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When to start self-feeding

Months before giving a baby a spoon (which is the first feeding utensil), let them begin feeding themselves with some soft finger foods, such as a piece of bread roll, pieces of soft fruit, or rusks, so they can get the feel of picking up food and directing it to their mouth, which is so important for coordination. Most children will indicate when they are ready to try on their own. For example, refusing to be fed, or trying to constantly grasp the spoon away from a parent or carer. At this stage don't expect baby to truly be able to feed themselves once you give them a spoon. Typically, at around 7 months of age, a baby should be able to handle a spoon, but remember every child is different and learns at their own pace, in their own way- I remember my son at 6 months grabbed my glass of water and just started drinking from it. No sippy cup, training cup, straw cup, toddler cup, or cup with handles was necessary for him - although we did go through a few glasses!

Self-feeding is a slow process. It can take months before a baby eats a significant amount on their own. In fact, by 15 months of age, typically about half of all infants spill just less than half the food they attempt to get into their mouths. However, by age 2, children should be able to do most of the feeding themselves successfully.

What to expect

Mess. Children experiment with their surroundings, including food, which is normal. They will want to experience and experiment with textures -squashing food everywhere, wiping food on the table, banging food and utensils on the table, dropping everything on the floor, chewing and spitting, oh, and the occasional successful eating (chewing and swallowing). This vision leaves many parents like myself cold, especially if you like your home neat and tidy!

How to prepare

Food Mat

A feeding mat under a baby's high chair acts like a drop sheet for spills. Try the Heinz Baby Basics Mat or Mother's Choice Lollipop Messy Mat.

Age appropriate cutlery and feeding utensils

When learning to self-feed for the first time, about the only utensil needed is a feeding spoon big enough and deep enough to hold a reasonable amount of food (don't confuse these spoons with weaning spoons, which are smaller and designed for use by a parent or carer). Also, it helps if the handle is child friendly for a good grip and there is a soft tip to be gentle on a delicate mouth and gums. Most baby brands have feeding spoons, such as Closer To Nature Explora 5 Feeding Spoons, Munchkin Soft-Tip Infant Spoons or Silicone Spoons and Heinz Baby Basics First Feeding Spoons. An infant generally starts using a fork and spoon from around 12 months of age when appropriate food starts getting chunkier, like the AVENT Truman Toddler Fork & Spoon or AVENT Truman Travel Case with Toddler Fork & Spoon, while a full cutlery set of fork, knife and spoon would be used from around 18 months of age, when a child has the manual dexterity to use 2 utensils at once and attempt cutting. Try the AVENT Truman Toddler Fork, Knife & Spoon or Heinz Baby Basics First Cutlery Set.

Suction based bowls and mats

Suction bowls are great, and prevents mealtime getting out of control (like the picture above). The Munchkin Super Suction Bowl and Heinz Baby Basics Suction bowl are great solutions, however if you want to use your own bowl, try a suction mat such as the Closer to Nature Explora Self Feeding Magic Mat.

Bibs

Bibs are great for catching or slowing down liquids and food that don't quite make it into a little mouth. And parents and carers have so many to choose from. There are ones made from terry towelling (more absorbent than fleece), such as those in the large range from Silly Billyz. This brand also makes great products like the Long Sleeved Bib or Messy Eater Bib that are fantastic for eating really messy foods like mangoes, as they cover sleeves, shirt or dress fronts and are of a long length. Bibs are also made of a wipe down material, so they don't have to be machine washed, which is convenient for travelling. Try the B.box flat or travel bibs (pictured below), or Closer To Nature Roll 'n Go bib. If you can't be bothered to wash a bib at all, or it is impractical, there are a number of disposable bibs available, such as Gel Pack, Heinz Baby Basics, or Closer To Nature.

Don't Forget!

Try self-feeding with thicker food first so it is easier to scoop up with a spoon (such as oatmeal), be aware of hard food that can be a choking hazard (like raw carrot), and avoid stain-forming food (like mulberries or beetroot) - which make cleaning up impossible, even with the best stain remover.