Encouraging self feeding

[Tuty]

DD is almost 11 months old and at every meal she expects whoever is feeding her to put the food in her mouth.. I try to let her hold the spoon, but then she gets upset and just opens her mouth to show me where to put the spoon,, I don't mind the spoon, but with finger foods (cheerios, cheese) we need to put our fingers inside her mouth or she won't take it. If I just put it in her hand she only plays with it but doesn't eat it. I keep showing her what to do with it but she doesn't imitate. The only thing she'll immediately put in her mouth is the teething biscuit. She loves to eat, btw.

Any suggestions on how to encourage independent feed?

[binxyboo]

Riley has now just gotten the hang on self feeding with the spoon and he is 17 months. At that age, I would give him a spoon to hold while I was spoon feeding him so he could try to do it himslef if he wanted.

He took to fingerfoods well, do you have any ideas why she doen't like to hold the food? Could it be a texture issue, or does she just prefer that you feed her? From the picture on your ticker it looks as though she doesn't mind getting messy! Have you tried a variety of finger foods, fruits, veggies etc? Does she eat at the same time as the family? Riley enjoyed sitting up at the table, on our laps or in his highchair, and would eat (or just play with) bits of food off our plates.

[Lana]

Just keep trying.  Ewan was liek that for the longest time, I just put it down to laziness .  Bram is pretty much the same.  I dont/didnt really worry cause eventually they do end up doing it on their own.