Around the same time babies begin to teethe, they begin to their first foods. Also, they begin to make more sounds. Feeding and speech development are closely related! They compliment each other and each milestone your baby meets in one area, s/he should meet another milestone in the other area. Once your baby shows interest in putting objects in their mouths, you can present them opportunities to explore tastes and textures of the foods you eat. You can do this safely with the use of baby food feeders(mesh or silicone)that are found in the baby section of many stores, or on line by searching for “baby safe feeders”. Starting with vegetables and fruits that your baby has already shown no allergy or sensitivity to can give them new tastes and textures to explore, while helping them learn to move their tongue, lips, and jaw in a variety of directions to develop the coordination needed for emerging speech sounds. You will begin to hear them makes sounds while they are exploring that you can imitate back to them, creating a socially enjoyable experience and connection with you as their feeder. Imitation of the actions occurring in their mouths while feeding is as important as the imitation of sounds that naturally occur as they move their mouths. Your baby will learn the difference of the sounds they can make while their lips are closed(mmmmm) or when their mouths are open with their tongues down(gagaga). Giving your baby early experiences with a variety of tastes and textures could lead to decreased protest of new tastes and textures as they grow. In addition to these feeders giving your baby opportunities to explore new foods, it can be useful for those painful teeth coming in! Place fruits or veggies in the freezer and place them in the feeder for some tasty relief😉. You will also be teaching your child about different temperatures of foods this way! Always consult with your pediatrician or early interventionist when moving from purees to solids, even if presented in a safe way with the use of these feeders.
