Self-feeding with a spoon and fork

[Mary Jo]

When did your LO first do this? How did you encourage it, if you did? Also, any recommendations for toddler cutlery, or is it all the same?

I don't think Adam is going to use a spoon any time soon but I'm wondering if the ones we have are just not very easy for him (I think they are the 7 month+ soft plastic Tommee Tippee ones). We have done BLW so he's been self-feeding with his hands for months, but was never keen on picking up soft foods like mince and so we'd pre-load the spoon and hand it to him. He used to be fine with this but now will have none of it (other than occasionally with yogurt). So I'm thinking that's it for that sort of food till he has the ability to manage a spoon himself. Just wondering where to go from here, as I am reluctant to offer food he won't eat but then again he will need to practise...

 

[AppleBlossom]

To be honest Grace couldn't do it properly until she was about 22 months old. She tried before but couldn't quite grasp it. Now she feeds herself all her food with cutlery. I found metal cutlery was easier for her to use than plastic cutlery

 

[caggimedicine]

Harry is still getting the hang of it now, but has definitely become more persistent in wanting to feed himself. I'm now not 'allowed' to feed him at all. I can help a little, but he wants to do it himself, although half does still end up on the floor/high chair/his lap etc... still, it's better than having most of it ending up on the floor/high chair/his lap which is how things were a few months ago so I know he's getting better at it!

 

[Lu28]

I think metal forks are definitely easier than plastic ones. Aisling is very hit and miss with the fork but feeds herself her yoghurts etc with a spoon. Not much help but the best spoons I found were ones that came free with Yeo Valley yoghurts!

 

[joeyjo]

Spoons wise G finds the purple one we got free from yoplait by far the easiest. Forks - we bought a set of reuseable plastic picnic cutlery from asda - ikea do something similar. The prongs are more effective & safer than the metal toddler fork we had. It's hit & miss but he generally manages the first half of whatever he's having reasonably well. He will then sometimes drop the spoon if he notices a PL spoon ready for him. With fork dishes after about half he uses his hands.

This is the ikea version
https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/30096906

 

[Nibblenic]

Lo has been able to use a spoon to do like yogurts and puddings etc since about a year.

She has only really been feeding her self with a fork sucsessfully (not making more mess than she is actually eating) for about a month.

we just started giving her a tommie tippe fork knife and spoon set and telling her well done when she was eating properly

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Ruby can eat a yoghurt with a spoon and has done since 12 months, she does occasionally insist I do it though.

She tries very hard with a fork/spoon for other meals and I have noticed she will even eat disliked foods when she has managed to get it onto a spoon and eat it that way, but she gets frustrated quickly and we do help her sometimes.

 

[Blah11]

10-11 months she started to use a spoon quite well and by a year old she was realllly good at it. Now shes a pro and uses a spoon and a fork and knows which to use for soup and which to use for chicken pieces

 

[Miss_Mo]

I've been giving Charlton a spoon and fork since about six months. Started with plastic as it was a new novelty item, at first I just let him figure them out and get himself comfortable with holding them. At around 8 months I began 'stabbing' chunks of meat for him with the fork and laying it on the tray. At 10 months, he was proficent at holding and getting the fork to his mouth everytime so I went to a metal fork because I figured that would be easiest for him to do the 'stabbing'. We are at a year now and he has a 50/50 ratio of stabbing his own meat.

Spoons he does well when I load it and then hand it to him, but he hasn't quite mastered manipulating the spoon out of a bowl or yogurt cup yet without losing it or sending it flying.

 

[PeanutBean]

Byron's pretty good at both now but it took a while. Forks came more easily and I agree that plastic ones are rubbish. We used small soft tipped spoons but a few months ago progressed to slightly larger metal child ones and recently ditched the little ones completely as they are too small for him now. It took a really long time and Byron still struggles to fill his spoon sometimes. He's 21 months now.

 

[Faerie]

Sofia uses cutlery. She's been using a spoon for quite a long time, and I introduced a fork around 12 months. She couldn't get the hang of it until I realised that it was the crappy plastic fork's fault, gave her metal ones and she quickly got the hang of it.

She still normally discards them half way through though to finish off with her hands Apart from yoghurt, she loves it so much she tries hard not to spill it!

 

[isil]

my son still eats with his hands sometimes. I've never been a fan of them using a fork and a spoon (if it's something I'd eat a fork and knife with) so I've always just given him what I'd use. I think he started using them at around 11/12 months but not all the time at all I'm not worried, he eats really cleanly and carefully when he does use them. He's really good with yogurt and stuff

 

[TTC LADY]

I've only just recently provided Riya with metal cutlery designed for babies, she's managed to get the hang of using the spoon quite quickly, albeit she does sometimes throw the spoon on the floor and get yogurt everywhere.

Not tried giving her the fork yet - thought, i'd let her master using the spoon first.

She's still spoon fed mainly, but just feeds the yogurt herself.

 

[billy2mm]

about 18 months he was totally feeding himself and he mastered it right away lol. i have boots own brand cutlery for him its a set with plastic coloured handles and metal.

i have also got a persoanlised set with teddy bears on it and engraved with their names too - well the eldest does the youngest gets his set from santa this year

 

[TTC LADY]

about 18 months he was totally feeding himself and he mastered it right away lol. i have boots own brand cutlery for him its a set with plastic coloured handles and metal.

i have also got a persoanlised set with teddy bears on it and engraved with their names too - well the eldest does the youngest gets his set from santa this year

I have the same from boots with the angled heads. They are so much easier for LO to use IMO.

 

[Mary Jo]

thanks everyone. think I will just get him some cutlery and see how he manages.

another question - those of you whose LO will eat from a plate/bowl, is it one that suctions to the table?

 

[joeyjo]

We just bought plastic & melamine bowls/plates

not sure how he'd finish his yogurt if he couldn't pick the bowl up & lick it clean!!!

 

[Didz]

With Amy we didn't really introduce it so much as she's take the damn things off us and help herself lol. She's a food stealer. Always goes up to you whilst you're eating, gives you puppy eyes then steals your fork or spoon and starts to eat your food for you. Tbh I don't mind her doing that to my food as it's encouraging her to eat a little more. She's only tiny and tends to eat very small meals. I tend to put slightly bigger portions on my plate now just because I know she'll come over and eat with me. If I put some in a bowl she'll just throw it. She's done really well with a spoon but I'm still cautious of her with a fork. She likes to brush her hair with whatever is in her hand regardless of whether there's food on it or not.

 

[BlackBerry25]

To be honest Grace couldn't do it properly until she was about 22 months old. She tried before but couldn't quite grasp it. Now she feeds herself all her food with cutlery. I found metal cutlery was easier for her to use than plastic cutlery

Same here. I always gave ti to her, but she just would use her hands. Now she eats cereal with milk with a spoon and doesn't spill at all. (23 months) Andddd I agree metal is much better!

 

[Blah11]

thanks everyone. think I will just get him some cutlery and see how he manages.

another question - those of you whose LO will eat from a plate/bowl, is it one that suctions to the table?

No, just a normal weaning bowl we use. Theyre pink from tommee tippee i think