A question that comes up when diversifying your child: How do you know when you are making progress with textures and when the baby is moving on to chunks?
It is the sensory-motor development of the oral area that will give us all the information we need to guide baby in the discovery of food.
From spoon to chew
Diversification can start at 4 months of age when baby is in his 5th month.
The baby between 4 and 6 months will have back and forth tongue movements. The baby may therefore tend to push the purée with the tongue towards the outside of the mouth. This movement is normal for a baby who is beginning to discover smooth purées.
At around 6 months, the baby is able to keep the tongue in the mouth and to swallow by pulling back the tongue. The tongue will learn to move upwards to bring the bolus (chewed food) to the back of the mouth.
At this age, the tongue is able to crush melting and crunchy foods on the palate.
Gradually, our baby will master the movements of the upper lip in order to swallow the food on the spoon. His sensory gag reflex will recede very far back from 9 months onwards. The 9 month mark is also the time when babies will pick up objects more finely, cross the midline (the right hand will pick up the left and vice versa) and above all have lateral movements with their tongue to transport food onto their gums.
At around 12 months, a rotational movement of the jaw appears, which will allow our baby to master a multitude of textures in order to create his sensory food repertoire. Chewing also becomes bilateral, which allows him to manage increasingly complex textures.
Chewing will continue to progress, thanks to daily experimentation, to become mature between the ages of 4 and 6.
Remember, these are only reference ages. It is your baby's knowledge and observation that will enable you to accompany him in his food discoveries between 6 and 12 months.
So how do we adapt food texture to our baby's skills?
Between 4 and 6 months Baby, with the antero-posterior movements of the tongue, can manage smooth, fine purées
From 6 months From 6 months: The texture can be gradually increased with meat or starchy foods to make it a little thicker. The tongue has the ability to propel the food bowl towards the back of the mouth as it moves backwards.
Between 6 and 9 months Between 6 and 9 months: The texture will gradually increase, reaching a lumpy texture (chunks with puree) around 9 months. Before reaching this stage, you can accustom baby to a more granular texture (puree with small grains and a little thicker).
It is estimated that from 9 months onwards the baby can and should eat lumpy textures but should also be able to make the transition to chunks.
Indeed, studies show that it is important to texture purees before 9 months and to offer small pieces around 9 months in order to facilitate feeding and acceptance of tastes and textures.
In child development, the sensitive period is often referred to as the period when the baby is most likely to discover things. For feeding, the sensitive period is between 6 and 12 months. At this age, babies will automatically put everything in their mouths, what can be eaten and what cannot. This period is therefore conducive to food discovery.
The golden rule for switching to chunks is :
- large pieces = melting textures
- small pieces = firmer and more complex textures.
Everything can be presented in the right size when baby is sitting up and has thumb and index finger grip (around 9 months).
Some babies won't take the path to diversification by increasing the textures, they will naturally turn to chunks. So there is no right or wrong way... just your baby's way.
Often, a baby who refuses to eat the pieces is showing us something, so don't hesitate to get help to get back on the road to a serene diversification
Occupational therapist in paediatrics