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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

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Original poster

How old and how do you start letting them use the spoon?

10 replies

Sheen4272 · 07/02/2009 19:57

My dd is 9mths and usually pretty good with food. I have done mainly the puree method with lumps but do give her toast etc to hold and eat. Lately she seems to be getting bored and maybe this is because she is ready to try and feed herself (?). How do I start letting her feed herself? How do they learn to use the spoon?

OP posts:

DanJARMouse · 07/02/2009 20:02

DS is 14mnths.

Only in the last few weeks have I let him experiment with a fork.

He was BLW though, so has been eating all normal meals since he was 6-7mnths but with his hands rather than cutlery.

Try by giving her what you would normally eat for dinner.

ilovetochat · 07/02/2009 20:05

we started it with her yoghurt, give her a spoon and have 1 yourself. dd used to turn the spoon updide down before it got to her mouth so buy thick consistency stuff like fromage frais. i think i started at about 10 months.

Twims · 07/02/2009 20:07

Can she clasp a toy in her hand for a good amount of time if so I woud give her a spoon and you have a spoon too and guide her spoon to the food at this stage it'll be more the idea of feeding herself whist you top her up with your spoon

Original poster

Sheen4272 · 07/02/2009 20:10

Daft question - if she has a spoon will she be able to get the food on it? Is this where those suction bowls come into it?

OP posts:

IKnowIShouldntEatIt · 07/02/2009 20:15

I've always given mine cutlery at the same time as I was feeding them (so from about 6-7 months) or they are finger feeding, to get them used to it. DD is now 20 months and has been happily feeding herself with a spoon or fork since she was about a year old.

she might get stuff all over the walls/floor/furniture/herself, but will get the hang of it eentually and that love to copy what you are doing as well.

whomovedmychocolate · 07/02/2009 20:19

I always gave DD a spoon right from day one (well six months when she started weaning). After a few months she started picking up the spoon and spilling things down her. But it took till she was about 2 to reliably get the spoon in her mouth and the dining room has been repainted twice but if you feel brave, just go for it

ilovetochat · 07/02/2009 21:06

sheen at first you can put a spoonful on for her then tell her to have a try and guide it in for her.
dd could feed herself a yoghurt by 12 months and now can catch cereal as she puts it at 19 months

cmotdibbler · 07/02/2009 21:12

I gave DS loaded spoons from 6 months (just dug a load into food and let him decide if he wanted to grab then in his hand or grab the food directly), and by 12 months he was doing it all himself. He was very motivated by food though

weebump · 07/02/2009 21:15

Just start letting her have a spoon herself when you feed her. Sometimes she might stab at the food and sometimes she might lick the spoon, and most of the time she'll just fling it about. My dd did this since about 8 or 9 months, and it wasn't until about 1 yr old that she got the hang of co-ordinating the spoon-to-bowl-to-mouth thing. I've only just introduced the fork, which doesn't get used other than licked, but someday she'll get something on it. As ilovetochat says, fromage frais is good and not too runny, and most babies can't eat it fast enough.

mummytomonty · 07/02/2009 21:25

This thread is useful for me too, was wondering this myself. DS is 24 weeks old and having firts tastes of purees - but he is desperate to hold the spoon himself! If I load it for him he can get it to his mouth (some of the time!), so wasn't sure whether to let him or not. Otherwise it could turn into a fight over the spoon (he's very strong-willed!) and I don't want to give the wee soul a complex...

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