I am concerned about what Josiah eats. He does great with baby foods, stage 2...only certain fruits and cereal. He pukes up any kind of veggies except the occasional sweet potatoes and squash. He gags and pukes on pretty much any type of table food...no matter how mashed up. I think at 8 months he ought to be eating table food. What causes all the gagging? Sometimes he can eat a couple of bites of something, then gags and pukes on the 4 or 5th bite?!! I can see him actually chewing the food in his mouth, he just can't seem to get it down his throat.

Should I be concerned or just give it more time? Am I making a mountain out of a mole hill?

Just a suggestion, perhaps you could give him the 4-5 bites and then give him a toy for a few minutes and then come back and try again for more.

Perhaps he needs a break after a few bites to get it down into his tummy.

Are you distracting him while he eats? TV? a Toy? maybe he is paying too much attention to eating and thats why he's gagging?

If things dont improve, youmight want to mention it to the Dr just to get their opinion.

It may also be that he just isnt ready yet.

Good luck, hope this helps!

He is young, in my opinion, to be eating much in the way of table food. My daughter was just beginning to be cooperative with baby food around 8 months, and at almost 14mo, she still eats only stage 2 purees and the occasional Ritz cracker.

She's had some extenuating circumstances so none of her healthcare providers are too concerned yet; they're all giving her until 15 months to hit many of the 12 month milestones. Sadly, that's less than 6 weeks away.

Give him a little more time. Or do as Michele suggested. If you know he can handle a few bites of table food at a time, stop there so eating is a pleasant experience for him. Good luck!

I too think 8 months is young to be giving table food...I would definately give it more time..Maybe he isn't ready for all the texture?

Oh no, at 8 mos. Lauren was still eating jarred baby food, she still is and she's almost 1. She'd gag on all table food until she turned about 10.5 mos. old. I'd say 8 mos. is a little too young for table food.

Every child is different as to when they are ready for table food-you can certainly mash the tablefoods you are offering up a little more, pause more often like Michelle suggested or alternate spoonfuls of grounded or mashed table food with purees. The key usually is to go slow as you progress with textures and eventually the infant does begin to master the skills needed to handle table foods. If you avoid offering them altogether waiting for a certain time that they are ready, they don't get the chance to develop the feeding skills they need.

Kids are all on their own little schedules--a few will take solids by that age, but most I know are still primarily on baby foods until a little later.

I think that offering a few chewables probably wouldn't hurt, but it takes awhile to get the hang of it. He might be gagging because he's still getting the hang of gumming the stuff he's eating. :-)

He is kind of young for table foods. My daughter wasn't able to eat table foods without gagging until she was 11 months old. From one mommy of a gagger to another, have patience, it will come. BUT, you still have to offer them, gag or no gag, because if you stop offering, then he will never learn to eat table foods. So, offer some table food once or so a day (cut up bananas, cheese, cereals, etc.) before offering the baby food. After the first gag, take away the table foods and give the baby foods. All these kiddos need (most of them) is practice, practice, practice with this stuff.

Thanks! LOL...you would think that this is my first baby!! But the girls were all eating from the table primarily by now.

At lunch today, I gave him some chicken...mashed up in my fingers and gave him really small pieces....He DIDN'T gag once! :hello1: So I tried bananna...gagged the first try. So I quit and he ate a jar of pears/rasperries.

O-kay, I'll be patient...per the advice of all the gerd Moms!:smt001

Thanks again!

Yeah I forgot to mention my kid is a weirdo! She was walking around my furniture at 6.5 months and she's been eating table food since 7mo... she's got issues, I keep saying she thinks she is a year old!

By all means all kids are different and will be ready when they are. And like mentioned, most babies are still on pureedish stuff at his age! :)

With all the jars of food I have in my cupboard, I WISH K was still on jarred food. She just prefers to eat what we are eating and stands in front of us yelling if we dont give her some!

Last night she walked away from her plate of chicken parmesean (no sauce) and I actually tasted a bit of my chicken WHILE IT WAS WARM!!! I havent eaten warm food in FOREVER now lol :) It's good! :) hehehehe

Anyway, good luck!!!

Jennifer..I did want to tell you too, that Andrew's PED said introducing table food to babies/toddlers to early can lead to food allergies...

Good point.....although my ped. pushes eating from table earlier than most I suspect.

It has been so hard to remember not to compare Josiah to the girls....he is so different because of all these gerd issues...not to mention he can't seem to tolerate dairy or soy. LOL...all the girls were also sleeping all night by now....we never know how long Josiah will sleep, but you can count on getting up at least once to feed him!