Am I Being Too Overprotective?

[Breezy]

This may be slightly off topic but it does pertain to my DCKs of the same age.

Backstory: My mother has always instilled a very large fear of choking in me. Until I was in middle school or maybe even high school, she used to cut up my grapes for me into small pieces as an example.

So being a young first time mother with no family around or friends I have been kind of winging it as far as motherhood goes. I have tons of experience with children but that is nothing compared to your own child. I am sure you all know how that goes!!

Anywho, my DS is 16 months old almost and I cut his food up into itty bitty pieces. He had a piece of raisan bread with breakfast this morning and I broke it up into tiny pieces all over his tray. I cut all his meat into itty bitty pieces, the size of if not smaller than a penny. I feel like I am doing him a disservice by not allowing him to learn to chew big pieces of stuff. Naturally, he shoves tons in his mouth because the pieces are so teeny so I am worried he will do the same if I make them bigger and choke.

I also am running out of ideas of what to feed him. He has the same soft foods every day pretty much and I am sure hes sick of it!!

He has all his teeth pretty much so he is physically able to eat properly. He sits on my lap and takes bites out of stuff as well but I am just too afraid to let him do it all on his own.

I am being too over protective, huh.

Any advice? Or ideas of things he can and should be eating at this age?

[youretooloud]

I don't ever cut sandwiches into pieces. I just peel the crust off and give it to them whole. I do this because some foods cause a choking hazard by being too small, or promote mouth stuffing.

I cut the grapes in half until four or five.

I stick my finger down the middle of a banana, and give the toddler one section... something big enough to hold in his hand, but not too small that they can stuff it in.

I peel all apples.

I use baby carrots only... carrots and ice cubes are my biggest choking fears.

But, other than that, I don't cut up food for toddlers. Infants, but not toddlers.

[Breezy]

I don't ever cut sandwiches into pieces. I just peel the crust off and give it to them whole. I do this because some foods cause a choking hazard by being too small, or promote mouth stuffing.

I cut the grapes in half until four or five.

I stick my finger down the middle of a banana, and give the toddler one section... something big enough to hold in his hand, but not too small that they can stuff it in.

I peel all apples.

I use baby carrots only... carrots and ice cubes are my biggest choking fears.

But, other than that, I don't cut up food for toddlers. Infants, but not toddlers.

Oh wow. I am being way way way too overprotective. I cut his bananas up into tiny pieces. They are practically diced when he gets them...


Is this something I should gradually correct? Or can I just start making the pieces bigger now?

[JustAMom]

From the time my daughter (age 20 months) started eating solids (she hated baby food, which I quit trying to force at about 9-10 months of age) she has eaten what we eat. I do not make any special foods for her. We make a family meal and eat it together and she is welcome to sample any part of it. I'm often surprised at what she will ask to try. If we're having chicken quesadillas and she sees us dipping them in salsa and sour cream, she asks for it and we give her some (this child loves to dip). So I personally think the answer to your question of what he can/should be eating is, "everything." That said, I can relate to your fears about choking. I do still cut up a lot of my daughter's food, but especially things that are dangerous such as hot dogs and grapes. I, too, realize I need to get past that and start letting her take bites on her own but it is hard to break that habit of cutting everything up.

[youretooloud]

I would make things small enough to fit in his hand, but not diced.

[cheerfuldom]

I dont cut anything for my 13 month old. I think you are being way over protective.

I do not even offer grapes to the younger ones though because it is just extra work to cut.

I do slice hot dogs long ways, cut a sandwich in fourths, cut meat into chunks but this more about making the size of the food appropriate for their mouths and tiny utensils.

Do you know what to do if a child is choking? It is very important that you do have a plan, just in case. Then let your son progress to a more age appropriate feeding. At 16 months, he should be getting used to a fork and spoon even. I wouldnt cut up any softer foods. He has teeth.....he can go at it with a whole slice of bread.

[cheerfuldom]

Oh wow. I am being way way way too overprotective. I cut his bananas up into tiny pieces. They are practically diced when he gets them...


Is this something I should gradually correct? Or can I just start making the pieces bigger now?

start making the pieces bigger now. you are just creating more work for yourself. he can handle more!

[KBCsMommy]

Breezy here is a link from the WIC program. There are many brochure links to different age groups and foods. I give these brochures to all my dc parents when their kids hit about 8 months and are ready for finger foods. There are alot of great ideas for foods young toddlers can eat.

http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/wicworks/Pages/WICEducationMaterialsChildren.aspx

[littlemissmuffet]

Yikes - yes, too protective

I cut up: hot dogs, carrots, grapes and apples until age 4 or 5 as these are high-risk choking foods. I also do not serve popcorn, marshmallows or globs (just thinly spread on toast) of peanut butter as these too are known to cause choking. Everything else, is served as they come or in chunks (no dicing here). I find that when foods are cut up kids tend to eat quickly - which is a choking hazard as well.

Kids won't ever learn to do things we don't allow them to try...

Good luck

[Buxterboo]

My son (now 18 months) did the same thing when i would dice things for him: handfulls of itty bitty pieces in his mouth. Now i just cut it up a bit.
For example:
spaghetti is about 1 1/2 in long. chicken nuggets in half. hot dogs once down the long way. half PP&Js
As soon as I started doing that, he actually started taking "bites" of food not just shoveling it in. He also eats (or is offered) everything we have. I dont know if every kid is like this tho. Hes an only child for now
Also, I have standing instructions to everyone that serves him food: If he is "choking" because he swallowed funny, just pull out what you can see. No patting on the back. If hes making noise (coughing etc) then let him work it out on his own. If there is noise, there is air. meaning the chils is still breathing/airway is not blocked. Pounding on the back is people's first instinct, but this actually causes food to become lodged. And obviously do heimlich if he is truely choking.
Im sure you all know this, but most people i visit with or even see out in public dont seem to know about it. They probably just havent taken first aid lately.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I don't ever cut sandwiches into pieces. I just peel the crust off and give it to them whole. I do this because some foods cause a choking hazard by being too small, or promote mouth stuffing.

I cut the grapes in half until four or five.

I stick my finger down the middle of a banana, and give the toddler one section... something big enough to hold in his hand, but not too small that they can stuff it in.

I peel all apples.

I use baby carrots only... carrots and ice cubes are my biggest choking fears.

But, other than that, I don't cut up food for toddlers. Infants, but not toddlers.

I do everything exactly the same way.

I have an overprotective Mom like you as a client. Her son tries to shove everything he can into his mouth because he doesn't know how to take small bites. He is nearly 3. We are working on it here, but I have to sit directly next to him while DH monitors the other 11 children (INCLUDING toddlers, who do just fine).

[Heidi]

I think the other's have great ideas. You can definately loosen the reigns a bit.

The only thing I would say different is that mine NEVER get the crust cut off of bread! They'll still be doing that at 12, and it's just wastefull, IMO. Besides, it "makes your eyes sparkle" didn't you know?

Oh, and Carrots!

I nanny'd for an ER nurse years ago, and she said NO RAW CARROTS!! until at least 3 or 4! When carrots are chewed, they grind into small chunks. If aspirated (****ed into the lungs), they cause MAJOR problems. NO RAW CARROTS!!!

Even steaming them in the microwave a bit to soften them is ok, so "almost raw"...as soon as the texture changes, their ok.

I've raised 3 more kids since then, and never offered another raw carrot until they were almost school age. Sad, but she drilled that into me. "B-you don't want to see what happens"...

[Breezy]

Good info Heidi!!! Thank you.

Thanks everyone for telling me the cold hard truth.

I started cutting stuff up for him in larger pieces yesterday. When I cut his peanut butter sandwhich into 4 s he looked at me like I was nuts! But he happily ate it and its way less messy.

This morning I gave him some of the bigger cracker type things I bought bet never let him have because they are so big. He ate two perfectly fine taking bites and didn't throw it on the floor like he usually does when hes bored.

[littlemissmuffet]

Good info Heidi!!! Thank you.

Thanks everyone for telling me the cold hard truth.

I started cutting stuff up for him in larger pieces yesterday. When I cut his peanut butter sandwhich into 4 s he looked at me like I was nuts! But he happily ate it and its way less messy.

This morning I gave him some of the bigger cracker type things I bought bet never let him have because they are so big. He ate two perfectly fine taking bites and didn't throw it on the floor like he usually does when hes bored.

YAY! You are seeing even more benefits that you expected. Good job!