When did your LO start using cutlery?

[weejenb]

So I took my LO to my mums for his dinner tonight. Dinner was finger foods which he does entirely independently very well, and I had a fruit pot for afters. My mum had *such* a go at me for not letting him feed himself with the spoon! For starters, he's gonna make a huge mess, and more importantly I need him to eat his food so he gains weight (which has been an issue for us). I said using cutlery at his age (not quite ten months) isn't important as he feeds himself well, I only feed him anything requiring a spoon such as cereal or desserts. She thinks I'm bad for not pushing this on him?!

I'm not crazy, right? A ten month old isn't expected to use cutlery independently, surely? I'm sure there are probably some that can but I don't think it's an issue if they can't. What is a rough age for being able to use cutlery?

 

[NoodleSnack]

Yeah, your mum's expectations are unrealistic. My son haven't even realised that cutlery are tools for getting food from A to B, they're all just toys to him.

 

[Sparrow85]

Definitely not! My LO is 11 months this week and tries to take the spoon off me and I have let him but it just goes everywhere and he would get frustrated.

My friend from work's LO is 13 months and he can eat a yoghurt with a spoon. She posted a video and it was amazing, although he was fully BLW so I think he probably got it quicker.

I'm far too OCD to let him try for more than a few seconds just now lol.

 

[Tanikins]

My son could use cutlery at 10 months but yes alot did get on the floor but how else is he to learn. Id just feed lo like 75% then let lo try the rest

 

[Gym knickers]

My LO *can* feed herself if I preload the spoon and she does it quite well but she gets overexcited VERY often and we wind up with fruit or porridge over everything, Including yesterday our dog who was not impressed with me combing dried porridge out of his fur all night! I do the same as pp and just let her do the last few bits, but only if it's something pale and easy to clean. Tbh I mostly feed her any sloppy stuff myself as I'm a clean freak and I hate the mess!

 

[fieryphoenix]

I gave my lo preloaded spoons at six months, he does really well with them now

 

[Tess.ie]

We BLW, so Chloe has been having preloaded spoons from the start. Round 10 months she started spooning things up herself (although not always successfully) and now nearly 13 months she can stab things with a fork too. She is probably 50/50 hands/cutlery use and yes, it's messy!!

 

[Snow Owl]

Oh wow, the thought of giving LO a spoon with food on fills me with messy fear lol

 

[Peggy O]

She grabs the sppon (from day one) and shoves it in her mouth, but she shoves everything she can reach into her mouth. I spoon feed her or she uses her fingers for cherrios, peas, carrots etc.

 

[_jellybean_]

We let our lg use a spoon a few times a week and its SO messy! She'll be 9 months soon.

 

[surprisedmama]

So I took my LO to my mums for his dinner tonight. Dinner was finger foods which he does entirely independently very well, and I had a fruit pot for afters. My mum had *such* a go at me for not letting him feed himself with the spoon! For starters, he's gonna make a huge mess, and more importantly I need him to eat his food so he gains weight (which has been an issue for us). I said using cutlery at his age (not quite ten months) isn't important as he feeds himself well, I only feed him anything requiring a spoon such as cereal or desserts. She thinks I'm bad for not pushing this on him?!

I'm not crazy, right? A ten month old isn't expected to use cutlery independently, surely? I'm sure there are probably some that can but I don't think it's an issue if they can't. What is a rough age for being able to use cutlery?

Your mum would have a fit with my LO. She's 22 months and while she *can* use a fork and a spoon, she would much rather eat with her fingers if given the chance.

 

[freckleonear]

DD was using a spoon at 9 months and a fork at 12 months. It is messy, but they learn much faster at that age than waiting until later.

 

[mrstrouble]

My LO is nearly 12 months and thinks cutlery is for banging on other objects to make noise! No way she could feed herself, she can barely eat with her fingers lol

 

[FAB mama]

My LO (from day one) refused to be spoon fed. So he gets finger foods only, but sometimes I dip things into purees for him to pick up. So sometimes I have a spoon around to stir with, and offer it to him every few days but he ALWAYS immediately puts his hand where the food is and it falls off and he chews on the spoon. I don't know how to teach him... I think he knows exactly what it does, but he just doesn't want to eat that way. Maybe I should try a fork. He's very independent (and stubborn!). As long as they eat and they are healthy I wouldn't worry right now.

 

[lanaross]

I remember it being a messy business but DD definitely used her fork/spoon before she turned one. I don't think I've ever paid close attention as to how much she actually ate solids since milk/formula are their primary meal before 1 anyway. Oh and we did BLW so that might have got her ready using a spoon? who knows.

 

[Jemma0717]

LOL guess we are way behind...my LO is 14 months and is just now starting to use fork and spoon but doesn't know how to get the food onto it yet

 

[skye93]

My ds is BLW, but I haven't actually even thought about attempting letting use the spoon himself.

 

[detterose]

Wouldnt even try getting my LO to use cutlery yet, he would just bang it on the highchair and fling food everywhere lol!

 

[rebeccalouise]

I gave my LO cutlery to use from about 10 months, she's nearly 18 months now & only just getting the hang of it.

 

[Reno]

From starting BLW at 6 months we bought MAM Little Dippers which he can use quite successfully for yoghurts from about 10 months to now at 18 months as they just dip in and lick off (doesn't get loaded up like a spoon).

https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7PLKPJlDHVI/UAbDg5do2OI/AAAAAAAAANI/lxrRtiLPP_0/s1600/IMG_0753%5B1%5D.JPG

Now at 18 months he is getting very frustrated that he can't quite manage cutlery yet and always points to our cutlery and wants to use it. We got him his first proper set and I keep my hand on the end of the spoon to keep it the right way up while he uses it. Think we're going to encourgae him to use a fork first...should be slightly less messy! Not expecting him to master it in the next few weeks anyway!