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In full search of new experiences, your baby does not hesitate to put his hands on the plate. Do we let him or not? How to teach him to eat properly? Specialists in early childhood and infant feeding recommend letting this period unfold even if this gives us even more housework, in order to promote baby’s autonomy through this prism as well.
Should we let baby eat with his fingers?
It’s better to eat with your fingers! For the pros, there isn’t much of a reason to stop baby from eating with their fingers. The little ones have this need to touch food, to explore it in order to get to know it better and, in a way, to appropriate it. Especially since, psychically, it is important for them todirect access to food. It is a first step towards autonomy because, by eating alone, they gradually become detached from their parents.
In addition, according to an English study published in the British Medical Journal, children who, at the time of dietary diversification, eat with their fingers would grow up with more balanced diet than those fed with a teaspoon. The former would indeed consume more healthy foods (carbohydrates: bread, pasta, etc.) than the latter, who would have a greater attraction for sweet products.
Parents: how to teach your child to eat properly?
If feasting with the fingers is not inconvenient for baby, it is not always the same for parents. By fiddling with his plate, your little one has a good chance of putting it everywhere: in his hair, on the floor, on the walls … Obviously, for you, it is extra work, but make no mistake about it. only lasts a while!
The watchword: anticipate! Before any meal, tie a big bib around the neck or, better yet, slip on one of your old t-shirts for full protection!
On the practical side, remember to always have a few paper towels on hand and on you. equip with a suction cup to limit the risk of gliding! And don’t worry: just because your baby is sulking with a spoon, doesn’t mean he won’t make a real meal.
Recipe: foods that baby can eat with his little fork… or not!
Also prefer a diet small pieces that he can grab easier. As for more liquid textures, offer him, for example, to drink his soup in a glass or to give him his mash with a spoon, explaining to him that he can then eat his little bits of cheese with his fingers. .
And don’t be surprised if he’s having fun grabbing the spoon you hand him. It is a way for him to relax because it is still difficult for him to stay focused throughout the meal.
An advice : arm yourself with patience, even if it is not always easy when you have little time in front of you. You can also trick by using two spoons: one to give it its puree and one that your child can play with.
And don’t forget: making the meal a pleasant and fun time is awaken your future pleasure of being at the table. A good point also to make him want to adopt, later, a reasonable and balanced diet.
1 year or more: until what age should baby eat with his hands?
In general, it will take several months, even years, for baby to learn to eat with his cutlery and cleanly like us. The spoon is often held upside down for a long time (the back curved upwards), the small fork does not manage to prick anything… So you have to be patient once again!
It is often around his third year that our child masters almost completely the art of the French table, but he can eat alone from around 12 or 18 months.