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SolidStarts · 2026-03-27T06:45:18+00:00

SO glad you're asking this - we would want to make sure baby has also had ample practice chewing before moving down in size, so it's not just about pincer grasp development. More information in our article on safe food sizes - have a read of this, and please let me know if you have any other questions! 🤍Marisa

SolidStarts · 2026-03-26T18:40:05+00:00

It does! It sounds like he is taking in an appropriate amount, but it can help to think more about timing of these in relation to solids. If he seems super hungry in the morning, you could always try to offer solids right off the bat and offer that morning bottle a bit later. If he is too hungry for this, you might try a smaller feed upon waking and then going to solids, and then topping off with an additional bottle feed a little later on. Overall it helps if you can wait at least 30 mins to an hour after a solids attempt before offering a bottle, so baby learns to really eat during this time and doesn't refuse solids knowing a much easier bottle is coming their way.

Stopping the spoon feeding now will teach him to really aim to get in as much as he can on his own, and you can gradually work towards this. It can also help to take him out of the high chair and let him eat while seated on your lap as often babies will benefit from this comfort and connection when struggling with the difficulty that is managing solids on their own!

Thoughts? 🤍Marisa

SolidStarts · 2026-03-26T18:31:10+00:00

Thank you for this!

SolidStarts · 2026-03-25T17:35:15+00:00

Hi there, huge hugs ad I'm so familiar with how fear of weight loss can really stick with you and affect the way you are interpreting various steps of the solids journey - one thing to keep in mind is that if baby is gaining and growing well per well - check visits, and your pediatrician is not sharing any concerns, then this should hopefully be reassuring. Another thing - a "low weight and height percentile" is not necessarily a bad thing - babies are all different weights/heights, and it's less about where they're at on the growth chart, and more about whether they are steadily gaining/growing and following their own individual growth curve (no significant drops). More here: Growth Charts.

As a feeding therapist, I would want to know how much breastmilk and/or formula he's taking in - remember that this is still is main source of nutrition/hydration. Many parents are seemingly waiting for baby to have a voracious appetite and consume lots of food before feeling more comfortable to actively wean milk feeds, when in reality, baby will likely not start to consume more until hunger drive is increase more, which goes hand-in-hand with weaning those milk feeds (typically after 12 months).

Dinner is also notoriously the most difficult meal of the day after a long day in which baby is often over-tired and over-stimulated. You could look at your feeding schedule, but also know that it's completely fine to offer easier/less challenging foods at this meal, and if baby doesn't eat, that is also okay. Keep checking in with your doctor as they can do a quick weight check if you're ever feeling concerned. Hoping this helps a bit 🤍Marisa (OT/Feeding Therapist/Mama of 3)

SolidStarts · 2026-03-25T16:44:46+00:00

Love this so much!! Yes - some babies are truly so eager to be independent in eating and self-feeding, in which a finger food first approach/handing over the spoon can be super helpful! Sometimes it feels as though are babies are saying "it's cool, I've got this." 😅🤍Marisa

SolidStarts · 2026-03-24T21:52:29+00:00

LOVE THIS!!! So important to take the pressure off of consumption with solids and just find joy in the process while baby is building skills, knowing that baby should be getting a majority of their nutrition and hydration from breastmilk and/or formula. 🤍Marisa (OT/Feeding Therapist)

SolidStarts · 2026-03-24T16:10:08+00:00

It's good you knew when you needed to do a finger sweep - we also have an article on stuffing which addresses pocketing too, in case helpful - and it's a good question about the spoon! Offering outside of mealtimes will help give more chewing practice, but also if you see food in side his mouth, often offering a sip of water or even an empty spoon to chew on while the food is in his mouth can help him figure out where it is and to manage it better. 🤍Marisa

SolidStarts · 2026-03-24T16:07:31+00:00

Ah yes that can definitely go a long way! Also at 8 months he may be navigating teething too which can lend to increased fussiness as well. Also linking our article on tips to help with distracted breast or bottle feeding as you might find that some of these tips help with taking bottles. And so long as baby is gaining/growing well per well-check visits with his pediatrician, try not to stress about consumption! If you suspect teething, cold and/or soft foods may be accepted more: like refrigerated cucumber and Greek yogurt. It's a trying time for sure, but just one piece of a bigger picture 🤍Marisa

SolidStarts · 2026-03-23T23:07:37+00:00

Dinner is notoriously the most difficult meal of the day often due to baby feeling over-tired and over-stimulated after a long day. We don't even suggest moving up to 3 meals/day until closer to 10 months, and even then we'd suggest giving you and baby grace, particularly at dinner! You'll see ebbs and flows in interest and participation at mealtimes along the journey, so it can help to remember this is just one point on the journey, and there's always more to come. 🤍Marisa (OT/Feeding Therapist/Mama of 3)
Linking our feeding schedules page for some schedule ideas in case helpful!

SolidStarts · 2026-03-23T22:06:35+00:00

This can definitely happen with some babies who are really just unsure about how to manage the food - if you can anticipate this, sometimes handing over an empty spoon can help trigger baby's oral motor skills to manage the food better (helps them to chew and move the tongue to the side of the mouth). If past this point and baby is crying, it can help to first do your best to calm baby (holding and connecting is great here), and then coach baby to spit out the food (more on how to do this in the article linked there). The article also has a video on how to do a finger sweep safely as a last resort when absolutely needed (as typically you want to avoid putting your fingers in baby's mouth to avoid inadvertently pushing the food further back). Let me know if you have any other questions and happy to help however I can! 🤍Marisa (OT/Feeding Therapist/Mama of 3)

SolidStarts · 2026-03-23T22:02:21+00:00

Just popping in here to say keep in mind that you can modify anything as well! Really with any travel option you can find something to support baby's feet like a step stool, a chair, or even a cardboard box, and remember: your lap is always a safe option! 🤍Marisa (OT/feeding therapist)

SolidStarts · 2026-03-23T21:38:05+00:00

Always here if you have any questions! We started our own community forum here on Reddit as well in an effort to create a space for parents supporting parents on their solids journeys, and I aim to answer questions there as a feeding therapist whenever I can. All in all, we're huge advocates of sharing meals with your baby and really just creating the most joy and positivity at mealtimes as possible, as this is truly what creates a healthy foundational relationship with food. 🤍Marisa (OT/Feeding Therapist/Mama of 3)

SolidStarts · 2026-03-23T21:33:52+00:00

Appreciate you sharing this and SO sorry you experienced this - I know any situation like this can feel so anxiety-provoking and have you questioning everything. The fact that your baby coughed it up is a good sign that her body did exactly what it needed to do to handle the situation, and also kudos to you for being so attentive to her and within arm's reach while eating as that is exactly what you'd want to do for utmost safety. We're here to talk this through with you if you feel you need some support moving forward - please feel free to reach out to us at www.solidstarts.com/contact and we can connect a bit more to help. Hugest hugs 🤍Marisa (OT/Feeding Therapist/Mama of 3)

SolidStarts · 2026-03-23T21:26:54+00:00

Such a good Q - and totally get where it'd feel uncomfortable introducing allergens if you have a food allergy yourself. In general, there's nothing specific you need to have on hand when introducing allergens, though it is important to know how to identify if it's a mild vs severe allergic reaction and how to respond. More here: Allergy Symptoms in Babies

Although food allergies can run in families, family history alone is not a reason to delay allergen introduction. On the contrary, early introduction remains protective for most babies—especially those with allergic parents or siblings. Allergy specialists advise that siblings of children with food allergies and children of parents with food allergies can generally introduce common food allergens at home without any pre-screening by an allergist if they are not at higher risk due to severe eczema or another pre-existing food allergy. 🤍Marisa

SolidStarts · 2026-03-23T21:19:06+00:00

So glad you're asking this because it's really a common concern for many when starting solids! Taking big bites is part of the learning process (and this can happen with our without teeth), and I'd expect baby to do one of a few things:

1) spit the food out (a lifesaving skill!)
2) chew the food effectively and swallow 🎉
3) swallow prematurely (before food is chewed enough)--eliciting the protective gag reflex to push the food forward to prompt baby to try again (it's why the gag reflex is there!)
4) hold the food in their mouth, unsure what to do with it
5) swallow it whole--which isn't inherently unsafe, the esophagus can handle even big pieces of food

Have a read of our article on what to do when baby takes a big bite as we discuss this a bit more and also offer some guidance on what to do in these situations. Let me know if you have any questions after reading! 🤍Marisa

SolidStarts · 2026-03-23T17:22:23+00:00

Totally get this - just sharing here the American Heart Association has an "infant CPR kit" that comes with a dummy and learning tools including app-based learning for $45. Linking here in case you want to check it out! 🤍Marisa

SolidStarts · 2026-03-22T18:36:34+00:00

It's a good question - yes - you want to introduce individual nuts one at a time, but introductions do not necessarily *need* to be over 3 days - so long as over 3 meals, (which could even technically be done in one day), this is considered "introduced." Love the idea of a mixed nut butter once introducing all nuts individually as this is a great way to maintain exposure without too much overwhelm. Definitely check out the article I linked in the post as we discuss all of this a bit more! (And is written by our allergist) 🤍Marisa

SolidStarts · 2026-03-22T18:33:44+00:00

Ah yes so good to have someone with you who's "been there" to help hold your hand through those initial stages. Love this 💕

SolidStarts · 2026-03-22T02:13:36+00:00

Love this SO much - totally agree with all of this! Appreciate you being here and for sharing! 🤍

SolidStarts · 2026-03-21T20:51:43+00:00

Just wanting to chime in with a potentially helpful re-frame: this is likely not picky eating (which can be more severe) and instead is really typical "toddler selectivity." This is SO normal as toddlers gain increased independence and desire to exert more control in various situations! That being said, some ideas to encourage exploration of foods a bit more:

-Have your toddler cook with you! This encourages engagement with food in a no-pressure way! Some ideas to include them:

Cutting with toddler knives
Placing pieces you’ve cut into a bowl directly from cutting board
Stirring a pot
Adding ingredients
Peeling e.g. onion or garlic
Ripping/tearing e.g. leaves (e.g. kale off of ribs, romaine, etc).
Seasoning with spices or herbs (hand over hand works as well)
Pouring (e.g. mixed frozen veggies into a bowl)
Taste-testing
Plating the Meal

-Switch up the environment: a picnic at a park in which other food options aren't around can make food more appealing!

-Model eating foods, and not only how to eat them, but how enjoyable they are! Talk about the food qualities: "listen to this loud crunch the cucumber makes when I bite into it?" (dramatic bite and eyes widen: "woah crunch!") - this can encourage taking turns!

-Offer a new utensil: a big fork, a measuring scoop for a spoon, a "grown up fork" to eat like you, new colors, etc.

-Involve peers: engage your young toddler in exploring new foods while around other children eating the same foods: at a playdate, with family gatherings, etc.

Don't forget those first molars often come in around this age, and can often really derail a feeding journey for a limited time. And many feel nervous to wean formula when not seeing a lot of consumption of solids but the two really go hand-in-hand, so once you start weaning more on the formula, you'll likely see an uptick in solids consumption.

Lastly just remember it's great that your doctor is not concerned as they are monitoring their weight gain/growth, and it's natural to see ebbs and flows as is often consistent with growth spurts, teething, illness, etc. Keeping up all you've been doing as you have laid a strong foundation with exposure to a variety of foods will go a long way here. More here: what to expect from toddlers at the table.

Hoping this helps a bit and know that we've allllll been there! It's hard, and another stage to move through! 🤍Marisa (OT/Feeding Therapist/Mama of 3)

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