How To Cut Strawberries For 8 Month Old

Are strawberries a choking hazard for babies? – Whole or big chunks of strawberries are a choking hazard for young children. Make sure you’re preparing them safely for your child by puréeing or cutting them into very fine strips for the earliest eaters, then chopping them into small, bite-sized pieces that are appropriate for your child’s age.

Make sure, too, to always supervise your young child when she’s eating, sit her upright during mealtimes and never serve food while she’s reclining, walking, sitting in a car seat or playing. Juicy red strawberries are always a treat. So whether you serve them alone or as part of a bigger snack or meal, chances are, your growing gourmand will gobble up her first serving with gusto.

From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You’re Expecting, What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations.

What is the safest way to cut strawberries for babies?

Cut up. – Cutting them can be a great option to hone baby’s pincer grip, but you’ll have to cut differently for different ages. If your baby is 9-12 months, I suggest cutting in thin slices or into large quarters like pictured above for safety. ALWAYS use your gut! If it seems too small, mash or try a larger berry. If your baby is 12 months+, you can try chopping in smaller pieces less than,5 inch. This is great for learning and honing pincer grip but small enough to avoid choking,

How do I cut my 8 month old for food?

Best Tips for Cutting Food for Kids –

• Start with finger-size pieces at 6+ months for baby led weaning,
• Transition to pea (or two peas) size pieces around 9 months when kids can pick up smaller pieces between their fingers.
• Offer larger pieces so they can practice taking bites around 16/18 months.
• For raw veggies and hard fruits (like apples), start with shreds, then matchsticks, and paper thin pieces.
• Save baby carrots and other very hard raw veggies until age 4+.
• Find my favorite baby First Finger Foods,
• Find my go-to toddler Finger Foods,
• Learn more about Serving Nuts to Kids.
• Brush up on the common choking hazards and how to reduce the risk.

How do I give my 8 month old fruit?

Feeding at 7 to 9 months – Your baby will gradually move towards eating 3 meals a day (breakfast, lunch and tea). Offering a wide variety of different foods is important to ensure they get enough energy and nutrients (such as iron). Babies do not need salt or sugar added to their food (or cooking water) – salty food is not good for their kidneys, and sugar can cause tooth decay.

1. Remember, it may take 10 tries or even more for your baby to get used to new foods, flavours and textures.
2. There’ll be days when they eat more, some when they eat less, and then days when they reject everything! Don’t worry – this is perfectly normal.
3. Just be patient, keep offering a variety of foods, even the ones they do not seem to like, and let them get used to it in their own time.

Babies under 12 months do not need snacks. If you think your baby is hungry in between meals, offer extra milk feeds instead. Vegetables Try to move your baby on to mashed, lumpy foods and finger foods as soon as they can manage them. Cook to soften them, then mash or blend veggies to a suitable texture for your baby – or give them as finger foods.

asparagusavocadobroccolibutternut squashcabbagecarrotscauliflowercourgettegreen beanskaleparsnipspeaspeppersspinachswede

Fruit Mash or blend soft ripe fruits to a suitable texture for your baby, or give them as finger foods. Harder fruits will need to be cooked to soften them. Wash and remove any pips, stones and hard skin. Fruit includes:

applesbananasblueberrieskiwimangomelonnectarinesorangespapayapeachpearspineappleplumsraspberriesstrawberries

Starchy foods These can be cooked, where necessary, and mashed or blended to a suitable texture for your baby or offered as finger foods. Cereals can be mixed with breast milk or first infant formula – or with pasteurised whole (full-fat) cows’ milk (or goats’ or sheep’s milk) if your baby is over 6 months old. Starchy foods include:

baby ricebreadchapatticornmealmaizemilletoatmealoatspastapitta breadporridgepotatoquinoaricesweet potatotoast

Protein foods This food group includes meat, fish, eggs, beans and pulses, and is suitable from around 6 months. As well as giving your baby protein, these foods contain other useful nutrients, such as iron and zinc, which are important for babies. For eggs, make sure you buy ones stamped with the British Lion stamp mark.

There have been improved food safety controls in recent years, so infants, children and pregnant women can now safely eat raw or lightly cooked hen eggs (as long as they have the British Lion stamp), or foods containing them. If you have a severely weakened immune system or are on a medically supervised diet prescribed by health professionals, you should cook all eggs thoroughly.

Read about the healthy way to eat eggs. Protein foods include:

beansbeefchickeneggfish (no bones)lamblentilsporkpulses, such as chickpeastofuturkey

Dairy Pasteurised dairy foods,like pasteurised full-fat yoghurt and cheese, are suitable foods for your baby from around 6 months. Full-fat, unsweetened or plain yoghurts are a good choice because they do not contain added sugars. Whole pasteurised (full-fat) cows’ milk, or goats’ or sheep’s milk, can be used in cooking or mixed with food from around 6 months old, but not as a drink until your baby is 12 months.

How do you serve strawberries for 9 months?

Strawberries for Self-Feeding – Strawberries are a great food for your baby to self-feed, whether for baby-led weaning, which happens around 6 months of age, or during the finger foods stage at 9 months. Whole : great for babies 6+ months or just starting on solid foods.

How do I cut my 8 month old blueberries?

The round shape, small size, and firmness of a blueberry makes it a choking hazard for babies. To minimize the risk, flatten fresh blueberries into a disc shape between your fingers, quarter them and stir into other foods, or cook them until they burst.

How do I cut my 8 month old raspberry?

6 to 8 months old: Mash raspberries and serve on their own or mix into scoopable foods like porridge, warm cereals, or yogurt. Alternatively, you can flatten raspberries with your fingers or the back of a fork, but most babies at this age will struggle to pick up these small pieces of food.

Can 8 month old eat berries?

How to serve berries to your baby – When your baby is just starting solid foods, don’t serve whole, raw berries – they could be a choking hazard, Start off by serving your baby cooked, pureed berries with no extra ingredients. It’s okay if you don’t strain the seeds out of your baby’s food – they’re not a choking hazard.

1. But some babies may not digest the seeds in berries very well.
2. If you notice seeds in your child’s dirty diaper, don’t be alarmed.
3. It may look strange, but it just means the seeds passed harmlessly through your baby’s digestive system.
4. Berries are naturally a perfect size for children to learn the pincer grasp when picking them up and eating them.

Once your baby is eating other finger foods successfully and has several teeth – usually around 8 to 10 months – you can give them pieces of raw strawberries (about half an inch big), and whole blueberries and raspberries. Try these recipes with berries for your baby:

Yogurt and berry swirl Coconut milk rice pudding with blueberry compote

Was this article helpful? Yes No

What finger foods can 8 month old eat with no teeth?

Giving Baby Finger Foods at 7-8 Months Reviewed by on August 09, 2022 Once your baby is a pro at eating soft mashed foods, they may be ready to move on to finger foods around 8 months. They have the dexterity to pick the food up and release it or mash it, and will become more efficient and independent as they master the pincer grip around 9 months.

Start with menu items like pieces of soft cheese; small pieces of pasta or bread; finely chopped soft vegetables; and fruits like bananas, avocado, and ripe peaches or nectarines. These foods should require minimal chewing, as your baby may not yet have teeth. Do NOT let them have hot dogs, raw vegetables, nuts, meats, hard candy, or sticky textures such as nut butters that have increased choking risks at this stage.Introduce new foods one at a time in case there are any concers about allergies.Chop all foods into soft, bite-sized pieces, 1/2 inch or smaller.Watch out for choking hazards: Avoid round, firm foods like carrots, grapes, and hot dogs and skip anything like raw veggies and peanuts. Raisins and popcorn are dangerous for babies.Keep up your formula or schedule, but as your baby eats more solids, they’ll naturally start to take less milk. Your baby needs to start eating more solids and drinking less milk for the nutritional value at this stage.

Your Baby’s Development This Week Your baby is getting stronger and may even be moving around, whether they are sliding around on their belly in reverse, scooting on their behind, or actually crawling forward. If you haven’t childproofed your house already, don’t wait any longer! You may notice these growing signs of motor development:

Your baby is probably now able to sit on their own for several minutes, without using their hands for support and they may be able to get up into a sitting position all by themselves.While you offer them support, they should be able to bounce up and down, and possibly even pull up to a stand.Their little hands are increasingly agile – they are getting better at passing a toy back and forth from one to the other.

You might wonder about:

Their vision. Your baby should be able to see nearly as far as an adult by now and can track moving objects with their, Stranger anxiety. You’re not imagining it: They may fear new people and situations. So give them time to warm up and reassure them if they are upset. What they can understand. Your baby might comprehend more than you realize, so it’s important to keep talking to them about everything you’re doing and try to be consistent about the words you use for familiar objects.

If food allergies run in the family, talk to your pediatrician about introducing highly allergenic foods like peanuts and eggs.Fried foods are not good choices for babies. If you offer them at all, do so rarely.Avoid feeding your baby juice unless it is fresh-squeezed.By now, your baby’s diet should include grains, fruits, vegetables, and meats, and they should be eating two to three meals a day.In addition to rice, barley, or oat cereal, you can introduce grain products your baby can grab, such as toast, crackers, and dry cereal. Avoid any colorful, sugary cereals.Sit baby in their high-chair for feeding time. If they eat finger foods while crawling around, they are more likely to choke.You’re not done with or, Your baby is starting the transition, but breast milk and formula are still key.Pureeing or mashing vegetables may make them easier for your baby to eat when they are first transitioning from a liquid diet to solids.

© 2022 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved. : Giving Baby Finger Foods at 7-8 Months

Should 8 month old still be eating purees?

Feeding Your 8- to 12-Month-Old By 8 months old, most babies are pros at handling the iron-fortified infant cereals and the puréed foods that are part of their diet, along with breast milk or formula. Over the next few months, they will start to explore table foods.

honey until after a baby’s first birthday. It can cause in babies. unpasteurized juice, milk, yogurt, or cheese regular cow’s milk or soy drinks before 12 months instead of breast milk or formula. It’s OK to offer pasteurized yogurt and cheese. foods that may cause choking, such as hot dogs, raw vegetables, grapes, hard cheese, popcorn, and nuts foods with added sugars and no-calorie sweeteners high-sodium foods

Babies this age are likely showing more interest in table foods. You can fork-mash, cut up, blend, or grind whatever foods the rest of the family eats. To prevent choking, cook table foods a little longer, until very soft, and cut or shred them into small pieces that your baby can handle safely.

Around 9 months old, infant usually can pick food up between their finger and thumb so they can try feeding themselves. If you haven’t already, have your baby join the rest of the family at meals. They enjoy being at the table. After the first birthday, babies are ready to switch to cow’s milk. If you’re breastfeeding, you can continue beyond 1 year, if desired.

If you decide to stop breastfeeding before your baby’s first birthday, give iron-fortified formula. If your baby is over 12 months, give whole milk. Let your baby keep working on drinking from a cup, but do not give juice to infants younger than 12 months.

Is 8 months too late to start solids?

Babies widely starting on solids too early or too late Nutrition in the first year of life influences long-term health, says report co-author Professor Clare Wall. New research reveals nearly half of New Zealand babies are being introduced to food earlier or later than is recommended putting them at greater risk for ongoing health issues including obesity, anaemia and growth and developmental issues.

• The guidelines recommend that food starts being introduced to babies from around six months old, a developmental stage at which babies start to need a wider variety of nutrition sources for healthy growth and development.
• University of Auckland researcher and co-author Professor Clare Wall said that while breastmilk or infant formula alone supply the nutritional needs of infants until the age of six months, beyond this age other foods are needed to attend to an infant’s nutritional and developmental needs.
• “We know that nutrition in the first year of life not only impacts growth and development in that period, but also can influence longer-term health trajectories.”
• “The early or late introduction of food is associated with a range of issues that can persist later into childhood” said Professor Wall.
• She says research shows that babies who are introduced to food earlier than is recommended may be at increased risk of developing gastrointestinal infections, while impaired growth and development are related to late introduction, potentially due to shortage of vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc and vitamin A.

Iron deficiency anaemia, and child obesity are related to both early and late food introduction. There is also an increased risk of food allergies if eggs, peanuts, cow’s milk, tree nuts, soy, sesame seeds, wheat, fish and shellfish are not introduced before 12 months of age.

The study looked at when food groups were introduced to babies and found that particular foods were more likely to be introduced outside of recommended guidelines. Of concern, was that more than 45 percent of caregivers delayed the introduction of meat and alternatives which include nuts, eggs, tofu, beans and seafood, a finding that researchers say could mean babies are missing out on important sources of protein and iron.

Previous studies have shown that around 14 percent of children in Auckland aged six – 23 months old are deficient in iron.

1. Also concerning was that one in 10 infants were introduced to fruit and vegetables after seven months of age.
2. Early introduction of solids was more prevalent among infants not breastfed for six months and late introduction of solids was more prevalent among infants breastfed for more than six months.
3. The study also found an association between the non-timely introduction of food and a range of maternal social demographic and health behaviour factors including age, education level, ethnicity and smoking habits.
4. The research team hope that the findings will helpinform policies which provide appropriate and targeted support to mothers, whanau/families.
5. The team plan to continue to use data from the Growing Up in New Zealand study to look at the impact of non-timely food introduction on child and youth health and wellbeing outcomes.

This research was led by Sara Ferreira, a master’s student from the University of Sao Paulo (USP), Brazil. Sara was supervised by Prof Dirce Marchioni (USP) and Senior Research Fellow Teresa Gontijo de Castro (University of Auckland). You can read the,

• Growing Up in New Zealand is a University of Auckland study, managed by UniServices Limited.
• The study is funded by the New Zealand Government.
• It is the country’s largest contemporary longitudinal study of child development.
• It follows more than 6,000 children whose mothers resided in the Auckland, Counties Manukau and Waikato District Health Board areas during pregnancy.
• The study has followed these children from before birth and intends to continue following them until the children are at least 21-years-old.
• The study has been specifically designed to reflect the diverse lives of children growing up in the complex world of 21st century New Zealand.
• It is especially focused on what works to optimise child development and wellbeing.
• The information collected by Growing Up in New Zealand aims to help to shape government policies to better meet the needs of children and families in New Zealand.
• Growing Up in New Zealand has conducted more than 100,000 interviews and collected more than 60 million pieces of data in the past ten years.
• Children and families generously give their time to the study for free, with face-to-face data collection waves taking place every two to three years.
• Find out more about Growing Up in New Zealand’s research at

: Babies widely starting on solids too early or too late

How much solid food should an 8 month old eat?

6 to 8 months: –

24 to 36 ounces of formula or breast milk over 24 hours (now that your baby’s a more efficient nurser, you’ll probably breastfeed her four to six times a day)4 to 9 tablespoons each of cereal, fruit and vegetables a day, spread out over two to three meals1 to 6 tablespoons of a meat or other protein (like yogurt, cottage cheese or crumbled egg) a day

What should an 8 month old be doing?

What to expect – Babies grow and develop at their own pace. From ages 7 to 9 months, your baby is likely to experience:

• Advancing motor skills. By this age, most babies can roll over in both directions even in their sleep. Most babies also can sit on their own, while others need a little support. You might notice your baby beginning to scoot, rock back and forth, or even crawl across the room. Some babies this age can pull themselves to a standing position. Soon your baby might take some steps while holding the edge of a couch or low table.
• Improved hand-eye coordination. Most babies this age move objects from one hand to another or directly to their mouths. Pulling objects closer with a raking motion of the hands will give way to more-refined movements, such as picking up objects with just the thumb and forefinger. These skills will help your baby handle a spoon and soft finger foods.
• Evolving communication. Babies communicate through sounds, gestures and facial expressions. You’ll probably hear plenty of laughing and squealing. Some babies might repeat the sounds they hear — or give it their best shot. Your baby’s babbling is likely to include chains of sounds, such as “ba-ba-ba.” You might even pick out an occasional “mama” or “dada.”
• Stranger anxiety. Many babies this age become wary of strangers. Your baby might resist staying with anyone other than you. If your baby fusses when you leave, the excitement of a new toy or event might provide a distraction. Your baby will likely stop crying as soon as you’re out of sight.
• Teething. Babies start getting teeth during this time. But teeth may come in later too. You might notice your baby drooling more than usual and chewing on just about anything. Try gently rubbing the gums with one of your fingers or offer a rubber teething ring. Avoid teething gels or other medications. When your baby’s first teeth appear, use a soft-bristled toothbrush to clean them. Until your child learns to spit, at about age 3, use a smear of fluoride toothpaste no bigger than the size of a grain of rice.

How do you serve strawberries to a baby?

Sweet, juicy strawberries are an easy fruit to love, and they’re a healthy food for your baby. If you’re spoon-feeding purées, you can simply blend raw strawberries in the blender and serve. But if you want to offer this Vitamin C-packed fruit as a finger food, here’s how to cut strawberries for baby-led weaning (or baby-led feeding, as I like to call it). Strawberries for Beginning Eaters If your baby hasn’t developed her pincer grasp (thumb and forefinger), give her a whole strawberry to pick up with her palm and gnaw on. The trick here is to choose a big strawberry, probably a store-bought one because it’s tough to get industrial-sized berries at the farmer’s market! Your baby will suck and gum the berry, getting lots of good flavor and texture experience and hopefully actually eating some in the process (but no promises, haha). Learn more about how to cut finger foods for baby-led weaning. Strawberries and Other Berries for Older Eaters If you want to cut strawberries for baby-led weaning and your baby has developed her pincer grasp, you can treat these yummy berries like all finger foods: make sure they’re soft enough to mash with gentle pressure between your thumb and forefinger, and chop them into small pieces the size of your pinky fingernail or smaller, like this: What about other berries like blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries? Blueberries should be halved if large and gently smushed. Chop raspberries and blackberries into small pieces and be sure that they are ripe and soft. Learn more about how to cut finger foods for baby-led weaning for older babies. Serving Finger Foods Safely Remember that when your baby is learning to eat he may gag as a way to make sure unsafe pieces of food don’t make it too far back into his mouth and become a choking hazard.

Gagging is a baby’s natural defense mechanism and is totally normal. And, as your baby gets older the gagging mechanism moves farther and farther back on his tongue, making gagging less frequent. When your baby gags, do your best not to seem alarmed; just watch quietly and know that your baby is eating normally.

If your baby is a frequent gagger and it appears to upset him or make him reluctant to eat, talk to your pediatrician. Also, check out this article I edited for Parents.com about when gagging is good and when to worry, Choking, of course, should be avoided at all costs.

You’ll know your baby is choking if he’s unable to cough or breathe. Cutting berries properly as I’ve described and ensuring they’re soft will go a long way to helping your baby enjoy them safely. But, always stay with your baby when he’s eating and know how to help him (preferably by having taken a baby and child CPR class) if he chokes.

This video is a helpful refresher. I know that gagging and the potential for choking can seem very scary. But, if you take common-sense precautions berries are a safe finger food, and in general, babies are much better at handling solids than most of us give them credit for.

1. Remember that babies eat this way safely every day! For more feeding tips, family recipes, and cooking inspiration, sign up for my newsletter, which will arrive in your inbox once or twice a month.
2. As a thank you, I’ll send you three kid-friendly smoothie recipes! And, wherever you are on your feeding journey, check out my cookbook Baby-Led Feeding,

It’s packed with feeding advice, important safety information, and recipes for the whole family.

Why do babies wait to eat strawberries?

– There are other considerations when introducing strawberries to your baby for the first time. Conventionally grown strawberries are on the “dirty dozen” list of the Environmental Working Group because of high concentrations of pesticides. You may prefer to buy organic berries to avoid this.

Can I give my 8 month old berries?

How to serve berries to your baby – When your baby is just starting solid foods, don’t serve whole, raw berries – they could be a choking hazard, Start off by serving your baby cooked, pureed berries with no extra ingredients. It’s okay if you don’t strain the seeds out of your baby’s food – they’re not a choking hazard.

But some babies may not digest the seeds in berries very well. If you notice seeds in your child’s dirty diaper, don’t be alarmed. It may look strange, but it just means the seeds passed harmlessly through your baby’s digestive system. Berries are naturally a perfect size for children to learn the pincer grasp when picking them up and eating them.

Once your baby is eating other finger foods successfully and has several teeth – usually around 8 to 10 months – you can give them pieces of raw strawberries (about half an inch big), and whole blueberries and raspberries. Try these recipes with berries for your baby:

Yogurt and berry swirl Coconut milk rice pudding with blueberry compote

Was this article helpful? Yes No