Knowing how to cut foods appropriately for a baby’s age and stage is critical for safe swallowing. Below are food size tips for both early eaters (6-9 months) and older eaters (9-12 months).
The palmar grasp emerges around 6 months of age and is when a baby stabilizes an object against the palm with their fingers curled around it. At this age, a baby will use the palmar grasp to hold a stick of food in the palm of their hand and slowly (but independently) place it into their mouth.
- Shape: The shape of the food needs to be spear-shaped or stick-shaped (the length and thickness of an adult pinky finger) for the infant to grasp it with their whole hand successfully. This shape will easily fit on a baby's gumline, which will encourage baby to try a munch chew. A munch chew is when a baby easily and safely chews soft, moist foods with their gums (not requiring teeth).
- Safety: You don’t want to start feeding a baby too early, baby should be 6 months of age and show these signs of readiness. Once baby is ready, ensure the food being offered is soft, ripe, and cut in the correct shape and size.
- Tip: Use the 6m+ Baby-Led Weaning Food Cutter to cut serrated, finger-length strips, which is the perfect size and shape for this age + developmental stage.
A pincer grasp emerges around 9 months of age and is when a baby uses the tips of their thumb and index finger to pick up food or an object. During this age range, a baby will use this mature grasp to quickly pick up multiple small pieces of food at a time.
- Shape: We don’t introduce smaller sized cubed pieces of foods to older babies until they have been successful with spears of soft foods and have had a variety of tastes, textures, tints (colors) and temperatures. In addition, we are looking to see if they have performed fine motor (pincer grasp) and oral motor (tongue lateralization) milestones that are critical for feeding success. These skills are the building blocks for advancing from spears and sticks to smaller cubed sized pieces.
- Safety: If a 9-month-old baby has not obtained their true pincer grasp milestone, do not offer small pieces of food quite yet. This is due to the risk of overstuffing and potential choking risk as they will rake ‘fists full’ of the small pieces. In the meantime, continue to offer strips of food at mealtime and practice the pincer grasp during play.
- Tip: Once baby is ready, use the 9m+ Baby-Led Weaning Food Cutter to cut serrated, soft cubes, which is the perfect size and shape for this age and developmental stage. Preparing food for a baby’s age and stage is one of the first steps for reducing choking risk.
