Caden seems ready to start feeding himself — by grabbing the spoon that I feed him with or snatch his food off his plate. Therefore 3 weeks ago, I introduced him "Gerber Finger Food" and he takes it really well. At times when he doesn't want to eat his food or in a bad mood, he will still open wide his mouth for the 'stars' to come in.
Starting last week, I want to teach him how to eat the 'stars' himself. Although I know he will not be able to developed the so called pincer grasp until he is around 9 months, I want to encourage Caden to self-feed as much as possible to help him develop independent, healthy eating habits. I scattered four or five pieces of finger food onto your his highchair tray and continue to add them as he eats them (although actually most of them are thrown away to the floor).
At his age, food play can get messy, but I won't be too quick with the washcloth cos' I know Caden enjoys this important hands-on learning experience.
Along with 'stars' feedding, I also introduce Caden to a 'Sippy Cup' feeding. A sippy cup is a training cup with a screw- or snap-on lid and a spout that will allow him to drink without spilling. I believe, this will improve Caden's hand-to-mouth coordination and prepare him for weaning from the breast or bottle to a regular cup later on. A sippy cup can give him some independence while keeping cleanup to a minimum. For now he is still learning the idea of the 'sippy cup' -- sometimes he will suck the spout for the water but other times he will bite it just like bitting his teether. Not to worry, I am sure soon he will be able to mastered it soon.
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