There's probably millions of threads on this but I cant find any..

[monkeytrousers]

I'm getting to the stage where I'm just going to have to bite the bullet and let DS try to feed himself. For some reason though I'm wincing at the thought of all the mess! Does anyone have any good tips? He's just turned 1 BTW. (and MIL has nicked my 0-5 NHS book)

awwwww, I just went all squishy

finger foods
can you feed him outside? if it's not too cold
get a dog to "hoover" up
go out a lot....

got those bibs with sleeves

yes good point, they are good, I got mine from Adams.
or feed him topless/in his nappy
I don;t think it is too young btw, the sooner the better IMHO

My DD is 15 months and feeding herself from the word go as such a madam she won't be spoon fed. She doesn't make that much of a mess whislt she is feeding (apart from all over herself) but if she gets bored or has enough she starts lobbing food so my only advice is long sleeved bibs and keeping your eyes peeled

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Gonna get me some long sleeved bibs tomorrow.

A week? Really??

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spoons. do I need forks?

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How do you get them to eat for themselves with cutlery in just one week?

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lol Cod

Is a bowl of cous cous okay or just asking for trouble?

He can already eat with his fingers but it's the spoon that he needs practice with.

He'll probably be better with something to stick the couscous together as I drop it all over the table and I'm erm 35! some cheese sauce maybe?

My rule has been finger food for lunch as usually have to go out afterwards and the messy stuff for tea time. Just hand over the spoon and fork and let them get on with it. Mine flatly refuses to let me have anything to do with feeding her.

there will be much mess.

but a few months on, he will be much neater than freiends who are fed.

this is what I have been telling myself.

and consider newspaper over plastic sheeting-it can be thrown away AND you are recycling.

I vividly remember DS2 cramming spag bol in with both hands at around this age - spoon too slow and the food fell off it

He could eat a fromage frais very neatly though. The sooner they start the keener they are and the better they get at it.

You could get a dog to clean up with?

have to say ds2 feeding himself has gone much better than ds1 - and that's because we've just left ds2 to it!! I've had to leave the table sometimes 'cos I can't stand watching him, but it took about a fortnight of the food going EVERYWHERE and now he's brilliant - only 18 months and hardly any spills - he even gets the food out of his bib (pelican bib - can't recommend them enough!) himself!

Funnily enough, ds2 feeding himself was about the time I started having a gin and orange at tea time..!

P.S. We didn't really let Ds1 get as messy when he was the same age, and 3 years later he's still asking to be fed...!

Gave him pasta instead but after left him to it with the pot of fromage frais and a spoon. He actually managed to get a few spoonfuls in! The rest of it is everywhere!! Absolutely hilarious