Self Feeding Babies and sippy cups

Barbara - posted on 05/22/2010

My little man is eating table food already. And I already have him off the bottle. But he is my second child and he see everything his big brother is doing and wants to do the same.

Just let him go at his own pace. He will pick it up when he is ready to.

Autumn - posted on 05/21/2010

my 11 month old daughter loves holding a spoon while she eats so one day i decided to put the spoon down on the tray with food on it and she picked it up and ate off the spoon... they're smarter than they look ;-)

Melissa - posted on 05/20/2010

I made a post early but just yesterday my guy started using his own fork and he loves it. And today he started using a regular sippy cup!! I am so shocked!! I found a toddler metal spoon and fork and started using it to feed him. So during his feeding I put it on his tray and he picked it up to use it and DID! Not perfectly of course but he did get a few bites by himself. I also found these Gerber Pasta Pickers (something like that) and he loves them they have turkey, chicken and pork(I think) with veggies.
I agree with Brittany though he will do it when he is ready and that could change anytime... I have proof here!! My guy wouldn't use a hard top sippy cup or use a fork and within the last couple days he is doing both! Don't get discouraged... it will all happen! Oh by the way he will be a year old in 2 weeks.. so I am not sure how old you LO is but give it time!

Brittany - posted on 05/20/2010

My son also likes to self feed...and will not let me feed him at all! so he just gets to make a mess with whatever we have for dinner (he likes spaghetti just because of the mess he can make. lol). He has an older brother (2 yrs) and watches him....so I now give Tristyn a spoon at every meal...sometimes he tries to eat with it, and other times he just throws it, but it is a start. As far as the sippy cup, he started on it at about 4 months...would only take water out of it up until yesterday. lol. I gave him a cup of formula, and we are now on our second day of no bottles (not even at bed time!!!). Good luck, it will happen when he is ready. My oldest son didn't start actually using a fork and spoon properly until he was around 15 months old (the same time his brother was born).

CARRIE - posted on 05/20/2010

My son loves to feed himself too. I just try to cut up as much as I can into small pieces. He does well with most stuff. He can't use a spoon on his own yet. If I give him something that he can feed himself he will take something on a spoon from me in between bites of what he is giving himself.
He hates his sippy cup! Just like Shannon said If I help him take a drink of a cup without a lid he is fine with it. But, his sippy cup usually ends up right on the floor.

Nikki - posted on 05/19/2010

my son refused to eat with a spoon at 7 and a half months, he was adament on feeding himself. He also held his bottle at 3 months. SO if thats the only way he is going to eat so be it. My son eats everything we eat i just cut it up into lil pieces and put it on his tray and were good. I personally don`t want him using a spoon because he likes to throw things and it`s messy enough as is I could just imagine him launching food with a spoon.

Ideas for food;
breakfast; scrambled, eggs, pancakes, toast w jam, cheerios
lunch and dinner; pasta, tuna, sandwiches, chicken, sliced meats (ham, salami) ground beef is easy, breads, cheese, rice, veggies, meat loaf, stew, fruits

we don`t eat fried foods and try to be healthy, he eats just about anything

Rhonda - posted on 05/19/2010

yeah Kira never stuck with the jarred baby foods for too long. She kept wanting to grab her food and feel it first and it got frustrating with her grabbing the spoon all the time so one day i just poured the food on her tray and let her dig in with her fingers. She loved it! She refused to eat from a spoon or fork. If we offer her something on a spoon or a fork she won't take it until we take it off so she can grab it. So your child is not the only one adverse to utensils! I occasionally offer her a baby spoon at dinner so she can get the association that spoons go with dinner, but i don't think she has caught on yet either. One thing I do know is that babies do things when they want to. Maybe one day your little one will see that mommy and daddy use a spoon and will want to too, but only when they want to do it!

Bridget - posted on 05/04/2010

My son will only eat if he can do it. So I let him. Sure it's messy, but I love that he is so independent. I gave him a sippy cup at 4 months. He can also drink from a cup with some help. I say let them dig in with their fingers and just clean up later. My boy takes more than one bath some days but it's worth it.

Melissa - posted on 05/04/2010

My guy doesn't use a spoon yet and he definitely wants to feed himself but if I give him what I am eating using my fork or spoon then he seems to eat more. I guess he thinks he is a big boy like mama and daddy. But sometimes I feel the same way cheerios, bananas, etc... but I have found that frozen carrots, green beans, all veggies he can pick up are great and he loves doing it himself. I usually buy the single servings and cook it for him and he has a ball... yes it gets messy but it is great watching him do it. GOOD LUCK lol

Katie - posted on 05/04/2010

My daughter is the same way. If you don't mind him getting messy, just let him go to town with his fingers. You would be surprised at how much they can pick up. My little girl eats pretty much whatever we eat, just cut up into little pieces. I offer her a spoon, but she either plays with it or throws it. Then, she just eats everything with her fingers. Her favorite is rice and gravy, and yes, the cleanup is gross, but she looks so cute, and she is getting a variety of foods that way! Just remember, kids are washable! Good luck.

Shannon - posted on 05/04/2010

Hi! My daughter is still basically only eating the infant-jarred foods! She does great with the little "puffs" and she's tried a few other "table foods" like chicken and eggs, but i always chop them up sooooo tiny. She still has no teeth and gags on everything, so I'm nervous to give her other things..
As far as the sippy cup goes... She does the same thing. Sometimes she'll take a sip., but usually it goes right on the floor. If i take the lid off and help her take a sip like a regular cup, she LOVES that. but as soon as i put the lid back on, she gets mad.