Any ideas on how to get DD to feed self at mealtimes???

[mamakoukla]

Our DD is turning 15 months and while she will happily feed herself fruit and anything slightly sweet, she will not feed herself meals. I am getting concerned as whan she starts daycare in less than a month she will be expected to feed herself (as if starting daycare isn't a little panicky!). How have other people handled this? What can we do to encourage her? Ta xxx

What happens if you just leave her to it? Perhaps try with stuff like sandwiches, toast, crackers, bits of cheese, etc. And she if you can get her to feed a doll or a teddy, and then herself, as if she's copying you. Odds are she'll copy children in nursery anyway!

Well, she actually does try to feed me! If it is a meal, then it normally gets smeared across the highchair table and jettisoned over the sides. I don't mind the mess, it's easy enough to clean, but it doesn't quite make it to the tummy. I am thinking of missing out a snack to make her very hungry although it may make her a little irritable. As you suggest, seeing other children eat may make her want to copy them (fingers crossed!).
Thanks for the suggestions Habbibu

I have the same thing with DS (18 months) - he was quite late in taking finger foods as well. We saw the health visitor about it, but she said that as the rest of his development was okay, there was nothing to worry about, he would get there in his own time. She did advise that we didn't make too much of a deal out of him not feeding himself with a spoon, if he realised we were upset, he would get upset about it as well.
Over about the last 6 weeks he has started to use a spoon himself for yoghurts, then last week he's started feeding himself weetabix/porridge at breakfast. Still no joy with lunch or dinner though, but at least he now knows what that extra spoon sitting beside his plate is for!

Hee hee hee! DD is now demanding a spoon to feed herself and there are plenty of cries of "Mumm-mumm" (I'm hungry) . She started P/T daycare and I think she realised that it was a little wait to get back home and be coddled.

Many thanks xxx