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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To lose my will to live watching my baby eat

31 replies

Goldfishshoals · 07/12/2017 18:51

My delightful 8 month old loves eating food. Slowly. Oh, so slowly.

Can I spoonfeed in a few peas? No. Every pea must be picked up, inspected, dropped three times, chased around the tray and then put in the mouth. For two or three minutes of chewing. Then the next pea...

I love that the baby will eat anything, and really seems to enjoy it, but three times a day I have to sit through s-l-o-w eating torture.

I don't want to cut her short if shes still hungry, or make dinner times seem stressful, but I feel like I'm losing the plot.

OP posts:
MrsTerryPratchett · 07/12/2017 18:53

Tray of food, she feeds herself, you MN while checking she's not choking.

RadioGaGoo · 07/12/2017 18:57

Ugh. My 8 month old won't eat solids at all. Started BLW at 6 months. 45 minutes just to get a mouthful of yoghurt this morning.

Holyknight · 07/12/2017 18:57

Goldfishshoals I’ve just got home after helping to look after 2 year old DGD who still has to eat peas, sweetcorn and raisins one at a time. I feel your pain. I made sweetcorn fritters which involved smushing up the sweetcorn and those went down much faster. Then I asked if she could eat 4 raisins at once and she actually did. I appreciate that that’s probably not a tactic you can try on an 8 month old. I’d love to say they speed up but I’m not too sure after my experience last week.

LivingDeadGirlUK · 07/12/2017 19:08

I might have to trymore BLW, I can only get about 3 spoons into mine before he looses interest compleatly!

Original poster
Goldfishshoals · 07/12/2017 19:09

Ah, I see I forgot to mention that if she has one piece of food in front of her she will carefully eat it then yell out to let us know she wants more, but put a few down and she will just throw them all on the floor...Confused

OP posts:
LemonShark · 07/12/2017 19:11

Stick some music you love on or a really interesting podcast. You can enjoy yourself instead of being bored senseless and don't have to take your eyes off her :)

Worriedrose · 07/12/2017 19:11

It's the snowflake generation Wink

MrsTerryPratchett · 07/12/2017 19:12

She's an evil genius. Sorry Grin

Judashascomeintosomemoney · 07/12/2017 19:14

Aaahh, sorry OP but this sounds adorable. Reminds me of my first DD. Everything food wise, including BF, had to happen vvvveeeerrryy slowly, though she never was and never has been a fussy eater, so all good. All I can say is when she was starting out on feeding herself solids, and I obviously had to supervise, I was very very up to date with the Today programme and The Archers, afternoon and evening broadcast Grin

Spangles1963 · 07/12/2017 19:25

I know some adults who eat like this...... Grin

cdvegan2023 · 07/12/2017 19:39

i knew it would be a girl... a nightmare in the making for future restaurant staff.

Original poster
Goldfishshoals · 07/12/2017 19:45

She's an evil genius. Sorry

Grin

I know some adults who eat like this......

No comforting messages about how this is just a phase here I see!

Podcast idea is pretty good. Might buy some audiobooks....

OP posts:
speakout · 07/12/2017 19:48

But that can be quite helpful.

Although it's nice to sit and eat meals together it gives you time to get on with stuff in the kitchen if you put your baby in a highchair.

You can cook the evening meal while she takes her time to eat, you can still keep a close eye on her,

zeebeee · 07/12/2017 19:56

Forget spoon feeding, go baby led weaning. As po said, just give her her food and let her get on with it. While you eat yours, or do whatever; while keeping an eye on her. What's the rush really? Food at this age (if BLW) is a sensory activity and helping to develop motor skills, hand eye co-ordination etc. You find her picking up each pea annoying - but she's developing her pincer grip! Let her practice, play and eat. You can get on with your own food or whatever else you want to do nearby.

Original poster
Goldfishshoals · 07/12/2017 20:12

zeebeee I am baby led weaning, the spoonfeeding attempt was in sheer desperation. I can't give her more than one bit of food at a time though if I actually want her to eat any.

Her pincer grip gets hours of practice a day, I assure you!

And 'what I want to do' is not be stuck in the kitchen watching my baby eat for six hours a day... (Mild exaggeration. Probably. I've not timed it, I don't think I want to know!).

Anyway, as I said in the OP, I am thrilled with how well she eats, and I'm not going to rush her. It's just the process that's like watching paint dry...!

OP posts:
GummyGoddess · 07/12/2017 20:26

Christmas crafting at the table while she eats? I tend to tidy the kitchen and sort washing out after eating my lunch. DC doesn't eat slowly but he eats a lot! I think it's usually 45 minutes for lunch.

HermionesRightHook · 07/12/2017 20:27

i knew it would be a girl... a nightmare in the making for future restaurant staff.

What do you mean by that, @cdvegan2023?

MrsTerryPratchett · 07/12/2017 20:37

@HermionesRightHook

Don't bite. There's a lot of this sexist nonsense here right now. Just ignore.

FWIW the slowest eater I know is a boy. He's picking batter of chicken in minute amounts while DD is done.

Worriedrose · 07/12/2017 20:42

She'll have to do this with you when you're old!! Just make sure you do worse!

oblada · 07/12/2017 20:42

Remember that until 1 yrs old food is fun so it doesn't really matter how much or how little she eats so you can just cut it short or do it once a day etc. I have 8months old, but then I also have 2 other kids, I just throw a few bits of (suitable) food in his tray whenever it works for all of us and let him get on with it until I've finished dealing with the others etc and he gets out of his high chair at some point either when he's had enough or when everyone has finished or once I've finished cleaning the kitchen for instance!

oblada · 07/12/2017 20:43

I have an 8 months old... I also can't type... Ha well

Puppymouse · 07/12/2017 20:46

My 4yo is a bit like this. Her biggest "news" from nursery is the fact she ate all her lunch and quickly. It's just her. I chivvy and bargain and apportion. It's quite tedious!

BusyBeez99 · 08/12/2017 05:55

We always spoon fed our child. Don't go with the child having to squish food in hands to feel it before eating. He's a lovely eater now, not messy and holds cutlery correctly.

Cuppaqueen · 08/12/2017 06:29

Ha ha, I feel your pain! My previously happily spoonfed almost 8 months baby gutsack now wants his own spoon, thank you very much, and in between smearing it over his hair waving it about and chewing the wrong end, will occasionally allow me to feed him some actual bloody food. I'm also giving finger food now like toast or corn puffs; he sucks on them very solemnly and sloooooowly like Churchill appreciating a nice cigar. Meanwhile I am practically chewing the table in impatience for him to GET ON WITH IT.

Peas actually sound like fun. I might try them. Off-topic but what else are you watching your baby slowly eat? Wink

RadioGaGoo · 08/12/2017 07:51

BusyBee99 A BLW baby can also turn into a lovely eater, not messy and can hold cutlery perfectly as well you know.