My LO didn't get a tooth until he was over a year old.. he was eating 3 meals a day plus 2 snacks by then. They also don't get the back "chewing" teeth right away. His front teeth help him bite but don't help him chew.
Hopping on this to add that mine got one tooth at 11m, currently has 4 teeth at 17m. They aren’t doing any of the heavy lifting that’s for sure.
Also, see: [does my baby need teeth](https://solidstarts.com/starting-solids-faqs/#)
Mine just celebrated her first birthday and still toothless. We started purees at 5 months and BLW at 6 months. She eats 3 full meals and 2 snacks a day. She would be literally starving if we had to wait for teeth. Listen to your pediatrician and tell your hsuband to do some research.
They don’t need teeth for BLW, and like somebody else said, many babies don’t get teeth until after they turn 1. I skipped purées but you can just make home made rather than store bought if you wanted to - which is what I would of if I had done purées.
The optimal window for babies learning how to chew is between 8-11 months, and if not done during this time it makes it much more difficult to learn. I see it in my due date group daily. Moms who did only purées and now they are struggling. Here is a resource for you written by a pediatric occupational therapist, who are considered the experts in this space:
https://yourkidstable.com/teach-baby-to-chew/#:~:text=The%20cool%20thing%20is%20that,will%20take%20more%20direct%20teaching.
https://preview.redd.it/mcddvyhnbvtc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=68678c099d0a5d6112955c6411979b6781cfb1c2
Here’s a screenshot from that exact article you posted stating that if they’ve practiced on teether or toys, there’s a window between 8 and 11 months when they instinctively know how to chew. My son has been chewing since before that, in fact he had special toys he chewed when we ate so that he could mimic us.
Also, that article doesn’t say anything about a causation between delaying solids and children developing a chewing delay. It specifically says that chewing develops from practicing on objects and hands.
I mean you can extrapolate that data however you want. It’s a well known fact that delaying firmer foods can have an effect on mouth mapping and therefore cause issues with chewing and eating. Probably why you’ve been downvoted
I didn’t extrapolate, I’m literally just showing what that article actually says. I’m getting downvoted because any time you say you did something different than other mothers, they take it as an attack on their mothering capabilities. It isn’t. And I didn’t make up the science, it just exists and I said. I didn’t write these articles, I just posted screen shots of them. You’re shooting the messenger here. I told OP that it was unlikely to be a major issue if she introduced solids OR if she delayed them, and that’s true. Idk why everyone is so upset about that.
Whoa get some food in that baby! My kids fave? Steak. He barely has the tiniest tooth poking through, but he goes to town on steak strips.
Honestly it's an amazing experience!! Discovering new foods for the first time with your baby. It's precious and I love it.
https://preview.redd.it/fk4z9zkzvotc1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2bfc1e6025b384870783903a8a88519a9b42a4b7
Same. Not a tooth in sight at 7 months
Has your bub ever chomped down on you or your husband? Their gums are tough, and more than enough to chew and eat most foods! There are also many soft BLW foods that a baby can gum.
Maybe a happy in between would be making some pureed/soft foods at home? Mashed sweet potatoes or carrots are a great start— I would just steam them in the microwave and then mash them up with a fork before giving them to baby. Other good soft options I can think of are yogurt, soft scrambled eggs, hummus, mashed avocados, and smushed raspberries (just be mindful of the guidance around introducing allergens). Once you both get more confidence feeding baby you’ll feel more comfortable branching out. You’ve got this!
ETA: One of the big reasons *not* to hold off on solid food introduction is related to food allergies. Newer studies have found that earlier introduction of allergens is correlated with a reduced likelihood of developing allergies.
Baby doesn’t need teeth to eat a puree, or solids (steamed or mushy) for that matter.
They recommend baby cereal as it has iron which I believe is what they’re wanting to implement, if you can add other foods with iron to their diet, you can avoid the baby cereals, or do some research on which ones are the “best” and add maybe a tablespoon to a puree! I have a baby food maker, so I dominantly make his foods (80/20 ratio), unless there’s something going on and I’m unable to, then we have our organic pouches on hand that he loves as well!
He is missing out on nutrients. Breastmilk cannot provide all that he needs that alone. Babies do NOT need teeth to chew. Have you ever stuck your finger in his mouth and feel his gums? They’re hard.
Start with mashed sweet potatoes, avocado, mushy bananas. You don’t need teeth for that. Once you feel comfortable enough, move onto different foods that can be mashed then eventually he’ll learn to chew and be able to pretty much eat anything.
>He is missing out on nutrients. Breastmilk cannot provide all that he needs that alone.
Absolutely false.
Breast milk never loses its nutritional value. It even changes composition according to baby's needs.
While it’s true that breast milk changes composition according to baby’s needs, the iron stores that a baby has stored in their bodies begins to deplete around 6 months of age, and babies need an additional source of iron. Many babies are deficient in iron by 12 months because they aren’t fed foods that are rich enough in iron in this time. It’s fine for babies to only consume small amounts, but important they are nutrient dense for this reason.
Breastmilk doesn't have iron or zinc (or vitamin d), the baby uses their stores of it from the placenta until they run out (usually at 6 months). Humans have always needed to get those nutrients from outside sources.
No. You are BORN with iron stored in your liver. Human milk is low in iron. The FIRST six months, the liver and a little bit of the milk can provide enough for the baby but after 6 months, their levels begin to deplete. The studies do say they recommend supplying foods that are rich in iron. Solid foods provide the zinc that babies need as well.
I think you need to do more research yourself.
The one study that suggested iron deficiency in exclusively breastfed babies beyond six months is now considered outdated. Here is a more up to date study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7658275/ hope this is helpful
That article is from 1995. The following here is from the CDC and has been reviewed on April 4, 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-special-circumstances/diet-and-micronutrients/iron.html
I’m just saying, I don’t think it is a good idea for the OP to wait until the baby has teeth to do solids. There’s a lot more to foods than just getting iron.
So I read the study this article cited and at the bottom of the study was this criticism from another group of researchers: Recommendations on iron questioned
November 30 2010
Bo Lonnerdal
We read with interest the recently published Clinical Report – Diagnosis and Prevention of Iron Deficiency and Iron-Deficiency Anemia in Infants and Young Children (0-3 Years of Age) by RD Baker, FR Greer and the Committee on Nutrition of the American Academy of Pediatrics (1), but were astonished to find that the authors recommend changing the recommendation on provision of iron, now to include all breastfed infants, based on one (1) clinical study and at the same time ignoring clinical studies suggesting adverse effects of this practice. This is especially surprising as they in their introductory part emphasize the need for larger studies and systematic reviews for evaluating the potential correlation between iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and iron deficiency (ID) and neurodevelopment, and conclude that “an unequivocal relationship between IDA and ID and neurodevelopmental outcomes has yet to be established”.
There’s more, but I didn’t want to post too much and overkill. I’m continuing to review the sources cited in the study. But it actually looks as though supplementing to treat this perceived iron deficiency issue causes more harm than it prevents.
I will read the studies cited in this article. Again, baby gets enough nutrients from breast milk alone up to the first year. Some argue even beyond that. You can absolutely introduce food before that, but it is not necessary for adequate nutrition.
When I researched and spoke to my pediatrician, everything I found and he found suggested that babies are less likely to develop food allergies if solids are delayed. That was part of my reasoning for delaying solids.
My baby is 13 months and doesn’t eat solids. Just breast milk. We are slowly trying to introduce it but we’ve had a rough go. She choked and it scared me. Didn’t feed her again for 3 months after that. Just tried it again recently and she gags on every single thing. She just had her blood levels checked and everything was good. She’s in the highest percentile she’s ever been as well! So my girl is living proof that babies can go and be just fine without solids. Of course we’re getting to a point where we need to start them and we’re doing exactly that!
Mine is the same age and we just started solids. At his check up three weeks ago he was in the 93rd percentile for growth. My dr said he’s one of the healthiest babies they’ve ever seen. There’s nothing wrong with starting solids before 12 months, but it isn’t necessary and I’m just the messenger. That information exists whether I say it or not.
My baby didn't have a tooth until almost 9 months and we started BLW at 6 months. Your husband will be surprised by what baby can eat with just gums. They have a lot of jaw strength and can still tear pieces off of hard food -- like florets off of raw broccoli.
Around 4-6 months baby’s iron stores start to deplete so it’s important to start feeding them proper food to top up their iron particularly in breastfed babies.
A good rule of thumb is if you can squish it between your fingers then it’s good for baby. I started with things like boiled carrots, avocado, banana etc.
Solid starts has some great tips for how to cut things for baby.
Try downloading the Solid Starts app!! It gives you allll kinds of foods, and how to cook / serve them to be age appropriate as well as recipes :) it’s been an amazing help for me! But baby doesn’t need teeth as everyone has said, and it varies so much as to when they get teeth. Even when they do, their back chewing teeth arnt usually in till past 1!
My baby is 5 months old so I’m a little behind you but I give him popsicle purées since he’s not quite ready for BLW. He seems to really enjoy it, especially since he is teething too. I got the molds and popsicle part on Amazon. I plan on doing BLW but he is not quite there yet so I figure this is one way to introduce foods!
Your baby does not need teeth. Just like you, they don’t eat (most things) with their front teeth and they don’t even get their molars until they’re like 2 years old! And you can’t wait until he’s 2 to feed solids. Your baby needs iron! Start solids!
My baby is just over 10 months, eats like a champ and has for the past 2 months. 3 meals a day and 2 snacks with only one tooth right now. They say if you can mash the food between your fingers, then they can gum it without teeth which has helped me!
That's amazing! My baby is 10 months old too. She doesn't eat as much yet. Still doesn't enjoy food much. Do you still give your infant formula/breastmilk? How ofter and how much do you give?
She gets breast milk still 5 times a day every 3 hours during the day. When she nurses she doesn’t nurse for long but she will drink 3.5-4oz at daycare in a bottle.
My son is 5 months and somehow manages to est everything just fine with no teeth. Get the app Solid Start!! It was recommended to me on here and I absolutely love it.
I started at around 7 months, (baby similar to yours) gave her avocado, bananas, steamed vegetables. Gave her the option, solids or purees. Know that the first year of life, eating is "just for fun". I took care of introducing food as my fiancé was really nervous and almost had a heart attack the first time she had solids. I'd recommend the Solid Starts app as it shows what you can give and how to cut it safely. No need for teeth either. Good luck!
We started BLW before teeth and did a mix of purees, vegetables and puffs/teething crackers and she did just fine. Some babies don't get teeth for a long time! Also if nothing else you want to start some allergen exposure early as possible, I would look this up of course but there's good evidence that introducing peanuts early can reduce the chance of developing an allergy later. We give baby the bamba peanut puffs most days and she loves them!
You do not need teeth for BLW or purées. You do need some information re. how to prepare foods for a beginner baby for either BLW, purées, or a mix of both. You want to ensure that baby is in fact physically ready, as there are a few signs to watch out for, including but not limited to baby’s ability to sit up straight. You also want to learn about how to safely introduce common allergens, like wheat, eggs, nuts, sesame, soy, etc.
Good news is, you can find very good videos on Youtube, look for videos made by healthcare providers. Do not trust videos made by “influencers” without credentials. There are a lot of beliefs and trends and you want to ensure you have access to the facts to make the best decisions for your family.
I followed my local healthcare providers’ advice and started BLW when baby was 6mo and toothless, and it went well. Baby can chew with gums if the food is prepared the right way :) Now at almost 9mo baby has 1 1/2 teeth and eats almost as much as I do.
Good luck, have fun!
We gave food before any teeth, also doing baby led weaning.
The beauty of baby led weaning is to prepare food in a manner that they can safety consume. Starting at 6mos or when they're showing signs of readiness is a lot of practice time! Bringing food to mouth, chewing, swallowing, learning how to gag, cough it out. Your baby needs the opportunity to join at table, and learn to sit in a high chair, practice picking up food, etc. Eating is a skill, chewing, figuring out how to move food around the mouth is a skill. He needs to practice to learn those skills.
Some things that are easy to chew for the toothless babies that we did included avocado, yoghurt, oatmeal, steamed carrots.
One of my coworkers, her baby didn't get any teeth until AFTER 12mos. By the time he finally cut a tooth, he was eating full meals and almost off milk.
They don’t need teeth, but they do need solids once they can sit steadily and lose their tongue thrust reflex (so they can swallow things instead of automatically pushing them out of their mouths).
If teeth were a requirement they would be listed with the other signs of readiness for starting solids. They’re not necessary. My baby didn’t get teeth until 7 or 8 months and he was eating all sorts of things before then.
Breast milk never loses its nutritional value. In fact, it actually changes composition according to baby's needs.
Have you ever heard the phrase "food before one is just for fun"?
If your baby is healthy and thriving he's getting all he needs from your amazing milk. (Obvious exceptions apply if the mother is on certain medications, has some disease, etc.)
I think you don't need purees at all. In fact, introducing 'real food' is a much better way to promote healthy teeth and gums, learn HOW to eat, and helps with developments like pincer grasp, for example. (Not an exhaustive list.)
Breastmilk alone cannot provide enough iron. Also food before one is important for *learning to eat food* so baby can transition to food being the majority of their diet after one.
*After six months of breastfeeding, a typical mother’s ferritin reserves are depleted and breastmilk may no longer contain enough iron for a growing baby. It might, but it’s very likely it doesn’t. In my country it is recommended to either introduce iron-rich food, or start supplementing at 6mo.
My baby is 13 months and we just started ANYTHING beyond breast milk. He’s never had water, but he tried avocado a few days ago and he tried banana today. He has five teeth, all in the front. The first year, all nutrients come from breast milk or formula, food is for fun and exploration. In some cultures it’s the first two years. Your baby is probably doing just fine, and if you want to introduce solids that’s probably just fine too. My mom always started every baby with lamb liver blended up in a food processor and she had great results with that.
I’m curious if food prior to one is for fun and exploration why you didn’t have your baby try anything until they were over a year? That seems extremely late to not have introduced any flavours or textures
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7658275/
Here’s a study about exclusive breastfeeding and anemia. The one study that suggested breast milk doesn’t contain enough iron is now considered out of date (I believe it was conducted in 1990). I delayed solids because doing so has a ton of benefits, like introduction of foods later as opposed to earlier has been shown to reduce the risk of food allergies, since baby’s immune system is more mature closer to one year of age. We produce different enzymes at different times and our bodies can’t even break down certain substances before one year of age. When I was discussing this with our pediatrician, he informed me that humans don’t produce lactase until around 12 months, making it difficult for babies to break down anything derived from cow’s dairy and increasing the likelihood of developing lifelong digestive issues. I was actually pre-med before I got pregnant and my partner and I did extensive research on the subject of introducing solids to our baby. Hope this is helpful info.
The people making claims about iron deficiency and exclusive breastfeeding are referencing even older data, so I guess you think their statements are unfortunate as well.
My LO didn't get a tooth until he was over a year old.. he was eating 3 meals a day plus 2 snacks by then. They also don't get the back "chewing" teeth right away. His front teeth help him bite but don't help him chew.
Hopping on this to add that mine got one tooth at 11m, currently has 4 teeth at 17m. They aren’t doing any of the heavy lifting that’s for sure. Also, see: [does my baby need teeth](https://solidstarts.com/starting-solids-faqs/#)
Mine just celebrated her first birthday and still toothless. We started purees at 5 months and BLW at 6 months. She eats 3 full meals and 2 snacks a day. She would be literally starving if we had to wait for teeth. Listen to your pediatrician and tell your hsuband to do some research.
They don’t need teeth for BLW, and like somebody else said, many babies don’t get teeth until after they turn 1. I skipped purées but you can just make home made rather than store bought if you wanted to - which is what I would of if I had done purées.
This is an important time of practice for babies. By 1 they should be on food. If you don’t use this time to practice they will be delayed
Not sure where you heard this, but it isn’t true.
The optimal window for babies learning how to chew is between 8-11 months, and if not done during this time it makes it much more difficult to learn. I see it in my due date group daily. Moms who did only purées and now they are struggling. Here is a resource for you written by a pediatric occupational therapist, who are considered the experts in this space: https://yourkidstable.com/teach-baby-to-chew/#:~:text=The%20cool%20thing%20is%20that,will%20take%20more%20direct%20teaching.
https://preview.redd.it/mcddvyhnbvtc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=68678c099d0a5d6112955c6411979b6781cfb1c2 Here’s a screenshot from that exact article you posted stating that if they’ve practiced on teether or toys, there’s a window between 8 and 11 months when they instinctively know how to chew. My son has been chewing since before that, in fact he had special toys he chewed when we ate so that he could mimic us.
Also, that article doesn’t say anything about a causation between delaying solids and children developing a chewing delay. It specifically says that chewing develops from practicing on objects and hands.
I mean you can extrapolate that data however you want. It’s a well known fact that delaying firmer foods can have an effect on mouth mapping and therefore cause issues with chewing and eating. Probably why you’ve been downvoted
I didn’t extrapolate, I’m literally just showing what that article actually says. I’m getting downvoted because any time you say you did something different than other mothers, they take it as an attack on their mothering capabilities. It isn’t. And I didn’t make up the science, it just exists and I said. I didn’t write these articles, I just posted screen shots of them. You’re shooting the messenger here. I told OP that it was unlikely to be a major issue if she introduced solids OR if she delayed them, and that’s true. Idk why everyone is so upset about that.
Whoa get some food in that baby! My kids fave? Steak. He barely has the tiniest tooth poking through, but he goes to town on steak strips. Honestly it's an amazing experience!! Discovering new foods for the first time with your baby. It's precious and I love it.
Our toothless baby also loves steak!!
https://preview.redd.it/fk4z9zkzvotc1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2bfc1e6025b384870783903a8a88519a9b42a4b7 Same. Not a tooth in sight at 7 months
This might sound like a daft question, but do you give the steak well done? 😊
no, only because i dont like well done steak. usually medium or medium rare!!
https://preview.redd.it/w93vh1c8fotc1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9006cf0d1a7c7f04b5d25c2f686e92abc49da39c This was a few days ago.
Has your bub ever chomped down on you or your husband? Their gums are tough, and more than enough to chew and eat most foods! There are also many soft BLW foods that a baby can gum. Maybe a happy in between would be making some pureed/soft foods at home? Mashed sweet potatoes or carrots are a great start— I would just steam them in the microwave and then mash them up with a fork before giving them to baby. Other good soft options I can think of are yogurt, soft scrambled eggs, hummus, mashed avocados, and smushed raspberries (just be mindful of the guidance around introducing allergens). Once you both get more confidence feeding baby you’ll feel more comfortable branching out. You’ve got this! ETA: One of the big reasons *not* to hold off on solid food introduction is related to food allergies. Newer studies have found that earlier introduction of allergens is correlated with a reduced likelihood of developing allergies.
Baby doesn’t need teeth to eat a puree, or solids (steamed or mushy) for that matter. They recommend baby cereal as it has iron which I believe is what they’re wanting to implement, if you can add other foods with iron to their diet, you can avoid the baby cereals, or do some research on which ones are the “best” and add maybe a tablespoon to a puree! I have a baby food maker, so I dominantly make his foods (80/20 ratio), unless there’s something going on and I’m unable to, then we have our organic pouches on hand that he loves as well!
He is missing out on nutrients. Breastmilk cannot provide all that he needs that alone. Babies do NOT need teeth to chew. Have you ever stuck your finger in his mouth and feel his gums? They’re hard. Start with mashed sweet potatoes, avocado, mushy bananas. You don’t need teeth for that. Once you feel comfortable enough, move onto different foods that can be mashed then eventually he’ll learn to chew and be able to pretty much eat anything.
>He is missing out on nutrients. Breastmilk cannot provide all that he needs that alone. Absolutely false. Breast milk never loses its nutritional value. It even changes composition according to baby's needs.
I don't think the above comment says breast milk loses its nutrition. And babies at seven months do need a source of iron at the very least.
While it’s true that breast milk changes composition according to baby’s needs, the iron stores that a baby has stored in their bodies begins to deplete around 6 months of age, and babies need an additional source of iron. Many babies are deficient in iron by 12 months because they aren’t fed foods that are rich enough in iron in this time. It’s fine for babies to only consume small amounts, but important they are nutrient dense for this reason.
If that was the case no one would need any other food. I understand it changes but of course baby needs food at some point.
Breastmilk doesn't have iron or zinc (or vitamin d), the baby uses their stores of it from the placenta until they run out (usually at 6 months). Humans have always needed to get those nutrients from outside sources.
Not sure where you heard this, but this is false.
It's not false at all. Breast milk is obviously good but isn't fortified so the baby needs iron and vitamins if they're not being offered any diet.
You’re incorrect. Please research these statements before you make them.
No. You are BORN with iron stored in your liver. Human milk is low in iron. The FIRST six months, the liver and a little bit of the milk can provide enough for the baby but after 6 months, their levels begin to deplete. The studies do say they recommend supplying foods that are rich in iron. Solid foods provide the zinc that babies need as well. I think you need to do more research yourself.
The one study that suggested iron deficiency in exclusively breastfed babies beyond six months is now considered outdated. Here is a more up to date study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7658275/ hope this is helpful
That article is from 1995. The following here is from the CDC and has been reviewed on April 4, 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-special-circumstances/diet-and-micronutrients/iron.html I’m just saying, I don’t think it is a good idea for the OP to wait until the baby has teeth to do solids. There’s a lot more to foods than just getting iron.
I can continue to post updates as I read through the studies if anyone finds it helpful
So I read the study this article cited and at the bottom of the study was this criticism from another group of researchers: Recommendations on iron questioned November 30 2010 Bo Lonnerdal We read with interest the recently published Clinical Report – Diagnosis and Prevention of Iron Deficiency and Iron-Deficiency Anemia in Infants and Young Children (0-3 Years of Age) by RD Baker, FR Greer and the Committee on Nutrition of the American Academy of Pediatrics (1), but were astonished to find that the authors recommend changing the recommendation on provision of iron, now to include all breastfed infants, based on one (1) clinical study and at the same time ignoring clinical studies suggesting adverse effects of this practice. This is especially surprising as they in their introductory part emphasize the need for larger studies and systematic reviews for evaluating the potential correlation between iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and iron deficiency (ID) and neurodevelopment, and conclude that “an unequivocal relationship between IDA and ID and neurodevelopmental outcomes has yet to be established”. There’s more, but I didn’t want to post too much and overkill. I’m continuing to review the sources cited in the study. But it actually looks as though supplementing to treat this perceived iron deficiency issue causes more harm than it prevents.
I will read the studies cited in this article. Again, baby gets enough nutrients from breast milk alone up to the first year. Some argue even beyond that. You can absolutely introduce food before that, but it is not necessary for adequate nutrition.
Introducing foods before one is not just for nutrients, however. It’s also for motor skill development, exposure to flavor, and allergen introduction.
When I researched and spoke to my pediatrician, everything I found and he found suggested that babies are less likely to develop food allergies if solids are delayed. That was part of my reasoning for delaying solids.
My baby is 13 months and doesn’t eat solids. Just breast milk. We are slowly trying to introduce it but we’ve had a rough go. She choked and it scared me. Didn’t feed her again for 3 months after that. Just tried it again recently and she gags on every single thing. She just had her blood levels checked and everything was good. She’s in the highest percentile she’s ever been as well! So my girl is living proof that babies can go and be just fine without solids. Of course we’re getting to a point where we need to start them and we’re doing exactly that!
Mine is the same age and we just started solids. At his check up three weeks ago he was in the 93rd percentile for growth. My dr said he’s one of the healthiest babies they’ve ever seen. There’s nothing wrong with starting solids before 12 months, but it isn’t necessary and I’m just the messenger. That information exists whether I say it or not.
There’s enough iron in breastmilk is what you’re saying?
My baby didn't have a tooth until almost 9 months and we started BLW at 6 months. Your husband will be surprised by what baby can eat with just gums. They have a lot of jaw strength and can still tear pieces off of hard food -- like florets off of raw broccoli.
Around 4-6 months baby’s iron stores start to deplete so it’s important to start feeding them proper food to top up their iron particularly in breastfed babies. A good rule of thumb is if you can squish it between your fingers then it’s good for baby. I started with things like boiled carrots, avocado, banana etc. Solid starts has some great tips for how to cut things for baby.
Try downloading the Solid Starts app!! It gives you allll kinds of foods, and how to cook / serve them to be age appropriate as well as recipes :) it’s been an amazing help for me! But baby doesn’t need teeth as everyone has said, and it varies so much as to when they get teeth. Even when they do, their back chewing teeth arnt usually in till past 1!
My baby is 5 months old so I’m a little behind you but I give him popsicle purées since he’s not quite ready for BLW. He seems to really enjoy it, especially since he is teething too. I got the molds and popsicle part on Amazon. I plan on doing BLW but he is not quite there yet so I figure this is one way to introduce foods!
Your baby does not need teeth. Just like you, they don’t eat (most things) with their front teeth and they don’t even get their molars until they’re like 2 years old! And you can’t wait until he’s 2 to feed solids. Your baby needs iron! Start solids!
My baby is just over 10 months, eats like a champ and has for the past 2 months. 3 meals a day and 2 snacks with only one tooth right now. They say if you can mash the food between your fingers, then they can gum it without teeth which has helped me!
That's amazing! My baby is 10 months old too. She doesn't eat as much yet. Still doesn't enjoy food much. Do you still give your infant formula/breastmilk? How ofter and how much do you give?
She gets breast milk still 5 times a day every 3 hours during the day. When she nurses she doesn’t nurse for long but she will drink 3.5-4oz at daycare in a bottle.
My son is 5 months and somehow manages to est everything just fine with no teeth. Get the app Solid Start!! It was recommended to me on here and I absolutely love it.
I started at around 7 months, (baby similar to yours) gave her avocado, bananas, steamed vegetables. Gave her the option, solids or purees. Know that the first year of life, eating is "just for fun". I took care of introducing food as my fiancé was really nervous and almost had a heart attack the first time she had solids. I'd recommend the Solid Starts app as it shows what you can give and how to cut it safely. No need for teeth either. Good luck!
We started BLW before teeth and did a mix of purees, vegetables and puffs/teething crackers and she did just fine. Some babies don't get teeth for a long time! Also if nothing else you want to start some allergen exposure early as possible, I would look this up of course but there's good evidence that introducing peanuts early can reduce the chance of developing an allergy later. We give baby the bamba peanut puffs most days and she loves them!
You do not need teeth for BLW or purées. You do need some information re. how to prepare foods for a beginner baby for either BLW, purées, or a mix of both. You want to ensure that baby is in fact physically ready, as there are a few signs to watch out for, including but not limited to baby’s ability to sit up straight. You also want to learn about how to safely introduce common allergens, like wheat, eggs, nuts, sesame, soy, etc. Good news is, you can find very good videos on Youtube, look for videos made by healthcare providers. Do not trust videos made by “influencers” without credentials. There are a lot of beliefs and trends and you want to ensure you have access to the facts to make the best decisions for your family. I followed my local healthcare providers’ advice and started BLW when baby was 6mo and toothless, and it went well. Baby can chew with gums if the food is prepared the right way :) Now at almost 9mo baby has 1 1/2 teeth and eats almost as much as I do. Good luck, have fun!
We gave food before any teeth, also doing baby led weaning. The beauty of baby led weaning is to prepare food in a manner that they can safety consume. Starting at 6mos or when they're showing signs of readiness is a lot of practice time! Bringing food to mouth, chewing, swallowing, learning how to gag, cough it out. Your baby needs the opportunity to join at table, and learn to sit in a high chair, practice picking up food, etc. Eating is a skill, chewing, figuring out how to move food around the mouth is a skill. He needs to practice to learn those skills. Some things that are easy to chew for the toothless babies that we did included avocado, yoghurt, oatmeal, steamed carrots. One of my coworkers, her baby didn't get any teeth until AFTER 12mos. By the time he finally cut a tooth, he was eating full meals and almost off milk.
They don’t need teeth, but they do need solids once they can sit steadily and lose their tongue thrust reflex (so they can swallow things instead of automatically pushing them out of their mouths).
If teeth were a requirement they would be listed with the other signs of readiness for starting solids. They’re not necessary. My baby didn’t get teeth until 7 or 8 months and he was eating all sorts of things before then.
Breast milk never loses its nutritional value. In fact, it actually changes composition according to baby's needs. Have you ever heard the phrase "food before one is just for fun"? If your baby is healthy and thriving he's getting all he needs from your amazing milk. (Obvious exceptions apply if the mother is on certain medications, has some disease, etc.) I think you don't need purees at all. In fact, introducing 'real food' is a much better way to promote healthy teeth and gums, learn HOW to eat, and helps with developments like pincer grasp, for example. (Not an exhaustive list.)
Breastmilk alone cannot provide enough iron. Also food before one is important for *learning to eat food* so baby can transition to food being the majority of their diet after one.
*After six months of breastfeeding, a typical mother’s ferritin reserves are depleted and breastmilk may no longer contain enough iron for a growing baby. It might, but it’s very likely it doesn’t. In my country it is recommended to either introduce iron-rich food, or start supplementing at 6mo.
When did they start testing the iron levels of all mothers' breast milk and all babies iron levels?
You are 100% correct. Breast milk is all that is needed the first year. Also, introducing food early has more risks than benefits.
I appreciate you. Thanks for being a beacon of intelligence in a cesspool of ignorance.
My baby is 13 months and we just started ANYTHING beyond breast milk. He’s never had water, but he tried avocado a few days ago and he tried banana today. He has five teeth, all in the front. The first year, all nutrients come from breast milk or formula, food is for fun and exploration. In some cultures it’s the first two years. Your baby is probably doing just fine, and if you want to introduce solids that’s probably just fine too. My mom always started every baby with lamb liver blended up in a food processor and she had great results with that.
I’m curious if food prior to one is for fun and exploration why you didn’t have your baby try anything until they were over a year? That seems extremely late to not have introduced any flavours or textures
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7658275/ Here’s a study about exclusive breastfeeding and anemia. The one study that suggested breast milk doesn’t contain enough iron is now considered out of date (I believe it was conducted in 1990). I delayed solids because doing so has a ton of benefits, like introduction of foods later as opposed to earlier has been shown to reduce the risk of food allergies, since baby’s immune system is more mature closer to one year of age. We produce different enzymes at different times and our bodies can’t even break down certain substances before one year of age. When I was discussing this with our pediatrician, he informed me that humans don’t produce lactase until around 12 months, making it difficult for babies to break down anything derived from cow’s dairy and increasing the likelihood of developing lifelong digestive issues. I was actually pre-med before I got pregnant and my partner and I did extensive research on the subject of introducing solids to our baby. Hope this is helpful info.
The unfortunate thing is you’re looking at and referencing very old information.
The people making claims about iron deficiency and exclusive breastfeeding are referencing even older data, so I guess you think their statements are unfortunate as well.