Does your baby eat on his own in high chair?

Celeste - posted on 04/06/2011

Hi Prabha,

Sorry if I am repeating other mums, havent had time to read other posts... My LO was weaned following the baby led weaning method (no purees) from 6 months, and I feel that regardless of when they start with finger foods, the process should be the same at this age Im sure. What I have always done from when we started to now, is to eat with her, and eat the same foods. She will then copy what I am doing. Offer foods that can be held in his hand, and let him first get used to that then move onto a spoon/fork. Children at this age love to experiment with food, so expect him to still play with his food for a while to come. It is actually a good thing, as this is how they learn about food. You could also encourage your bub to 'feed' you. My LO loves this, and she will take a bite after I have taken one. Regarding the rice, I would cook a stickier rice that holds together a bit better and makes it easier for him to pick up. But always offer other foods which are easy to pick up with the rice, like steamed sticks of veg for example or sticks of cheese (if he eats cheese) etc.



Try not to panic when he is playing with it, and dont focus on him too much. He will eat it when he is hungry and is probably just still curious about doing the feeding thing on his own. Good luck to you!

Stella - posted on 04/05/2011

Same as others are saying, I give my son finger food. I just bought him a new high chair that converts to a table and chairs, so he's sitting in that at the moment with toast cut in to squares and his milk, watching Peppa Pig while I get ready for work. We let him feed himself finger food, but anything messy we still feed him. He likes chicken nuggets, fish fingers, sausages, sweetcorn, carrot etc etc to feed himself. We feed him pudding though, too messy. I bought no mess mats off ebay to put under his highchair for any flying food

Prabha - posted on 04/05/2011

Thanks everybody. My kiddo has started to pick and eat finger foods with his hand. And for starters he is doing great!

Nicole - posted on 04/04/2011

try giving him a spoon/fork to eat with. My son will be 14 mths. on weds. and he's going thru a new phase where unless he has a spoon/fork, he'll only take a few bites and throw the rest on the floor. I think it's because he watches the 3 of us (me, his daddy, and his big sis) eat w/a utensil and he feels left out. He doesn't do very well w/it, but it makes him happy and it makes him wanna eat more.

Bridget - posted on 03/28/2011

My little one is 13 months old and very rarely wants to be fed. She has a totally "I can do it myself" attitude! I got a very cheap disposible tablecloth for under her highchair. Just like a lot of the other posts, we stick with a lot of easy finger foods, carrots, corn, chicken, peas, bananas, and chicken fingers and fish in bite size pieces are some of her favorites, but she loves baked beans and spaghetti too so even as messy as it is to clean up, I give her those and let her have at it. Just start out with a little a the time, cause when she is done, the plate and what ever is left goes straight on the floor, LOL! I also let her practice with the baby and toddler finger snacks although I try to stay more towards the savory ones and less towards the sweet ones

Sara - posted on 03/26/2011

They just need practice, don't worry, he'll get the hang of it. I started my two in high chairs fairly early on, and although they played with their food at first now they do quite well at eating, even rice and lentils and small pasta. They eat with their hands, and it is really messy still, but they manage to eat a lot! Don't worry about the mess, they like to have fun as well as eat. I put a sheet down under the high chairs and that makes it easier it clean up after. Keep going with him, he'll get it!

Vera - posted on 03/25/2011

I agree with a lot of the other posts. Do finger foods or foods cut into bite sizes and only put a few at a time down. We do lots of fruit, veggies, some pastas, (meats are sorta hard for my daughter to chew and she is finiky)

I just put up with the messes since she is little and learning - texture, squishing, learning about spoons and plates, learning how to clean etc... I would love it if meal times were always clean but they never are and sometimes the funniest times out of my day is watching her poke or squish a new food and give me the "ewww" look.

Our little one does great when she is hungry. When she gets full thats when the problems start - she does what mommy does and cleans up her tray (by wiping it on the floor) Then she gives me a huge grin and happy girl look like "See mom I did it allll by my self"

Fiona - posted on 03/24/2011

Like other people have said try food that's easy to finger feed with - I cook carrots, sweet potato, etc in little pieces he can pick up. I've also found that only giving him one or two pieces at a time helps him focus on getting it into his mouth, especially at the beginning of the meal when he's still really hungry. If I put too much there at once it just seems to be an invitation to throw it on the floor (or to the dogs, who are circling like vultures by this stage... saves me having to clean the floor at least!)

Sheila - posted on 03/24/2011

I bought a very cheap plastic tablecover, but I sit my little one on it when she eats, and it saves me hoovering constantly!
She absolutely loves spaghetti and flaked fish, and loves getting her hands into it....but yep it's a mess - and feeding time can take a long time, but she thoroughly enjoys it.
When she's eaten most of her pot of fromage frais she enjoys dipping her spoon in to finish it off

Prabha - posted on 03/23/2011

Thanks Sheila and Maria. You are right. Maybe I should start with letting him eat with his hand rather than a spoon. And start with dry foods/ snacks and let him take his own time. Kids are quick learners compared to adults ... lol.

Maria - posted on 03/23/2011

Hi Prabha, my son eats finger food on his own, I haven't tried him with a spoon to feed him 'messier' foods just yet, purely because i don't want the mess! Lol... anyway i know he would chuck it around.... he also always chucks his finger food on the floor if he doesn't like it or if he's full up, so maybe try giving him more variety of food to try? I think he will learn to use his fingers first rather than his spoon, so just put his bowl in front of him and see what he does, be prepared to clear up the mess afterwards though! He'll get there in his own time - how many adults do you know who can't use a spoon lol?! Good luck! x

Sheila - posted on 03/23/2011

Hi Prabha
my little one cant be trusted not to throw her food either, but I find she picks up all her 'understanding' from copying from me... if I have a bowl of food, I'll happily use my fingers to eat and my little one copies...but when the food is more of a puried consistency it can be very messy... I'm sure your little one will get there.