Aug
26
2014

Self-feeding baby

I read that most babies are able to begin self-feeding at seven to eight months. I know if you send your baby to a babysitter, for sure your baby will be able to self-feed by their seventh month as babies are often more independent there. 

Ayden is turning ONE in a week’s time but I have yet to start him on baby led weaning. Baby Led Weaning means letting your child feed themselves from the very start of weaning. While other babies his age are already eating with chopsticks, I am still tediously feeding him. OK I’m just kidding about the chopsticks. I doubt there is any 12 months old babies with the ability to eat with a pair of chopsticks. Even if there is, please, I don’t want to see it >_<

The reason I’m not keen to start him on baby led weaning is because I can’t stand the mess and also I’m afraid he’ll put anything and everything (including bugs) into his mouth as what I see other babies do. I know I’m supposed to let him feed himself. After all, it’s all part of learning; motor skills and all but I did the same with Ethan and look at him now, I don’t see him lagging behind where motor skills are concerned. In fact, I had it easy with Ethan as he never puts anything that is ‘not food’ into his mouth. He doesn’t bite his toys and well, he was never caught munching on shoes. 

It’s the same with Ayden now. Ayden too doesn’t bite his toys. He doesn’t even bother to try putting anything into his mouth. Come meal time he’ll just wait for me to feed him.

Baby led weaning

He is a happy eater though. He’ll happily open his mouth for food to enter while playing his toys. He must be thinking,Self-feed? What’s that? Why bother to self-feed when you have a feeding machine at your disposal?”

After Ethan, I told myself that if I have another baby, I’ll make sure to let him feed himself from a very young age but no, until today, I think Ayden has only eaten around 10 apple puffs by himself. That’s all. 

baby led weaning how to

Happily playing while eating. Some people will tell me off for this bad habit but who cares. 

I’ll give him (or rather myself) another week. Maybe after his first birthday I’ll let him self-feed a bit, just a little bit. Call me a control freak but I prefer to feed him than to dig bugs out of his mouth! -.-

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About the Author: Merryn Tan

12 Comments + Add Comment

  • //

    Nice baby chair!

    Be happy that he eats, never mind that he plays at the same time. You would need the patience of a saint to feed my girl when she was small – she would keep the spoonful of rice or whatever in the mouth for half an hour and then spit it all out. Would only drink milk but the doctor said as long as she was active (…and she was! Uncontrollable! Like hantu!) and healthy, it was fine – that was all the nutrition she needed. That’s why till today, skinny like Somalian refugee – not fat fat cute cute like your boy. :D

    • //

      Nice kan? We got it for Ethan and it is still good today.

      I heard many stories of babies keeping their food in their mouth for hours and that scares me hence I’m grateful that Ayden is eating well. The self-feed will come naturally later. For now, I’m happy that he is eating well :)

  • //

    Same like you, I never let all my kids self feeding at such ypung age. I cant stand the mess. They tend to play more than putting the food in their mouth.

    Ayden is a good boy, never his tous. My Jamie is at experimental stage now. Putting everything into his mouth. I dont know what thing next that I need to dig out from him. So sometimes I prefer him in walker than let him crawl around.

    • //

      Exactly. They’ll eat only like 1/4 of what they normally eat if they self-feed so nevermind la, I feed la. They’ll learn to feed themselves later anyway. No need so pening now :)

  • //

    Whatever works for you will be plenty good. Who cares about the “right” way to teach a baby? I’ve seen some parents obsessed with making sure their baby is “first to self feed”, “first to walk”, “first to turn over by himself” kind of thing. So what? Win now doesn’t mean win in the future >.<

    • //

      Yes. It is most important to work at our own pace. These days parents turn everything into a competition making it so stressful for their little ones. My baby can eat cereal puffs by himself but I kinda restrict it coz I’m afraid of him picking up stuffs on the floor and eating them without me knowing :(

  • //

    Err .. got such theory ah ? My kids ate their food themselves after a long while !

    • //

      Like I said lor, they’ll learn eventually. It’s a matter of when. I guess with my kids, I rather let it be later than risking them eating bugs and whatsnot …

  • //

    Ayden loves car too? Hehe, boys… My boy also sayang his cars very much~

  • //

    Ayden is smiling so happily in the last photo playing with cars, Just do whatever that suits you.

  • //

    Mom always stick to what is best for the baby and herself. Don’t really bother what others have to say. At times, I still feed Elise and Ethel at least they get to eat more on that particular day..haha

  • //

    Sometimes I will feed Sam too when seeing her eating speed and the mess she has made >.<

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MeHome is where MY heart is.
I am a mother to two boys; Ethan and Ayden and a wife to Darling William. I'm a stay at home mum who blogs to break the monotony of life and to avoid feeling jaded. Would love to get to know all the Super Mommies and Daddies and Babies or Singles out there with the hope that we can learn more from each other. Most of all, I am a happy person, and I hope YOU are too.

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