About a week ago, our 12 month old DS started to spit food at me. He sticks out his tongue and blows, which means food and saliva go everywhere. He does it to indicate he is bored, he doesn't like what he is having, he wants something else instead, he wants to be fed a different way (if I am spoon feeding, he wants to finger feed, or vice versa), or that he is done. He also does it when he is playing by himself, but that doesn't bother me that much. It is more the food flying in my face that is frustrating.
At first I tried to distract him when I could see it coming, and that didn't work. For a couple of days, I just told him we don't do that, and then basically ignored it. But it started to drive me crazy. So, after a couple of days of that, I decided that was it. For the last 4 days, as soon as he spits, I tell him we don't spit, we are done, and immediately take him out of his high chair. I will try to feed him again 10-20 minutes later, and if he does it again, will try once more. After that, he doesn't get anything until his next meal (after the first try he often does it as you are putting him in his high chair, so I just take him back out). This approach seems a bit harsh to me for how young he is, but I don't know what else to try. He has not yet made the connection between spitting and not getting food, and because of it is having very little solids (he has been having between 7-9oz a day). Obviously, he is hungry, and has doubled his milk intake because of it.
I am being a bit inconsistent about it, as I only take him out when I am trying to feed him. If he does it while I am across the room preparing his food or something, I just ignore him. So, should I just continue with the way I am doing it, continue to take him out and always do it if he is in the high chair at all, or does someone have a better idea for a different approach?
