Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

Flip

Original poster

Need advice re teaching DS to eat with spoon

16 replies

lydfabmarcsmum · 22/11/2004 21:32

Hi
I'm new to mumsnet, my DS is 15 months and he eats 3 meals a day. He likes feed himself finger foods but insists on watching tv or baby einstein videos. I'm afraid I got lazy and continue to spoon feed him at breakfast and teatime ( I was anxious he wouldnt eat and want breastmilk all night) He's now on cowsmilk and eats family food. I have to get my DD to school in morning so its quicker for to spoon feed him breakfast. I don't know where to start- weaning him off telly and coping with mess. Any ideas?
lydfabmarcsmum

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Twiglett · 23/11/2004 16:38

give him a spoon whilst you spoon feed him

can you feed him after DD's gone to school?

I'd do the weaning off TV first bit TBH

I would also have thought its more than normal to be spoon-feeding a baby that age .. even a 2 year old and up still gets spoon fed so don't rush it (you'll miss it when its gone)

HTH

bundle · 23/11/2004 16:42

we have no telly while having meals, but do allow the girls to listen to their tapes/cds instead (but not every meal )
dd2 does try it on a bit sometimes with getting me to feed her, but i always give the spoon back to her loaded up so she can carry on (she's 18 mths)

WigWamBam · 23/11/2004 20:19

My dd couldn't use a spoon unassisted until she was about 2. When I asked the HV about it at dd's 21 month check, her suggestion was to continue to spoon feed sloppy stuff, but to introduce a fork for cut-up food instead of offering finger food at other meals, as children often find it easier to learn to use a fork than a spoon. It really did work for my dd, and once she got the hang of manipulating a fork, she moved very quickly onto using a spoon.

joash · 23/11/2004 20:31

As said earlier - 15 months is not really that old to be being spoon fed. Although we have a rule of no TV until after meals.

Grandson used a spoon and fork (baby ones) quite well from around 12 months old - until recently, he's 23 months and for the past couple of months has taken to eating everything with his fingers. I have discovered that he doesn't like using his baby cutlery - if I give him the same cutlery that we use, he will use it. Seems to be saying "I'm not a baby- treat me like one and I'll act like one".

I also still spoon feed him in a morning, if I'm in a rush to go anywhere - as you've said lydfabmarcsmum - it's much quicker and easier.

The other thing I've discovered is that he'll eat properly (and clear everything on his plate) if I don't sit with him. He appears to like having an audience when he's mucking around with his food.

popsycal · 23/11/2004 20:32

ds is only just getting good at this now 2y and 3m!

popsycal · 23/11/2004 20:33

forgot to add - i used to feed him alot as always in a rush to get to work but over the summer i made a huge effort to let him take his time....

start with yoghurt - thick and gloop like fromage frais.....it stays on the spoon even if turned upside down!

jakbrown · 24/11/2004 11:38

Hiya! Well, I'm in a totally different situation as have a DD who's four and we're trying to teach her to feed herself! (she's autistic). But I thought I'd share with you our 'method' as it may help. We load the spoon/fork up (start with something that doesn't fall off easily, a little bit of toast on a fork is good) and she picks it up from the edge of the bowl. It works really well. We had to start off holding the fork a little bit away from her and she took it and have now moved it to the bowl but obviously it will be lots easier for your DS! HTH!

Blackduck · 24/11/2004 11:43

sorry - haven't read whole of thread so may be repeating others....ds is 18 months he's getting there....I have more than one spoon on the go and I load up a spoon for him and he takes it from there...It will be messy, no getting away from it...a pelican bib is a good investment too!
Also sit opposite and eat from a sppon yourself so they get the idea...ds was dipping bread in soup at the weekend 'cos I was!

Original poster

lydfabmarcsmum · 28/11/2004 16:39

Thanks every body for useful tips, I might give him a fork as he likes sunday dinner in the form of finger food so he'll enjoy having a 'stab' at that!

OP posts:

Donbean · 28/11/2004 16:51

OMG! Thanks for posting this . I have been agonising for weeks on how to word this particular problem because i have NO clue at what age toddlers should be feeding themselves. I was really worried that DS at 17 months was somehow "behind" in his development as i spoon feed him every meal.My fault entirely as i havent introduced spoons etc yet to him to use himself.
I will def. try the above suggestions and dont feel so much like im stunting my little chaps developement. (had visions of heading into restraunts with him at 19 and having to feed him!!!) Thanks for that x

vanessa13 · 28/11/2004 19:25

hi there

i have three young children.
and when they were learning to feed them selfs, and to this day we have made a point of eating together at the table, this helped alot as my children used to watch my partner and myself using are cutlery, its a game of perservere, your ds will pick it up just let him use you as his guide good luck hope this helps

Rockydog · 29/11/2004 19:42

Slightly off the track, I was really paranoid about dd choking so I have been making her finger foods really small (postage stamp size pieces of toast etc) which she handles perfectly well. However, I tried to give her a sandwich today and she tried to shove the WHOLE thing in her mouth! I had to remove it which resulted in a massive crying fit because Mummy had interfered (she is very independent!) She is nearly 17 months and I am just panicking that she won't be able to eat proper food till shes 17 or something. I feel so stupid when I go anywhere and all the other mums are handing their children sandwiches. I feel like such a failure and like shes somehow backward because of this and its all my fault. Any advice greatly apprieciated. She can spoon feed herself with no problems, though, which I suppose is something! Sorry to sound so down, I'm just feeling like a complete failure now.

Rockydog · 29/11/2004 19:49

PS I so so sorry for interrupting this thread, I shouldn't have come in with a different problem. So sorry.

Donbean · 29/11/2004 19:50

Im glad this thread is back in circulation.
Today i followed the advice of Jackbrown with the fork thingy. OMG, fantastic, today he used it with no hesitation! I put a small piece of pear on his fork and handed it to him and immediately...to the hungry chops!!!
This is great because he hasnt been eating properly for a week now.
I was so proud of him....i filled up.
SO, just wanted to say a big thankyou to JB for superb a suggestion. x

Donbean · 29/11/2004 19:53

Hey Rockydog, dont feel like a failure, i always break bits of butty off to give to DS, never give him the whole thing. Its not worth the fight chuck, you have got to choose your battles and that one just isnt worth it IMHO.

Rockydog · 30/11/2004 08:33

Thanks for that. I know I just need to stop worying. Dh tells me just to relax and let her get the hang of it in her own time and he's right. Shes doing wonderfully well in everything and had I not been so over-cautious in the first place then this imagined problem wouldn't be upsetting me. I always remember my mum chopping up my toast into little squares when I had beans on toast and I loved it! I am VERY proud of my little girl and she is just fantastic. At the end of the day, she CAN eat sandwiches perfectly well, she just needs to understand that its not good to eat them all in one mouthful! Shes only little and I just need to relax about it all. Sorry to have sounded so manic depressive, I've got a heavy cold at the moment so am feeling a bit on the grotty side. Sorry and thanks again!

Flip