When did you dc start feeding themselves with a spoon??

[mama2moo]

Dd is 18mo and will do it but with a lot of help and mess!!

I have seen those spoons and forks that stick to the highchair tray and am considering getting some of those.

My mum thinks its too early?? Dc2 is due next month so want to get started now if she is ready.

Thanks.

My Ds2 is nearly 15 months and has started to want to use the spoon himself, he doesn't do a very good job and not much goes in, but we let him have a go now and again!

DD started around 16 months. She still uses her hands as well.

Just offer and see what happens.

Why dont you just get normal (small) ones for her? Or a normal teaspoon?

not too early, ds2 was given own spoon at 12 months at nursery, was def feeding himself by 18months and still refuses to be fed anything at 2.

ds1 on the other hand couldn't even be arsed with finger food at 12 months and would still be quite happily fed at 3.5yrs... they are all different, just give her one to 'play' with and get the idea and see what happens. IMO I'd go for it its hard trying to feed a toddler and manage a baby aswell, its been so so much easier with ds3 as ds2 will just get on with meals.

Thanks all. She can do it herself but very rarely do we let her.

Maybe I will start giving her the spoon more from tomorrow and see how we get on.

DD3 is almost 8 months and will feed herself with the spoon if I load it up. But independent spoon feeding comes a bit later.

DS2 is 13 months and can feed himself with a spoon, for things he can easily keep on it eg porridge, yoghurt, mashed potatoes etc. He can't pick up loose things on it eg peas.

We have been giving him the spoon pre-loaded since 6 months and in the last few weeks he finally started getting it to his mouth without tipping it over everyone/thing on the way. He's pretty good with it now, only the occasional mishap.

After about 10 months dd1 didn't like me to feed her so I'd load up a spoon. By 16 months I was child minding other children and she could definitely feed herself with a spoon and fork. The other children I minded of a similar age were all feeding themselves with varying amounts of help. All with pelican bibs and all needing wiped faces and hands and swept around their chairs.

Both mine were feeding themselves with spoons from 12 months

There will be quite a bit of mess but it is soooo worth doing, especially when dc2 arrives.

If they don't get lots of chance to practice they never get passed the messy stage and then you end up constantly feeding one or other of your dc's. I used to put ds1's food in front of him, then sit and feed ds2 which was great and felt like we were all eating together while I stuffed biscuits in ate a healthy lunch.

Just accept that it will be messy, though it won't last forever.

dd1 was about 18 months, I think. Dd2 was only 6 months. After her first few tastes of food she stole the spoon and refused any help.

She still is a head strong little girl now, adamant to do everything herself. And she keeps trying untill it's done. No matter how long it takes her. Bless.

Wrt the mess, we bought a ground sheet fom a camping shop and put that under the highchair.

If she was eating anything really messy, I'd take her clothes off and she could eat in her nappy.

My DD has only just started getting the food in her mouth with a fork at 20 months.As with everything it varies.I still help her a bit.