner	Breast milk or formula

3rd day

First breakfast	Breast milk or formula
Second breakfast	Semolina porridge, quail egg yolk
Lunch	Steamed zucchini, boiled veal, apple compote
Snack	Pumpkin and apple puree
Dinner	Curd casserole with carrots
Second dinner	Breast milk or formula

Fourth day

First breakfast	Breast milk or formula
Second breakfast	Rice porridge, fruit puree
Lunch	Mashed potatoes or turkey meatball soup
Snack	Carrot-apple juice
Dinner	Kefir
Second dinner	Breast milk or formula

5th day

First breakfast	Breast milk or formula
Second breakfast	Oatmeal and apple puree
Lunch	Cream soup with chicken and vegetables
Snack	Carrot juice
Dinner	Cauliflower puree, crackers or bread
Second dinner	Breast milk or formula

6.

Sixth day

First breakfast	Breast milk or formula
Second breakfast	Rice porridge, half yolk (chicken egg)
Lunch	Vegetable soup with chicken breast, juice
Snack	Baked apple
Dinner	Spinach mashed potatoes
Second dinner	Breast milk or formula

Seventh day

First breakfast	Breast milk or formula
Second breakfast	Millet porridge, croutons
Lunch	Steamed chicken cutlets, vegetable puree
Snack	Apple juice
Dinner	Curd with fruits
Second dinner	Breast milk or formula

Parents need to gradually accustom their child to eating solid food, because now he is moving to a new level of development: more teeth appear, so the baby can now chew food. If this is not done in a timely manner, a baby may refuse solid food in a year. Changing the consistency of dishes favorably affects the development of the digestive system.

No need to grind fish and potatoes in a blender - just put the food on a plate and mash well with a fork. Meat can be offered in the form of meatballs to develop chewing skills. It can be turkey, rabbit, veal, beef, chicken. The norm of meat for one meal is 60-70 g.

It is quite normal if at first large pieces in a dish cause discontent in a child or even a gag reflex - he will soon get used to it. Sometimes it happens the other way around - the baby willingly tries the pieces, but refuses pureed food. Treat your baby with apple slices, bread, crackers or baby snacks. But the meat is still better to grind thoroughly.

At this age, consumption of mother's milk or adapted formula decreases. There are only two feedings per day - in the morning and in the evening. Everything else is "adult" food. Ideally, the baby should sleep through the night and get up at 06:00-07:00. If the little one wakes up at night, it is already possible to gradually wean him from feeding at night (provided that he is gaining weight normally). You can consult with your pediatrician about this.

Please note that uneaten food (already cooked) must not be stored and reheated. It is also not recommended to add sugar and salt to the dish.

If you give your child ready-made baby puree, we recommend that you do not feed him immediately from a jar, but pour the right amount onto a plate. In this case, the rest can be stored in the refrigerator for another 24 hours.

Find out more: Baby Portion

Pay attention to the quality of food you cook: appearance, smell and expiration date. It is better to use seasonal vegetables and fruits, and shop in trusted places.

Wash food thoroughly under running water before cooking. You can also use special children's products for washing fruits and vegetables.

All products must be brought to full readiness, and then carefully crushed to the desired consistency, so that the baby can comfortably chew small pieces. After eating, wash the dishes with a special detergent.

How to properly feed a 9-month-old baby if he refuses food and does not eat the foods you suggest?

Poor appetite is one of the indicators of a baby's health. The problem may concern the digestive tract, glucose levels, central nervous system. The feeling of hunger appears when the level of sugar in the blood decreases. But for this you need to take breaks between meals. Also, the smell of food affects the appetite - it causes the release of gastric juice.

How to restore your appetite:

observe the diet;
develop a delicious menu for a baby at 9 months;
Serve dishes beautifully and set the table;
ventilate the room before eating;
let the baby use cutlery.

See also: Baby doesn't eat well, how to feed?

In order for the baby to eat willingly, he must be in a good mood. Try to avoid stressful and nervous situations, feed him in a calm, comfortable atmosphere.

If the baby refuses to eat or eats very slowly, do not rush or force him to eat. Also, do not force the little one to eat foods that he refuses. Otherwise, in the future, he will have a negative attitude towards the feeding process, refuse to eat any food at all. He can even feel sick and vomit only with one kind of food.

Important

Games and cartoons during meals do not really improve appetite. On the contrary, in this way you only teach the baby to eat without noticing the dishes.

With the help of our tips, you will be able to create a menu for a child at 9 months for every day, which will meet the requirements of a healthy diet and preferences of the baby

1. What should not be given to a child at 9 months?

It is not recommended to give cow's milk until the age of one. It contains too much calcium, which overloads the kidneys, and protein, which is poorly digested.