Distracting while eating

[99rose]

Hi help please. My daughter is 13 months and only eats ( ie allows me to feed her ) if she is distracted ie has a toy in front of her. I don't feed in front of tv. She feeds herself toast and fruit but for the rest I have to feed her she's not interested in picking the food up herself .
Is this normal ??? Should I stop with the distracting and just assume she will feed herself when she is hungry ? She is a good weight.
Feeling a bit stressed about this

And sometimes I have to dip the food in yoghurt in order for her to et it

I don't think it's normal. DD goes to nursery and they all sit around a table eating. She moved to the table at around 14 or 15mo. Before she was on a high chair but all the high chairs are put closely together. There definitely aren't any toys around to get them eating. (Well they won't have enough staff to feed all of them individually anyway).

However is it a problem for you? If not, then there isn't any need to solve it.

It's totally normal for us! I sometimes have to chase my DD around to get her fed! She is getting better now though. We find she's much, much better if we're all eating. We think it's a combination of us modelling a meal time & her not feeling under pressure with us staring at her.
Don't worry- it'll get easier!

My DS is 14mo and has a couple of food toys that he likes having and sometimes a spoon to bash. However, he will feed himself what we plonk in front of him and I spoon extra bits in! I think it's fine if she's eating: maybe try eating with her and see if that helps. Otherwise I wouldn't worry!

Normal for us too. My 11 month old DD eats a lot more when distracted.

"And sometimes I have to dip the food in yoghurt in order for her to et it* I would stop that one straightaway though. She eats it or she doesn't. If she doesn't just assume she isn't hungry and clear away when you are finished.

In fact I'd be tempted to eat when she eats, concentrate on chatting and eating and when you are ready clear away. There again both of mine have fed themselves by this age and without distraction.