Many parents choose to start baby on a thin puree. But around the 7 month mark when textures need to be added, now what?
1. Texturizers
Add something with texture to an existing puree to change up the consistency. Nutritious ideas are, cooked quinoa or couscous, well cooked ground meat (well broken up), mashed canned lentils (washed and drained), hemp hearts, rough-mashed avocado.
2. Thicken it
Reduce the amount of liquid you put in a puree (if making homemade). You can also add thickening to existing purees which is great if you have a stockpile in the freezer or if you are buying premade. Thickeners include, fortified rice cereal, mashed beans or lentils, bread broken up into the puree, mashed sweet potatoes or banana.
3. Whiz through the processor or blender for less time
This applies if making homemade. No explanation needed.
4. Use your fork
Some baby's like to skip a few consistencies and go straight to fork mash. Try it with a soft, well-cooked food first to see how they handle it.
5. Eat with them
The only way they will learn how to manipulate different textures is to practise and to watch you manipulate foods. Pull up a chair and eat together, facing each other and have fun with it! Lick the puree, let them feed you. It is all messy good food play.
6. Take a basic infant CPR class
Gagging is normal when you change a texture. Try to stay calm and remember the mantra, gagging is like coughing, completely normal. Let them cough, don't interfere in any way. Choking is when the airway is blocked and no sound is coming out of their mouth. They can turn blue.
Take an infant CPR class. I was definitely nervous when I started to transition my daughter to soft foods. It certainly helped me build more confidence in those early days and even now that my daughter is into EVERYTHING.
Lentil Soup Video