My 8 month old was a fantastic eater. She's been eating cereal since 4 months and fruits and veggies since 5 months. She recently started eating crackers, cheerios, frozen bananas and anything else she can get her hands on.
My problem lately is that she has decided that she only wants to eat with her hands now. Last night it took 45 minutes to get a few pieces of steamed carrots, banana chunks and 1/4 of a mini-bagel in her. Two jars of food used to be a 15 minute thing.
With 2 little teeth coming in, I think the spoon may have bugged her and now that they're in she won't even let me near her with it. I've tried to give her banana chunks on the spoon, knowing she likes the taste, but that doesn't work either.
What tricks do you have to get her to eat off a spoon again?
I have an 8 month old that recently started to ONLY want to feed herself, or at least attempt. I started just putting the spoon on her tray in front of her, and she started putting it in her mouth herself. So I put a little food on it (yes this can get messy), but at least she is eating from it. Good practice too!
I have an almost 11 month old at home and he did the exact same thing. I am just now getting him to eat from a spoon again over the last week. I just quit trying to feed him from a spoon and let him eat with his fingers. Its a stage I believe. They want to be independent. For example, for breakfast I cut up a banana in cubes and put on his tray along with some cheerios and he eats every bite. I take advantage of him feeding himself right now when I'm in a hurry!
Honestly, I just let my son eat with his hands. At least he was eating and not spitting it out or throwing it. LOL
The eating with a spoon will come later. Not to worry.
I have 3 boys ages 10,6 and 1. I wouldn't stress over her not wanting to eat from the spoon. Usually around this age they want to explore...by smelling and feeling their food. Self-feeding usually begins at this age, I would just find things she can eat by herself and be done with it. That's awesome that she will eat banana chunks because my son won't because of it's texture. He will however let me give him Yo Baby yogurt off the spoon and maybe some Applesauce. Enjoy these precious moments and don't sweat the small stuff. She's just showing her independents early, I am told that is what girls do....I wouldn't know with three boys.
My daughter did this as well at 8 mo old, and for a bit I just tried to feed her as many healthy finger foods as possible and make up for it in nursing. Then my grandmother came and showed me a wonderful trick--get a toy that makes noise and has lights and fits on the highchair--something cheap because it will get dirty, hard plastic so you can wipe it down. It worked wonders. I was finally able to spoonfeed her again, I just let her play with the toy (it was a circus bear that made the toy sing and light up when you rocked him, and had the big beads on wires that she could push back and forth above his head) and she didn't even pay attention to what I was doing.
Hi P.,
You might try a fork instead. My kids both loved a fork, but didn't want me to go anywhere near them with a spoon once they started finger food. They could handle a fork by themselves. (Make sure it's sharp enough to stick food, not the round ended ones. They hated those more than a spoon.) She's learning to do it herself and that's a good thing. Also, you can stick it with the fork and lay it down for her to feed herself.
Good luck!
have you tried a rubber tipped spoon? also self feeding while youre feeding her might help.
I gave up after a bit with the spoon. He just didn't want to be fed. I got one of those mesh feeders and put food in that to make it easier. Other than that, I just let him feed himself.
If you think it is the spoon bugging her are you using the kind that are rubber coated? I know Gerber makes them and Walmart and Target carry them. There is also another brand (can't think of the name) that are coated and turn white if the food is too hot. Otherwise she might just be trying to be independant and want to feed herself. What stage food are you giving her? She might want the chunkier foods or she thinks she is getting table foods if she isn't feed off the spoon too. My son has been on stage 3 for about a month and I all of a sudden I noticed he wasn't chewing the chunks but if I feed him table food he chews just fine!! He also grabs for the fork when I feed him so I just put food on his tray and let him have at it. I swear sometimes more ends up in his lap than in his mouth and it takes forever for him to eat but he is happy as long as I keep it coming!!
Good luck to you guys!!
S.
Maybe the spoon is to rough on her gums. The mesh feeder may be a good idea. My youngest used hers alot.
