She won't let us feed her??!!

[Lilasmom]

DD will be 1 year old, a week from today.  In the last month or so, she's really gotten into feeding herself.  She will not let us spoon feed her AT ALL!!  If we try and get the spoon in her mouth she spits the food back out at us.  I understand that at this age kids are developing some independence, but DH and I are so frustrated.  DD will only eat certain foods (mostly crackers and fruit).  I try to give her veggies/meat, and different other finger foods but she just throws them on the floor (foods she used to like).  Also, even a lot of the food she feeds herself, she chews it then spits it out.  She barely eats anything in the run of a day.  We try every day to show her how to use the spoon, but again she's not interested.  It lands across the room.  Any suggestions on how to get past this?

[binxyboo]

Frustrating, isn't it? Riley has thismost annoying habit of not wanting me to feed him, but he will let me load the spoon and hold it and he will dip one finger into it and suck the food off his finger. This takes FOREVER but thankfully he's not always like this. If you give her a spoon and a small bit of food in a bowl, would hat distract her so you can feed her too, or will she not let you feed her at all?

[NikiJ]

I found with dd that you just have to let them to it. 

I also found it easier to give dd foods like shepards pie & fish pie coz they are all mixed together & easy for her to feed to herself.

[sarahprater1]

Hi,

I am having the exact same frustrations at the mo!!  Alec has gone from eating anything and everything i have made him to now - like your's - only taking fruit and breadsticks or rice cakes - I am trying all sorts of different ways to encourage him to eat it himself, but all he is doing is throwing it on the floor and if I do manage to sneak the spoon in he just spits it out !!!  I have just ordered a finger food cook book from amazon in the hope it may solve some of my problems - will let you know how it goes!?

PS Alec is also almost 1 year old - maybe it's just a wee phase.....

[lisamichel]

Wow this sounds familiar,   Leia went through this stage at about 7-8 months,   she would completly refuse to be spoon fed and would only feed herself! She would scream so loud and just cry if I tried to spoon feed her.      I was so worried especially at that age that she wouldn't eat anything off a spoon which made finding finger foods quite the challange,  but she made it through and now at 11  months old she will finally let me spoon feed her yogurt and applesauce and other foods like that again.    My doctor told us the same thing,   just let her do it.   She did figure it our for herself and she never lost any weight or anything,  she was fine.   Of course I was always worried sick.     Lisa

[binxyboo]

What our lo's put us all through.....

[mari]

I have allowed my Lo's to feed themselves when they decide that they don't want to be spoon fed anymore.  The childminding baby that I care for was doing it from 12 months and still finds that a fork is easier than a spoon.  They do get messy, they do use their hands, they do throw food on the floor.  I use the bibs with sleeves, and I put a plastic sheet under the high chairs, I ensure that it is scrupoulously clean and when they throw it on the floor I say ' We don't put food on the floor, we keep it on our plates', then I put the food back on their plate.  When they throw the plate, I give up, but they don't get the food back!!  I don't mash their food and i use less sauces.  I like pasta and vegetables cut small and they use a fork as it's easier to pick up, but I usually put a spoon too and they can choose.  I usually give them yoghurt for dessert and this des get everywhere, but remember, it's just food, and it cleans up, let them get on with it and they will have better eating habits in the future.