This is what I have learned since making the decision to let Gavin attempt to self-feed:

The road to a self-feeding baby is a very messy one but extremely rewarding to observe if you can tolerate the mess.  Allowing Gavin to learn how to feed himself has often left our maid in despair with Mummy wanting to take Gavin out into the garden and hose him down.  Gavin has learned the art of finger painting using rice cereal and he’s enjoyed painting everything from the table to his highchair to his hair, face, ears and nose.

Several nights ago, he allowed me to help him spoon some rice cereal and guide the spoonful into his mouth.  He ate up everything in his bowl and then some!  I was a proud mother.  The experience was shortlived because my independent little munchkin decided he no longer wanted Mummy’s assistance and insisted on doing things by himself.  He managed to get the right end of the spoon into his mouth minus the rice cereal.  Discovering that it was easier using his hands directly, he adopted the Indian style of eating and tasted some finger-licking goodness of out his efforts.

Although he makes an enormous mess at meal times, I have observed a marked improvement in his dexterity when it comes to picking up little bits of food and putting it into his mouth.  Where his success rate used to be about 10% (unless he was holding a teething biscuit or a chunk of bread), he now manages a 50% success rate of getting a raisin-size piece of bread into his mouth.

Allowing Gavin to play with his food has also broadened his sense of adventure when it comes to trying and eating new foods.  Some of the foods he used to reject he now heartily enjoys.  Mealtimes might be a warzone but I guess it is a small price to pay for Gavin’s developing independence.  He also seems happier in his highchair when he has something to do - whether it’s attempting to lick bits of rice cereal off his fingers or paint the highchair with rice cereal.  At least he still allows me to feed him bits of bread when we’re out in public.

These are the 4 benefits I have discovered with a self-feeding baby:

• I get to enjoy my meals more because I’m no longer busy feeding the baby.  I also get to enjoy warm food as opposed to the cold leftovers that are left waiting for me once I’m done feeding baby.
• Baby’s manual dexterity is improving in leaps and bounds.
• Baby is a happier in the highchair and fusses less during mealtimes.
• Baby is more willing to try a variety of foods he previously rejected coming straight from my hand.

Is it worth the mess at the end of the meal?  Yeah, I reckon so…

Below: One of Gavin’s better attempts at self-feeding.

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