Baby led weaning- chicken soup

amother

OP ↓

Wed, May 11 2022, 10:52 pm

For those who did baby led weaning when did you start giving your baby things from the chicken soup. My baby is 6 months and so far has had veggies, some fruits and omelets. He isn’t really chewing yet - kind of mostly just sucking on the food and occasionally swallowing little bits but that is rare- can I give him chicken from the soup or is that dangerous? If it’s ok how do I serve it to him safely?

amother

Viola ↓

Wed, May 11 2022, 10:57 pm

With baby led weaning you can give everything. Cut the food into finger length strips. Give all textures not just mushy food. Chicken is great for babies. Google baby led weaning to see the chart about cutting it correctly. And remember gagging is good and normal, it’s ok for then to cough or throw up some food while they learn to chew it properly. They don’t need teeth they gum it. You only need to worry about choking which is baby turning blue, but very uncommon.

mushkamothers

Wed, May 11 2022, 10:58 pm

Soft chicken is safer than most fruits... you just give him the soup veggies or chicken on a plate and let him eat or play with it. The broth you can put in a little cup or just spoon feed that. Though my baby was eating soup with a spoon at 13m (I checked the date on the video!) So keep in mind you can begin offering Utensils even now. Not that he'll use them properly but he'll be exposed.

amother

Yarrow ↓

Wed, May 11 2022, 11:03 pm

amother [ Viola ] wrote:

...at which point it may be too late...
please don't put anything within reach of a baby that can possibly cause them to go blue!

↑ BrisketBoss ↓

Wed, May 11 2022, 11:06 pm

amother [ Yarrow ] wrote:

...at which point it may be too late...
please don't put anything within reach of a baby that can possibly cause them to go blue!

You can 'possibly' choke on anything, especially when you're a baby. Even a liquid. You probably won't but it's good to know what signs to look for and what to do.

Last edited by BrisketBoss on Wed, May 11 2022, 11:06 pm; edited 1 time in total

amother

↑ OP ↓

Wed, May 11 2022, 11:06 pm

mushkamothers wrote:

Thanks. Yeah with my other kids I started them out with utensils very early and they caught on quick. This is the first baby I skipped purées with and going straight to solids. I didn’t give any of my other kids chicken or meat to feed themselves at this young of an age and want to make sure I’m doing it right.

amother

↑ Viola ↓

Wed, May 11 2022, 11:09 pm

amother [ Yarrow ] wrote:

I'd cut the chicken to bite size pieces. Like the size of a cheerio.

Bite size is not the correct size to start with. They can’t pick it up or move it around their mouth at that size. Finger length is the current size to start with. So that they can pick it up, hold it and chew off pieces.

↑ BrisketBoss

Wed, May 11 2022, 11:10 pm

amother [ Yarrow ] wrote:

I'd cut the chicken to bite size pieces. Like the size of a cheerio.

You could do that. I wouldn't though. I'd want nice long pieces because a six month old can easily pick those up with his immature grip and bite the parts sticking out from his fist. This will also help to teach him about appropriate bite sizes and is not dangerous.

Overall, cooked chicken is safe any way you cut it. It does not have any of the same sorts of issues as grapes, nuts, etc.

You can even give a baby a drumstick. I know that freaks some people out. I'm less easily freaked out. One of my beginner babies literally spent more than an hour happily working on a small one. She had no teeth but she still made visible progress and had good fun.

Last edited by BrisketBoss on Wed, May 11 2022, 11:18 pm; edited 2 times in total

amother

↑ Yarrow

Wed, May 11 2022, 11:13 pm

BrisketBoss wrote:

You can 'possibly' choke on anything, especially when you're a baby. Even a liquid. You probably won't but it's good to know what signs to look for and what to do.

A baby can't quite choke on a liquid, you know. They might gag and cough, but it won't actually choke them.
To purposely put an object within reach that has the capabilities to make a baby turn blue is absolutely obsurd!
I had a 21 month old choke. She was silently gagging, but looked ok, looked like classic choking kid. I did what I was supposed to, and as a trained and certified first responder, I knew what I has doing. I did at least 10 or 12 rounds of the heimlich menauver, but couldn't release the object. She went limp in my arms. Those were the scariest moments of my life, hands down.
Thank You Hashem for Hatzolah!! She is BH fine today

amother

↑ OP ↓

Wed, May 11 2022, 11:13 pm

amother [ Viola ] wrote:

Yes it’s hard to not get a little bit panicky but I have done well so far in keeping my cool when he starts making those gagging noises. He’s doing well so far.
I remember this part with my other kids. It’s me sitting pretending to be totally calm and reassuring my worried husband that everything is fine and baby will manage and meanwhile I’m hiding the fact that I’m anxiously waiting for baby to either swallow or spit it out. Very Happy

amother

↑ Viola ↓

Wed, May 11 2022, 11:15 pm

amother [ Yarrow ] wrote:

Omg I was explaining what choking is. The baby won’t choke on chicken calm yourself down.

amother

↑ Viola ↓

Wed, May 11 2022, 11:16 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

You sound like you are doing amazing and baby is doing amazing as well! Keep it up and keep adding more variety.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Wed, May 11 2022, 11:18 pm

Also curious… For those of you who do serve chicken soup to your babies do you make it without salt and then add the salt after taking out some for your baby?

amother

↑ OP

Wed, May 11 2022, 11:18 pm

amother [ Viola ] wrote:

You sound like you are doing amazing and baby is doing amazing as well! Keep it up and keep adding more variety.

Thank you for the encouragement Smile

amother

Silver

Wed, May 11 2022, 11:23 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Also curious… For those of you who do serve chicken soup to your babies do you make it without salt and then add the salt after taking out some for your baby?

Salt isn't dangerous for babies.

amother

Darkblue ↓

Thu, May 12 2022, 4:39 pm

Honestly I can't relate ( experienced mom here). I'm all for allowing baby to self feed & I don't buy baby food. But like everything in life, moderation is key. To purposely give a baby food they can't properly handle...
& re salt, a baby under 1 should not have too much salt.
(For reference, my 17 month old eats independently with a spoon so it's not like I dislike self feeding)

amother

↑ Viola ↓

Thu, May 12 2022, 4:43 pm

amother [ Darkblue ] wrote:

Oh boy people are really fearful. It’s perfectly safe, absolutely nothing unsafe about it. You can’t knock a method you haven’t even tried can you?