Self Feeding - Chicago,IL

She'll be fine feeding herself, and when she's really hungry, she'll let you do it, too.

I usually wait till DD is done, then try a few times. If she's still hungry, she'll let me do it.

Give her a spoon and let her try some while you feed her too. She is getting older so touching and tasting and finding her own mouth are all an adventure for her but very necessary. She won't let herself starve.

Give her the spoon and let her feed herself. It's the only way she's going to learn. She will definitely get enough that she won't starve. You will have some messes to clean, but practice makes perfect!

I remember going through this with my son, not too dreadfully long ago. He would get angry if we tried to spoon feed him and he would grab the spoon. We actually took a tip from my SIL who would give her son a spoon to hold, almost like a prop, and maybe dip it in the food and give him self a bite, but at the same time have a second spoon to do the actual feeding with. It worked out well for us.

My daughter is 10 months also and has been self feeding for about two months. I cut up little carrots (cooked), bananas, pears, peas, green beans...you name it, she eats it! Just make sure things are soft and bite size. She will make a mess in the beginning...it's a new skill! Just like when she starts to walk she will fall a lot. She is learning how to pick things up and get them in her mouth. Offer good healthy foods to her and she will figure it out.
L.

Just let her practice! Our daughter wanted to self feed around 7-8 months and so we'd give her little soft bits of whatever we were eating. She LOVED it. Don't worry about how much she is eating bc she is getting her nutrition from breastfeeding/bottle now anyway. Just let her practice those skills and have fun!

Our guy is 11 months and we've been doing a combination of feeding and self feeding at meals for a couple weeks now. When he self feeds it gets everywhere except his mouth but he's having a grand time and learning. Besides if I try to just feed him, he gets mad and won't cooperate. In between his attempts I pick up a piece and feed it to him to make sure he is getting enough to eat and to help with the harder items. When I offer a piece of food and he refuses, he's had enough and is full. Also he starts throwing the food on the floor when he's had enough. Personally I don't use utensils at this point. It doesn't help the process and makes the messes bigger.

We have just begun this process, he's been self feeding cereal and other finger foods for a while. The spoon has become more and more of an issue of late.

I'm using super sticky foods, i.e. peach & pumpkin by sprout, and mashed potatoes.

I'm using two spoons, I load up the spoon and he grabs it, sometimes he throws it, sometimes he mooshes the food, other times it goes to his ear. Meanwhile, I get a few bites into him with the other spoon.

I'm letting him have a try at dinner only, since he gets a bath at night anyway.

The food-feeding we do with our little ones prior to discontinuing breastfeeding/formula is nothing more than practice, so you do not need to worry about the amount she eats or how she goes about eating.

Give your daughter with breastmilk/formula until your Pediatrician gives you the green light to discontinue. In the meantime, continue exactly what you are doing...give her a variety of finger foods, let her have her own spoon to "feed herself" and attempt to feed her with a spoon every now and then. However, do not make anything about the dining experience a battle right now -- that's a dining habit you do NOT want to start! I promise that when your daughter is dependant on food alone, she will not want to feel hungry and will probably allow you to feed her with a spoon when she can't satisfy herself.