spoon feeding themselves

Lynds77

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I admit I have a huge issue over this.

I only let freya do it for the first time the other day and the results were horrendous. I just couldnt cope with the mess so ended up taking to spoon off her. She went mental

She was trying to use the spoon fine with her right hand, but she kept picking up food with her left hand and rubbing it all over her face and hair and throwing it everywhere!

The high chair is in the living room with a mat underneath, and my high chair is a nightmare to clean

I know practice makes perfect, but am I holding her back?

Can everyone elses 1 year old feed themselves?
 
The only thing I ever let my kids feed themselves at that age was finger foods like toast or a rusk with me watching over them like a hawk.. Anything that could be spoonfed in was done by me and I gave them a spoon to hold themselves for distraction. I liked to know how much they were eating, I hated the mess and I didn't like wasting food and that's why I didn't let them feed themselves until between 18 months and 2. It's done none of my kids any harm not letting them feed themselves lol, they soon learn as they grow up.

I've read up on the baby led weaning that goes on now and I won't be doing it with Scott, I'm happy to feed him myself just like I did with the others x

tapatalkin
 
B started feeding himself with a spoon at one and although he's pretty good with it he still gets in a mess. He's better with his left than right but most of my side of the family are left handed so he could be copying.
Also he gets on better with a proper tea spoon rather than baby spoons.
 
My LO starting using a spoon and fork at 8 months, yes it was a mess at first and can sometimes still be if he's being defiant but by 10 months he could feed himself without any help. I think it depends on the child, some are good at fine motor skills some gross. LO didn't walk until almost two!

I'm of the belief to give them the opportunity to try but not to force. They like the feel of the food and are just experimenting.

Next stop, chop sticks.
 
Ok that makes me feel better!
My cousin always lets her boy feed himself and he was born day after freya. What a mess he gets in though.

Another friend whose boy is 6 weeks younger than freya gets put to bed with his last bottle, which he feeds himself. Freya would never do that! Of course she can hold the bottle, but has never wanted to feed herself it. We have always held it for her.

She is very good with her ring stacker etc so her hand and eye coordination is good. She just likes throwing food everywhere...
 
J can feed himself with a spoon (at nearly 10 mths) but we load the spoon for him. He puts it in his mouth and gives it back for more. He doesn't get much practise either as he only has yoghurt off a spoon. He feeds himself everything else with his hands.

Yes it's messy. I've learnt to live with it.
 
I'm having trouble getting Harry to feed himself too, but just with finger foods! He just doesn't seem interested... Just wondering, if your high chair is a nightmare to clean, my IKEA £16 is so easy as it's all plastic I just wipe it down - worth investing?? xxx
 
I'm having trouble getting Harry to feed himself too, but just with finger foods! He just doesn't seem interested... Just wondering, if your high chair is a nightmare to clean, my IKEA £16 is so easy as it's all plastic I just wipe it down - worth investing?? xxx

you know what, my Mum is buying that high chair to keep at her house. I might just swap! ours was £80 odd from Mamas and Papas, but to be honest I didnt really know what i was looking for! I wanted something that was height adjustable and reclined. Since we bought it it has been at the same height and we have only reclined it once! haha
 
The only way she will.learn is to let her.do it. I did BLW and yes, it was messy(i have tiles in my kitchen though) but the results are amazing.
Even the nursery commented on how good he is with the cutlery.
Ikea Antilop is the best chair ever, easy to clean and no fuss. Do try and see if you like it better.

And yes, it will be all over them at first. Good overall wipeclean bibs are a must. Good luck x

Tapatalking so cant see signatures
 
I'm having trouble getting Harry to feed himself too, but just with finger foods! He just doesn't seem interested... Just wondering, if your high chair is a nightmare to clean, my IKEA £16 is so easy as it's all plastic I just wipe it down - worth investing?? xxx

you know what, my Mum is buying that high chair to keep at her house. I might just swap! ours was £80 odd from Mamas and Papas, but to be honest I didnt really know what i was looking for! I wanted something that was height adjustable and reclined. Since we bought it it has been at the same height and we have only reclined it once! haha

Give it a try! You never know and seriously cleaning it is a doddle, which was what I wanted out of a high chair! :D xxx
 
think i have cracked it. Today I gave her a baby fork. I had a Oxo tot cutlery set sitting there waiting for when she was bigger.

then I gave her non-messy finger food (like I usually do), her veggies, chicken and apple balls and some chunks of cheese and she loved it! I loaded the fork, and she ate it!

she even dipped the fork in a fromage frais after too and ate the whole pot no bother. Recently she has been spitting out any smooth food soon as it in her mouth.

think she just needed a dissociation...
 
Sounds promising Lynds - let us know how you get on. lol fromage frais with a fork! babies!! :D xx
 
To me the mess is part of the fun. Yes it is a lot of work to clean up after some days but they are only small for such a short time I just try and enjoy it. Lo has held her own spoon from the beggining. It has helped her motor skills for sure as well as her interest in food but you just have to do whats right for you. There is no one way that is the best and only way. I have a tiled kitchen and Ikea chair which helps. I agree, ikea chairs are the best!
 
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