Self Feeding

[popsey]

Hi I am not sure if I have put this in the right place, but here goes, I have twins a boy and a girls both aged 16 months (where two months early) I just wondered if anyone can give me some tips of trying to get them to self feed.  I have tired a few times, but because of having two it gets so messy and takes so long.  Obviously practice makes perfect but can anyone give me some tips of how I can go about this with out having to dread the thought of it.  Sometimes it is just so easy just to feed them myself rather than get them to do it.

[macsmum]

Have you tried 2 spoons one for you and one for them, it worked for my ds, if i felt he was messing and taking too long i would shovel one in myself every so often

Emma

[swiper]

I give my dd a spoon but she will us her fingers, which can me messy but now she is starting to use her spoon.

Like Emma said give her 2 spoons.

[popsey]

I have tried the two spoon thing but sometimes they just turn it upside down or throw it, they do put it in their mouths but they just seem to want to play with it or put it in their hair really.

[Katet]

i'd say let them get messy & they will learn, I have a friend who has a 2.5yo who still wants to be fed because she didn't want her daughter to get messy... my 2yo has been feeding himself since 13mo & we stopped Bibs & everything at 18mo because he is so skilled... if they don't practice they don't learn.

[Mom to M&M]

I agree with PP - mess is ok and can be fun! My DD is 22 months and still wants to be fed sometimes (she doesn't really like to self feed cereal or applesauce although will sometimes) but does self food other foods. Last night she completely self fed a dinner of rotini pasta in meat sauce and corn on cob all with her fingers. Messy but we all enjoyed it.

[¤ Efka ¤]

Lots of mess here and we have about 3 or 4 spoons in rotation at one meal
He i s getting slowly better. Very slowly.

[macsmum]

my ds is currently wearing his dinner seems like he now thinks both the spoons are his

[popsey]

I have been really pushing with the self feeding and it is getting messy but I am trying to go with it, but they just seem to want to put their hands in the bowl and eat it that way, should I be saying NO to this or let them do this, am I making them think that eating this way is right rather than them eating with a spoon or will that stop doing this and if so how long until they stop the eating with their hands so much and want to eat with a spoon

[taygensmom]

Do they eat finger food independently? Is it just the spoon you are concerned about? With my LO I do let him get messy with finger foods, and now he is very good at handling any finger food. With the spoon I will feed him some, and then at the end let him try a little on his own. It does get messy. If it is a very thin pureed you can try thickening it with rice cereal, etc.... and that will help them keep it on the spoon better. As far as playing in the food some of that is exploration. But if it is excessive you could address it. I am currently teaching my LO not to play with/throw/turn his plate upside down. If he does attempt to I will quietly say "no touch" and will take the plate away for a very brief time period (Say around 30 seconds). Then I will give it  back to him and we will continue with our meal. Some would say this is expecting too much but now at almost 13 months the instances where he does try to turn his plate upside down are pretty rare, so it is working for us.... HTH

[popsey]

It is more about the spoon thing.  They are brilliant with eating toast and any sort of finger foods it is just trying to get them to eat things like spag bol or yoghurt etc  anything that needs a spoon they just seem to want to put their hands in it and put it in their hair

[Katet]

i've never seen a 3yo put food in their hair, It is just a learning stage, finding what happens & it feels like... give it a month or 2 & you will probably find things change a lot.