Oh, me too. Except I used a fork, potato masher or blender.
Add me to the “don’t get it”. I mean, I wouldn’t report her to DCFS, and I will admit there has been a bit of beef jerky or carrot here or there that I’ve torn into a smaller piece with my front teeth before handing it to the kiddo, if a knife wasn’t handy (especially on long car rides) but I can’t say that I’ve actually chewed up something, like ground it to a paste with my back teeth. That does seem…unsanitary.
I don’t care if other people do it. I could even see it being beneficial to the baby’s immune system.
Personally, I don’t have a problem with pre chewing the food but I’d rather deliver it by hand or spoon than by mouth.
I’ve heard that one should share saliva with baby so they can get good mouth bacteria, in particular so the baby will have one parent’s better teeth. Both my brother and I have great teeth and our spouses have bad teeth and my sister in law wants my brother to introduce his saliva before hers when they have a baby. I guess that sounds pretty gross. But if a little baby kissing can stave off the root canals and teeth misery that my sister in law and husband have both experienced it seems worth a try.
I’m not sure I’d want to feed food to my toddler from my mouth, though. I don’t really like the idea of doing something intentionally strange that the child might remember.
Actually, it seems the opposite it true. Sharing saliva with your baby can spread cavities to the baby.
*Are *there any protective bacteria in the mouth? The only ones I’ve heard talk of are the plaque secreting bacteria, which cause cavities, and staph, which are mostly harmless unless you get a cut or sore.
I haven’t heard of this practice before but I don’t understand the reaction it’s getting. It seems like a natural way to share food with your baby. I don’t find it gross at all.
Perhaps I’m too elbows-deep in the various body fluids of small people to be grossed out by much these days.
She is a very vocal vegan. That kid will probably not even hear about meat until middle school.
Eeew. To quote Abe Simpson, it seems weird and scary to me.
You know, I’ve managed to go my entire life without seeing a video of Alicia Silverstone spitting food into her baby’s mouth through the very simple practice of not clicking on links that say, “Here’s a video of Alicia Silverstone spitting food into her baby’s mouth!”
He needed the money!
Wait a minute, Alicia Silverstone had a baby? That wasn’t mine? Dammit, been saving myself for nothing…
I agree with both of you. And I haven’t watched the video. But because it’s a “headline” on my home page I’m aware of the video, and that bugs me (yeah I know, change my home page).
I clicked the thread expecting there would be some funny responses. I need to stay a little bit informed re: celebrity “news” so I’ll be able to laugh at it with you all.
This is how we did it before we had baby food.
I have no idea what you’re trying to say here. It was said that pre-chewing as a “respected tradition”. I’d guess that, for many, it’s less “tradition” and more “lack of a suitable alternative”. Are they pre-chewing because its a strong part of their culture that they wouldn’t give up or would they say “Screw that, give me a jar of strained peas” if the option was available? I’m not saying pre-chewing is “bad”; I suppose it’s just fine. But the fact that people in low-technology areas do it doesn’t give it special credit with me though aside from showing that it won’t kill you.
I think everyone can agree that using polluted water or incorrect water:formula ratios to make baby formula is a bad idea, whether you’re in central Africa or SE Asia or France or Columbia or Canada or Japan. That doesn’t mean the alternatives are proud traditions, just that the circumstances aren’t suitable to using formula. It does, however, reflect that many of those mothers are breastfeeding out of necessity and not any sense of tradition and would gladly give it up for an alternative.
I was googling for more information and I saw that article too, but I can’t find anything that supports sharing protective bacteria with baby. It could be a googling problem on my part. When I google “healthy oral flora” I get a ton of scholarly articles that I don’t really have time to wade through right now, but my interest is piqued.
I’m just really hoping that my baby, due in a month, gets my family’s good teeth and not my husband’s family’s terrible teeth. But I’m also hoping that she gets his willowy tallness and sweet good nature.
Ha, you just reminded me of one of my favorite stories … on a long trip out of state with a 2-year-old, I kept him amused forever by feeding him grapes. I bit them in half and poked the pieces into his mouth. Eventually, my fingertips were positively raw from all my precision biting. But hey: happy toddler. 
So what does she do when she has the flu or something? Does she have a “Nanny McMasticator” take over for her?
I am reminded of Seth Brundle in The Fly, I bet the baby feeds like that when it gets older.
It bothers me when someone double dips a chip.
Yes! Grapes, of course! I’d forgotten about them. They’re perfect car food, but also perfect choking food. I’m not bringing a knife in the car, so I’d bite the thing in quarters and hand it to the tot.
Still…even though I didn’t click to see the video, I saw it on the news last night. “Baby bird” is not an exaggeration. She’s chewing the food, the baby (toddler, really) holds his head up and mouth open and she leans over him and frenches the food to him. A far cry from breaking down a grape and handing it to the backseat.
Would I do it if we were starving and couldn’t find a spork? Of course. But, like toilet paper and remote controls, I like using mod cons.
I am disappointed by the lack of Deep Space Nine quotes. (“Your mother doesn’t chew your food!”)