6 month old grabbing spoon & impossible to feed

[Gavotte]

Hi, after weaning dd early due to severe reflux issues, was all going really well - she made the odd grab for the spoon but generally food was going in and reflux improved hugely. This week, however, she's started grabbing for the spoon every time it comes near her mouth. I've tried gently holding her arms down (having moved her from high chair onto my lap) but this usually lasts for one mouthful. When she gets the spoon she puts it in her mouth but almost always grabs onto the bowl, so very little food goes in (and what is left on the spoon splatters over the kitchen when she bangs the spoon on the table...). I've also tried giving her a spoon to hold when I'm feeding her, but she drops that spoon and grabs the one with food on as soon as it comes near.

BLW isn't really an option (I'm giving her finger food in addition to purees, but can't rely solely on finger food as need to ensure that enough solids go in to prevent her reflux returning - especially as she's just come off her medication).

Does anyone have any ideas of how to stop her grabbing?

Thanks.

Have you tried letting her hold the spoon, but then holding her arm to help her guide the spoon to her mouth?

Or give her a spoon with food on to hold, and then trying to feed her with another one.

what about a toy for the highchair to distract her and her hands so you can get some food in? or a second bowl and spoon so she can 'play' with hers and you can have another one for her to actually eat?

HTH

Hi - thanks, yes tried both of those and she just drops whatever she is playing with to grab the spoon when it comes near... and yes, tried guiding it into her mouth but she is able to get it into her mouth anyway - the problem is that she grabs the bowl (tried unsuccessfully getting her to hold it lower down) so she can't get out the food as her hand is in the way... sigh.

How is she doing with the finger foods then? I know you want to carry on with spoon feeding to try to make sure she's getting enough because of her reflux, but if the spoon feeding isn't being very successful at the moment would it be worth upping the finger foods to try and get more into her that way?

ditch the bowl. put the food in front of her. give her a spoon. have a spoon yourself if you must.

DD does this too - it's a pain, isn't it?

I use 2 spoons in rotation, load one up, she snatches it and tries to shove it in her mouth, meanwhile load the second spoon etc etc.

Plus 2 bowls, one with most of the food, one with a bit she can turn upside down, chew the edge of etc, one I am spooning food out of.

Still she only eats about 1percent of the (tiny) amount in front of her.

But if I try to feed her, it's lips clamped shut, head turned away, arms flailing for spoon. Groan.

I would second the comments about maybe moving to more finger foods. However, to answer your specific question, have you tried giving her sticks of bread to hold in each hand? Apparantly experienced maternity nurses recommend this because they're interesting to hold and the baby can chew on them, so they're less likely to drop them when the spoon arrives...

Fingers of toast to dip in her (thick) purees/mash? So she's taking in puree as well as having a chew at the finger food?

You need the five spoon method.

She has two, one in each hand, you have two one in each hand.

As she drops one she has to grab the one you are putting towards her mouth, let her have the one she is grabbing for and get the food in with the other one you are holding.

Then pick up the spare one (or the one she has dropped and repeat).

Its a bit like synchronised swimming...

Thanks everyone for ideas - really helpful.

I'm off spoon shopping now...

I have the same problem, DS2 has reflux also and started weaning early and loves the spoon .. so ive tried an aeroplane action with food on into the mouth and he forgets about the spoon and he is laughing at me ... and eats it too ..

Hi Shell001 - glad that works! Unfortunately my daughter is stubbornly refusing to be distracted from the need to grab the spoon... have even tried the multiple spoon approach suggested above - all that happens is that all 5 spoons end up on the floor within a few seconds!! Have started giving her more finger food which seems to be a success, but oh god, the mess... also not sure how much is really going in. Am considering sewing down the sleeves of her bib so that the arms can't move

Hi, not got any other advice I'm afraid my DS did exactly the same and mealtimes were a nightmare but as soon as the first teeth popped through it all stoppped, hope the same is true for you, at least you know there may be an end in sight

I made holes in the plastic spoons with a hot skewer, and put string through them and tied them all to the high chair.

At least it stopped them all falling on the floor........