Words of Advice on Feeding Finger Foods

It's reality. They get better at scooping stuff into their mouths as they get older. They have to be allowed to try to get better.

Very definitely the reality of moving forward. One thing I've done is use the old receiving blankets as bibs. (A trick I learned at the daycare I work at). They're big enough to cover her tummy and legs more or less completely, and have enough extra to tuck into sleeves to help keep them clean too! I'm too lazy to strip my daughter down and have to scrub arms and legs in addition to face, hair, and hands.

This is deffinately the reality of starting finger foods. She is in the learning process of how to feed herself and it will be messy. What I have done (and am doing still) with my kids is strip them down to thier diaper when it is feeding time--unless the food she will have is dry (cereal, crackers) and put a mat or even a rug or blanket will work, under the high chair. If you use a mat it will be easy clean up and if you use a something soft, shake it out outside and wash every few days. She will also be easy to clean up if she has no cloths on to stain--just grab a dish cloth and wipe her down. Your baby will be messy for quite some time, but it is OK! She will one day be cleaner when she eats, but for now she is learning. Remember to have patience and enjoy her--she is growing up so fast. :)

Oh yes, it is a messy stage. My youngest is now 13 months and things are getting a lot better, but now he's throwing things on the floor because it's fun. My floor is always filled with crumbs and food, my girls are much better but they are kids and they have accidents with milk, yogurt, etc. Just invest in a nice floor sweeper and try to let go, the bigger they get the dirtier and messier they get!

yes, that is moving forward...she is showing independence and that is a good, messy thing. try the towel-like bibs that go over their head. she may like them and they are harder to get off.

My daughter has a 1 yr old boy and he figured out the velcro bibs right away. My daughter found smock type bibs at Burlington Coat Factory that tie and although the little guy crys when we use them he can not get them off.
Part of the learning experience of feeding themselves is that little ones get themselves, their high chairs and floor really messy. It gets better with time. My daughter has 2 dogs and they tend to stay very close to the highchair at meal time, catching whatever drops off the tray. You could try to give your daughter only a little bit at a time and see if she does better.

As a mother of 4 of my own and also a childcare provider, I can tell you that unfortunatly what you are discribing is the reality of them learning to feed themselves. Dirty job, but clothes, highchairs, floors and little hands and faces are all washable. Good luck and remember to have lots of patience...she's learning :)

my son is 13 months old and we are in this battle too, thank goodness for dogs :) sometimes then food doesn't even make it to the floor then dogs are getting good at catching the thrown pieces, i put just a few piece at a time in front of my son so that he isn't wasting so much, when he is done he asks for more if i am not sitting at the table with him. It is a long process, heck sometimes i think about putting a bib on my husband he is always spilling his food. Good luck and just know you are not alone we are all "suffering" through this stage

The velcro on my daughters plastic bibs are worn out and in the past she would try to tear them off so I just take a clothes pin and put it over the velcro so it stays on better. I also lay a kitchen hand towel on her lap when she eats cereal so it doesn't get her clothes dirty for the day. Right now she is 18 months. Meal times are extremely messy -they are learning and don't have the coordination yet and she is probably getting frustrated as well.

That's the reality of learning to eat solids and fingerfoods, and eventually using the fork and spoon. My daughter is 21 months old and has gotten pretty good at using a fork and spoon, but she still spills quite a bit on the floor. It is less than she used to spill when she was 11 months old, though. So, it will get better!
You could try putting a plastic sheet down under her highchair to catch the spills and make clean up easier.
I just gave in to the idea that my diningroom floor would always be messy at mealtime.
Maybe your daughter would rather wear a smock than a bib. My aunt made us some large smocks that tie at the neck and cover most of my daughter's chest for her first birthday. Or you could just take off her clothes all together and have meals in diapers only.
Good luck and have fun watching your child learn to eat! :)

This is completely normal! She is experimenting while eating. Sure it's a mess but, it can get cleaned up. Let her explore. As far as the bib goes, try the kind that slips of her head, the terry cloth kind.

J. -- GET THE BABY BJORN PLASTIC BIB! We call it "Super Bib" at our house. It is soft, washable in the dishwasher or sink, catches everything down the front (just about) and is awesome in every way. Just be careful not to pinch skin in the back when putting it on. You can get them on Amazon.

J.,

This is just how solids go. My kids stopped wearing bibs altogether by 11 months. It's getting warmer. You can just have her eat topless until she gets better at it.

Regarding the mess; just give her a little food at a time. (5 cheerios or 3 banana slices, etc.) For some reason, when kids see too much food in front of them, they get overwhelmed and it just ends up on the floor.

She's about ready to handle a spoon. My recommendation would be to start with foods that stick to the spoon - mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, oatmeal, etc. until she gets good at it. At first, you can each have a spoon. She can practice with hers. You use yours to make sure some food actually gets in her mouth by the end of the meal.

You can also lay down a tarp or garbage bag to save your floor. Self feeding is just a messy business. With my first - and very independent - daughter, I had to just turn my back when she was learning to self feed. I wanted to jump in there and take control to keep her clean. It created a needless power struggle. I learned to just let her practice (and stop her when food became art or a weapon) and stick her in the sink after every meal. Most booster seats fit in the dishwasher. If not, it can visit the sink after your daughter.

This too shall pass. My fourth child is now 23 months. She rarely spills anything - including open cups of milk - and I only have to sweep under the floor once or twice a day now. I am hoping in a couple of years our family will be ready to get a nice dining table set. (My husband has already had to refinish our old one once to get all the peanut butter, etc. off it.)

Good luck,
S.

Now that it's getting warmer out...just have her eat in her diaper. It's easier to wash her with a rag than her clothes!

Yes it is messy!!! There is no getting around it. Stripping her down is a wonderful option for home. When you are out in public & can't take all her clothes off, try one of the bibs that slip over her head. They cover more & are harder for littler ones to remove.

Hi J.
I do everything cassandra suggested except I also put a towel in the high chair so there back doesn't stick and it keeps them alittle warmer. Its also easier to clean the high chair just take the towel and dump in the garbage.

well, i dont know if there is anything you can do to prevent this really...
just remember that your daughter loves this, and is learning a lot by playing with her food. yes, eventually, she will start to clean up, but in the meantime, you can 'protect the floor' of sorts, by putting down a blanket or tablecloth or something under her chair... as far as a bib or whatever, you can just put on an outfit that can be dirty.. and just forget about the bib. my son and i both hated bibs, they were such trouble.

kids are a mess. just try your best to be patient and remember that this is worth it in the end. :P finger foods are SO much fun for the little ones.... and soon they will be sitting at the table eating like an adult and you might actually miss it!
at some point you can start making her help clean up, but you arent quite there yet. ;P
anyway, good luck

My friend stripped her kid down to his diaper at meal times until he was almost 2 years old. We never had these "messy" issues with our son. He is now 2 & 1/2 and will ask for a napkin if his hands are dirty -- some kids just like to get messy.

Try the "naked" thing.

Reality. Kids are gross! Lucky they are cute :) Just wait until she starts throwing food! She will eventually grow out of this mess, and will continue to evolve into different kinds of messes until she moves out. Have fun, and find a good cleaner, and consider, since it is getting warmer, putting her in her diaper and bib in her high-chair or find some clothes that are not such a big deal if she ruins them.

I feel your pain.....LOL

We started to let our son eat in just his diaper.... I was soooo tired of him staining his clothes all the time. He was strictly breastfed for 9 months, had baby food for about 2 or 3 weeks, and then went to pretty much straight table food.

I swear it's our high chairs fault. It's made really bad. The child looks like he's sitting in a deep hole.... It's a great looking chair and awesome for when they are babies because it reclines and looks really comfy. But for actual eating, the child is just too far down in this hole to be able to eat decent. Maybe yours is the same thing. We switched our son over to a "restaurant" syle high chair and he stays a bit cleaner. I would love to get a different chair but my hubby is good at reminding me that we don't need a better one because we have a chair....

But don't worry. Being messy at this age is normal.

Our sitter just discovered this, easy and can roll it up before or after its clean

http://www.target.com/Kiddopotamus-Tiny-Diner-Portable-Pl...

If that link doesn't work just look up the brand and you will find others!

My dd just started the little puff cereal things and those are messy, I hear it is normal and they are learning and discovering how we BIG people eat. Enjoy!

I started putting less on the tray to begin with. This has helped... but sorry to say, it only get messier. My little girl (14 months old) is now wanting to eat everything with a spoon... this is when it gets interesting. Good Luck!