soft vegies are a good idea for finger food.   Cut up some carrots Juilenne (strips) and steam them until soft.    Cut potatoes up juilenne style (like chips) and put them in the oven, until soft/cooked.   You can do this with most vegies.

I was told by my child health nurse there is new study being done suggesting you give finger food from 6 months it encorages the child to chew rather then suck. My daughter is just over 6 months I offer finger food aswell as spoon feed she manages both reasonabley well.  

Hiya,

I personally think the rusks are a great idea. Sounds like she may be teething ... there's also a device out there that you can put lumpy foods into and then they chew on it without danger. I think it's Tommee Tippee but can't be sure. It's kind of like a net that's attached to a handle just the right size for little hands. They grab it by the handle and chew and/or suck at the net end where the food is. That way, you can give her anything that's age appropriate without the fear of choking.

Please encourage it - weaning is not an easy process and can take a very long time. Trust your instincts, perhaps some cold yoghurt blocks from the freezer would go down well if she's teething? I also found toast was high on the agenda (and still is at nearly 2 years - I have a carb-a-holic). Just remember, if using pre-prepared foods like rusks, always take note of the age recommendations as there are some (like the cheesy vegemite ones) that need that little extra time for bubs to get used to.

Good luck,

Kelly

I gave both my kids plain wholemeal toast cut in fingers as their first finger food.

i would say yes as long as u keep a good eye on her.  if she is showing signs that she wants finger food then nurture it.  my son was eating finger food at about 7 months, I gave mine cheese sticks, and small bread rolls, just stay very close.

if she has teeth try things like carrot sticks or apple pieces,

My DD2 decided to teach me about Baby-led Weaning . I finally read about it when she was 6 months and realised she wasnt so weird after all!

It sounds like a move towards finger food (even skipping the lumpy stuff) might be what your daughter wants. Anyway, adapting their ideas to suit your daughters tastes might help, even if you dont follow it slavishly.

Dont worry about choking. Get your DD propped bolt upright. Then if that little nub goes down the wrong way she will gag it out. Gagging is good, choking is bad. Choking is when they cant clear it (it keeps falling back down their throat). Gagging gets the bit of food out of the throat fast - a safety reflex. My DD2 soon became an expert at gagging - got us some GREAT looks of horror from other mums, but I was so used to that sound!

This weaning schedule from the same site might give you some ideas for the range of finger foods and when they are suitable for introducing.