advice / opions needed on feeding a 18 month old

[cherith]

My 18 month old has eaten really well up untill now. he does not like to eat when he is spoon fed. The majority of his food is spoon fed. He is still awkward at times about lumps. Will not eat veg or meat as finger foods. He eats bannana, melon and grapes as finger foods. Other fruits i have in the past incoperated into spoon fed puddings and breakfasts.
Normally i cook him alot of casserolls that i blend up for him. i use jars too because it is hard to blend to the right consistency and feel that they help him when it comes to chewing practice. However he is becoming difficult to spoon feed and is starting to refuse alot of his spoon fed food. Please advice welcome.

Let him use the spoon himself or offer plate fo just cut up food for him to finger feed himself. If he still likes it pureed make a runny stew and put bits of bread in it for him to scoop out as practice. He'll get there in the end if left to his own devices. I was distracted by ds one morning, turned around and dd was already tucking into her soggy weetabix at about 13 months - she never let me spoon feed her again !

Eat with him too so he is used to what "proper" food looks like, offering him some of the same, and he can see you enjoy it.

What happens if you give him the spoon?

My DD was using a spoon quite early on (she had her spoon and i had mine). They do like to do it themselves.

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he s had a spoon as well for the past three months.

Oh right. He won't starve himself, so give him his food as usual and let him eat it how he wants. If he doesn't eat it then give him his dessert and nothing else. Never substitute what you have given him for something else, this is how they get to be fussy, cause they learn that if they refuse something, you'll make them something else.

Mine was never keen on finger foods either, but he did start to feed himself at this time, so let him do that. He should be eating lumpy food by now, perhaps he has teeth coming and prefers the runny food? Mine did! But be patient. Chances are that if he's like mine he'll be interested in what you are eating, so try offering him some from your plate.

what do you mean by awkward about lumps? what happens?

has he ever eaten proper food?

toast / breadsticks / rice cakes

do you eat at the same time as him

personally I'd give him a plate of whatever you're having and then just eat alongside him .. if he eats great .. chat to him have a laugh but don't get anxious ..

Some times he eats the lumps and others he spits them out even stage three jars.

yes he has eaten proper food biscuits toast crumpets. Anything brad based or bland and sweet.

he's turning mealtimes into playtime then

I would say just give him normal food ..no more blending ... he may well just be bored with mush .. my 18 month old can eat whatever we eat .. and ignore any bad behaviour / praise any good

bread based

he sounds like my ds! lol
he spits out some lumps and eats others.

just give him whatever you are having and let him eat what he wants to eat.
he won't starve himself... if he is hungry he;'ll eat

do you thing i should cut or mash up our food then? I could do that at dinner and still offer lumpy casseroll for lunch. i am worried i will be pushing him to eat things he cant manage.

Mash.

Do you give him home cooked meals ,just like you would eat, perhaps with a bit of potato mashed in. Jars have a particular flavour so it might be worth weaning him off gradually, mixing some with home cooked foods to begin with. He will eat it if he is hungry. What about snacks/milk ?

If you are fretting about it , think about what he eats over a week or so and the balance may surprise you.

i would just cut it up!
seriously, my 9 month old has no teeth and eats pieces of apple, toast, sticks of cheese, rice cakes... all kinds!

there is no reason your 18 month old shouldn't be having whatever you have cut into bite sized pieces.

do u think i should sit him at the table with us and serve his food up so that he can feed himself and hope for the best. Hopefully he will get hungry enough to eat things like chicken, peas and broccolie as finger foods.

just cut it up .. and definitely he should be eating with you so that he learns what to do

absolutely.

start expecting him to eat the same as you in teh same way as you and eat with him to set an example.

yes, definitely cherith! you can always help him if he is struggling.... sometimes you can slip in a spoonful while he is playing with it in his fingers!

I used to give mine sneaky spoonfuls of veg and meat in with his dessert! He soon got wise though and insisted on checking the spoon before letting me put it in his mouth!

Thankyou for spending the time to give me this advice. it has helped alot and i have a good idea what needs to be done. Thanks again

thant is sneaky ...............there far brighter than u think

cherith .. I just wanted to say sorry if I sounded blase .. I can jut about remember how anxious it can get first time round .. by the time you're on your second you would be surprised how much they get away with .. and how much happens without you because they watch the older ones .. DD (18 months too) hasn't let me feed her for a good 6 months

good luck

i will try to make it gradduall too i think.........because i can see him feeding spoon fulls himself but not meat and veg as finger foods quite yet. I think i getting him eatting himself then it will have to be the case, that i get him eatinging singular foods that are not mushed up together.