Baby scream/shout when seeing others eating

[Tiagao]

I wonder if any other parents have experienced this and how to settle the little ones.

So DS is 6 months old now. Since his 5th month he started showing great interest in our food, always trying to grab our food. Now he screams when he sees us eating. We went to a restaurant earlier. He had a feed just before we left. Also, I thought it would be his nap time so we would be fine. But for some reason he didn't sleep. As soon as he saw us eating, he became so agitated. In the end, we had to hold him and walk around in turn while the other one can eat.

Now his dad is a bit afraid to go to restaurant again. Is there any solution to this behaviour? I guess he's too young to be disciplined or reasoned, right?

Well he's 6 months so he can be weaned - put him in a high chair and give him finger foods or whatever you're eating.
And yes of course he's too young to be disciplined- he's hungry! Not naught.

Are you weaning him? If not it sounds like you should be.
Babies showing an interest in food isn’t a behaviour that needs a ‘solution’, it should be encouraged. If you’re eating offer the baby something too…

And yes, far too young for disciplining!!

@ladydimitrescu @Notanotheroneaboutcovid Hi both. Yes, we have already started giving him solids. He has 90g breakfast (cereal + fruit) and 90g dinner (protein + veg), plus 600ml of milk a day. So I think he's getting enough food, and that's why it puzzles me why he still screams for food.

He screams because it isn’t hunger he’s just interested in what you have just, just give him a few bits of your food to play with (smooth into his face). My daughters 16 months and I still can’t eat anything around her unless I’m willing to share, I think they all become a bit food obsessed. It’s all new and exciting to them.

Food is interesting, a learning and social experience too. Let him have a crack at the food you're eating and see how it goes. Even if he just squashed it in his hands, he's learning and joining in the experience

It's very sad that you see eating as functional with the weights of his meals. Milk has more calories than solid food and the transition to solids help develop the muscles necessary for speech. He just wants to join in with what everybody else is doing.

@MotherOfDragon20 That's a very good point. I do have a question about salt and sugar in the food. Is it ok to give the food we are eating to him knowing that it would be packed with additional flavour and seasoning? Would you say "just a bite is ok?"

@cherryonthecakes we are just following doctor's advice as his weight is already on the 90 percentile - cut down on milk and don't overfeed. I haven't seen him being full and stop eating by himself .

@Tiagao yes food in a restaurant will inevitably be higher in salt and sugar than is ideal for a baby however think about their salt and sugar intake over the whole week or even the day and not an individual meal. For example if you know you will be eating out at lunch just make breakfast and dinner low salt meals to compensate. One of two meals a week higher in salt and sugar won’t do any harm.

He could have some vegetables, or take some fruit, it doesn't have to be your main dish if it's likely to be salty.

@MotherOfDragon20 @Bamaluz Thank you, both. That's a very good idea! Yeah, next time I can order just some plain vegetable as a side or a fruit salad and share with the little one. Just now I gave him a few courgette fingers - they kept him so occupied that he didn't have the thought to scream.

Take some finger food with you - sticks of cucumber, sticks of steamed veg, pieces of cooked pasta, pieces of fruit