Solids are so much harder than bottles.

Ruby_Tuesday

I never really minded bottle time even by myself.  I have been propping 1 and holding 2 since they were about 2.5 months old.  They are always happy when they have their bottles!   But the solids, ohmygoodness, the mess, they end up with whatever they are eating in their ears and on their hands on on their clothes.  One won't stop sucking on his bib to take his spoon.  And one fusses loudly in between every bite while waiting for his next bite.  It's kind of like a Frankenstein groan.  It's horrible.

I can't wait until they feed themselves.  So tell me when does that happen for most babies?   

caden

Yeah it's like that "whack a mole" game as far as keeping things clean. A MoM gave me this tip though -- if you have a highchair with a tray, you might be able to "pin" their hands under the tray while you feed them. I did it for the first month and it made things much cleaner. Their hands aren't really pinned in my FP space savers. But they can't figure out how to bring their arms back enough to get their hands out from under the tray. : )

AlishaMay

caden:

Yeah it's like that "whack a mole" game as far as keeping things clean. A MoM gave me this tip though -- if you have a highchair with a tray, you might be able to "pin" their hands under the tray while you feed them. I did it for the first month and it made things much cleaner. Their hands aren't really pinned in my FP space savers. But they can't figure out how to bring their arms back enough to get their hands out from under the tray. : )

That is genius!!!!!!

SweetBijou

 How long does it take to feed all three?

 I give the boys each an extra spoon or sippy cup to play with while I feed them.  That usually keeps their hands busy and out of the food/ears/face/clothes, etc.

I have one Frankenstein groaner too (ha ha, I love that expression).  His face turns really red too while he's waiting.  So impatient!  I give them each a couple of bites before switching to the next baby, and that has helped with the intensity of the fussiness (hasn't stopped it completely though.

I have no idea when they can start feeding themselves--I hope soon!  One of mine can chow down on mum mums, but the other has no interest in trying to feed himself.

Haven1

I remember a siggy challenge on the 3-6m board awhile back about "messy babies".  Everyone posted these babies at meal time who barely had food on their bibs.  I posted this and told them they were all weak!

DS2 feeds himself table food at 9 months, and we're still working on DS1.  Although I will say that instead of a mess of purees in their hair/ears/eyelashes/etc, it's now an absolute mess on the floor.  Not to mention they're 1000x more distracted now.  

Good luck to us all! 

MontyMrs

OK, I'm scared :-)   I have no advice but I want your propping technique.  I still haven't quite mastered feeding three at once.  

GL with feeding those adorable ones. 

LakeGenevaBride

I remember thinking it would be so much fun when they started solids.  WRONG!  Bottles are way easier.  Mealtimes take forever, I usually end up moping the floor every day, and their clothes are full of stains now.  I think my dog likes it better though - the babies usually throw all their food to him. 

AlishaMay

At around 6 months, I started giving my girls Baby Mum Mums.  I'd hand one a Mum Mum, and then feed her sister her baby food, it took them about the same amount of time to finish.  They love to nibble on them, and they pretty much dissolve into rice cereal when it touches their spit.  Also, one of my girls was particularity grabby with the spoon and also liked to suck her thumb in between bites, so I gave her her own spoon to hold while I fed her, and that seemed to do the trick.  As far as for when they start totally feeding themselves - mine just did it today (see my post below).  I do have to say, it was super tough when we were starting out, but within a few weeks we had worked out a pretty good system.  GL!

MontyMrs

LakeGenevaBride:

I remember thinking it would be so much fun when they started solids.  WRONG!  Bottles are way easier.  Mealtimes take forever, I usually end up moping the floor every day, and their clothes are full of stains now.  I think my dog likes it better though - the babies usually throw all their food to him. 

 

OMG the siggy cuteness!!! 

babya2010

I hear ya. And oh my word...the Frankenstein groan (perfect name for it!!!) My DS does this as well. It drives me bonkers! He'll be eating perfectly fine...then the groaning...then he starts screaming and crying. What gives? And DD is a bib/finger/tray sucker as well. One bite of food then she's shoving her bib or her fist in her mouth. The food just comes oozing out between her fingers (or all over her clothes!) I agree it will be so much easier when they can feed themselves. Often I even remind myself, "One day I won't have to feed them anymore..." Technically they can feed themselves their puffs, crunchies, little pieces of cheese, etc. but I'm still giving them purees. I feel like I'm very paranoid when it comes to true 'solid food'. Oiy.

Ruby_Tuesday

Haven1:

I remember a siggy challenge on the 3-6m board awhile back about "messy babies".  Everyone posted these babies at meal time who barely had food on their bibs.  I posted this and told them they were all weak!

DS2 feeds himself table food at 9 months, and we're still working on DS1.  Although I will say that instead of a mess of purees in their hair/ears/eyelashes/etc, it's now an absolute mess on the floor.  Not to mention they're 1000x more distracted now.  

Good luck to us all! 

Yup, that looks about right!

tSquared1987

Haven1:

I remember a siggy challenge on the 3-6m board awhile back about "messy babies".  Everyone posted these babies at meal time who barely had food on their bibs.  I posted this and told them they were all weak!

DS2 feeds himself table food at 9 months, and we're still working on DS1.  Although I will say that instead of a mess of purees in their hair/ears/eyelashes/etc, it's now an absolute mess on the floor.  Not to mention they're 1000x more distracted now.  

Good luck to us all! 

 

That picture is so cute! I love it

leviandlandensmom

Can't wait until they're on table foods and can feed themselves! Life is so much easier when they can feed themselves!

Babsie7

I have a bib sucker too, then she starts wailing when I take it out of her mouth. I always have a pacifier and washcloth nearby.

MrsAmyB

It can be done!   I totally agree, solids are a HUGE mess.  And my little ones see another one eating and they want in on it.  So, most days I just have them in their play area, and I feed them all at the same time as they are pawing all over me.   Now that we are adding chunkier foods, it is so much easier.  I add overcooked whole wheat pasta and or veggies into their pureed foods.  They have to chew more which means less shoveling into their mouths. 

I also just give them pasta with peas and carrots as a finger food, so they can feed themselves with that.  I mix up what kind of pasta I'm using so they can learn how to chew of different sized foods. 

Ryan started eating purees at 6 mo and the girls at 8 and 9 months (delayed due to a swallowing issue) and they are all three eating finger foods now.

Kittycat196

LOl @ frankenstein groan. Mine is worse- He screams in between bites if I am not fast enough. The other wines/groans.

I second the idea about giving them a spoon to play with while you feed them. That worked for one of mine, the other just threw it on the floor.

I love seeing them feed themselves. So cute even tho it is a major mess everytime.

srh08.05.06

I still talk about how I miss when they were on just bottles.  When I was spoon feeding them, one was usually pretty good about it.  The other would always hit the spoon and food would be everywhere.

My girls didn't really master feeding themselves until they turned a year old.  I think that might be later than most.  I had surgery a few months before their birthday and was out of commission for awhile - so I didn't really practice with them enough beforehand.  I will say that I think them feeding themselves is actually worse than spoon feeding.  Food is everywhere on the floor, in their bib pouches, in the high chairs, all over their clothes, etc.  I feel like my entire day is filled with putting them in their high chairs, chopping up food, then cleaning up after them!  Can't wait till their old enough to eat even somewhat neatly

 

nikinikinine

Haven1:

I don't know what I love about this picture more - the food EVERYWHERE or the innocent look, like "what mom?" LOL

MrsLnt

I hear you!  I was thinking of this tonight and starting a thread about how does one do solids at dinner, if dinner is after bathtime and before bedtime, because we had two babies covered in peas tonight (we do solids then bottle).  DS decided to "talk" and make raspberry sounds every time he had a mouth full of peas.  

We are on and off with solids because it's so much more work. I hate that it's going to have to become an every day thing.  Boo.