11 month old never eaten finger food

[twiglet123]

Hi there,

my 11 month old DS started solids at 6 months and is now on 3 meals a day, plus breastfeeds. However, he has never eaten any finger foods. I try and put food in his mouth (slices of banana/ slightly stewed apple/crunchy carrot sticks/rice cakes etc) and he will test them for a second but not chew and they come straight back out again. If i give him the food to hold and feed himself with he will not put it in his mouth, just crumble it/play with it. This means that all food he has is lumpy mashed solids fed to him on a spoon by me.

He does not put toys etc in his mouth so i can see this concept of eating things does not come "naturally" to him, but i am now at a loss with what else to try. HV says its normal for him to not mouth toys - he is a baby who will explore a toy in his hand for 15 mins, focussing intently on it/how its put together etc, and thats how he finds out about it. But it does make life difficult with feeding! He does enjoy food and eats plenty at each sitting, but i feel self feeding is an important skill for him to learn, especially as it makes life easier when out and about.

Any advice would be apreciated :-)

I'm sure you have done, but have you just placed the finger food on his high chair tray and let him explore for himself? I think playing with food at this age is as important as eating it. Is he at nursery or anything? I found that DD1 learned to feed herself at 13 months as she kind of had to to get anything in that kind of setting!

Also don't stress about it - they are all different and it may take him longer to get to grips with it. It's all fine, and he may be picking up on your anxiety.

Not sure if that helps at all but sounds like he's doing great

I too am trying to encourage my 1 yo to eat more with her fingers. She eats some things fine but other things she completely tears apart and throws out of her highchair! My friend did baby-led weaning from 6 months and has reassured me, as manchestermummy says, its perfectly normal and part of development to play with the food, and this can sometimes go on for a longer than we might like, but its just part of the process. Keep persevering, as will I! :)

Thanks for that - i will try not to stress i guess i just cant see a point when he WILL eat food on his own - he just finds it too fascinating and only wants to play with it!! I do leave food on the tray for him to do what he likes with....he mainly enjoys throwing it on the floor.......
I do eat with him so he always watching put food in my mouth - i will just keep on tryin!

Ds1 didn't like the feel of finger food either. He'd just about tolerate breadsticks or dry toast but that was it. We just got on with it, found substitutes for sandwiches (lots of bread and soup or scrambled egg on toast). Now 5, he eats a great range things ,but still loathed soft fruit.