Finicky Eater All of a Sudden

My second child is 10 1/2 mos old, and I am going through roughly the same business. She also seems to be eating less and playing more, I read somewhere that they turn into "tiny scientists" at the table, finding the answers to such questions as "What will happen if I drop this?" and "Does oatmeal or sweet potatoes feel better when mashed into my hair?"

If he likes finger food and you're concerned about getting fruits and veggies in him, can you give him fruits and veggies as finger food? My girl loves banana spears (cut off a few inches of banana, then cut it lengthwise into 3 or 4 spears, they're good for biting), and you could also do potato or sweet potato cubes, peas, carrots, etc.

With my son, we made sure to give him some finger food at the same time that we were spoon-feeding him, to keep those hands busy. Now that we have two mess-makers (he just turned 3 this week), I took the rug out of the dining room because I was tired of worrying about the spilled milk and glumps of baby food.

If he's taking 32 oz of milk, he should be fine. He's old enough to let you know if he's hungry, and his hunger will change day-by-day. Don't worry, just give him more options.

Hey L.,
I used to hand my daughter a spoon to eat with while I also fed her. She would take a bite and then I'd give her a bite. That way she ate enough and didn't get totally frustrated trying to do it all herself.
E.

My son did the same thing at that age. I would let him hold a fork, and I would have a fork as well. In between him trying to feed himself and playing with the food, I would try to get a bite here and there into his mouth. I wondered the same thing...but eventually realized that if he was really hungry, he would eat. He is 20 months now and does a great job at feeding himself. His taste buds have also changed. Some days he loves one thing and some days he doesn't. Just remember, that if your son is really hungry, he will eat. He is experiencing everything for the first time, and playing with food is one of the experiences he has to go through to learn about eating.

Oh I feel your pain... I have a 9 month old that is doing the same thing. If I come anywhere near him with a spoon in my hand he swats it out. He will only feed himself, and his favorite foods are mac n cheese, cheese, puffs, cheerios, grilled cheese, french toast, and sometimes carrots. Sometimes i can get him to eat other things by putting them on a spoon and giving him the spoon to feed himself. This is a totally normal thing kids go through, and actually can be a great thing when you really think about it. Some kids still want their parents to feed them everything when they are two... you will have a child who can use a fork and spoon by the time he's one and half years old! Gerber makes these awesome soft bite sized fruits and veggies in jars if you want to try that. We are also using the toddler meals that they make with him and he is starting to expand his horizons that way as well.