8 Month Feeding Fun: Pincer Grasp, Bite-Sized Foods & Safe Self-Feeding

By 8-10 months, many babies are developing an early pincer grasp - using thumb and forefinger to pick up smaller pieces.

So food shapes can shift slightly.

You can now offer:

• Smaller, soft cubes (20c coin sized and up - but soft is the key)
• Shredded meats
• Flaked fish (checked for bones)
• Small pieces of ripe fruit
• Soft-cooked pasta pieces

Everything should still be soft enough to pass the squish test. It should squish when gentle pressure is applied between your fingers. Avoid hard, round, or sticky foods (like whole nuts or raw apples / carrots, especially when in the rounded shape of a carrot).

You may notice more chewing motions and side-to-side tongue movement - that’s skill progression!

Continue to sit them upright and stay present.

Watching and giving them facial cues can really help here. The sillier the better, and really over emphasise the motion of chewing and swallowing. You’re their mirror and their yardstick, so if you’re doing something (exaggerated), they’ll mimic you! 💛