My nine-month old has started refusing baby foods. What should I do?

Nine months is a common age for children to change eating habits. Children this age are on the go and many have a hard time "slowing down" to eat. Begin including your child in the family meals so he can watch you eat. Remember, at this age their appetitie normally begins to go down since they rate of growth is also slowing. One of the more difficult things for parents at this age is knowing when they are ready to transition to the next stage of foods. Because your son is becoming more independent, he may want to have more decision making in feeding, also. This is a good age to begin finger foods. Offer small pieces of table food, such as bananas and other soft fruits, vegetables that are cooked until they are softer than you may like them, and cereals, crackers and noodles. All table foods should be cut into small pieces, about the size of a pencil eraser. That way if he chooses to swallow without chewing (or gumming) the food, it will go down without causing him to choke. If your son has difficulty with increasing the texture of foods and gags easily, stay with the pureed foods for a while longer. I am always surprised at how much texture babies can handle with few or even no teeth. Soon you will find that your baby wants to use utensils. Although it is messy, most children can start to use a spoon between a year and 15 months. Always check with your doctor before starting new types of foods, since there may be some foods that your child should avoid.

As a reminder, this information should not be relied on as medical advice and is not intended to replace the advice of your child’s pediatrician. Please read our full disclaimer.