Community› The Bump Message Boards› Babies: 6 - 9 Months
Babies: 6 - 9 Months
New Discussion

Teaching the "pincer grasp". Any suggestions?

mojito14mojito14
in Babies: 6 - 9 Months

Harrison does much better eating "adult" food (moreso than the pureed stuff), but he has a hard time getting it "into" his mouth. He grabs ahold of the pieces with his fist and then can't figure out how to open his fist to get the food in. He then gets frustrated/aggitated/fussy and give up. He does great with biter biscuits, Num Nums, whole bananas, etc. It's just the pieces, that are giving him trouble.

 

image Preston 10/13/06 - Harrison 04/14/10
Report Reply to Post

Re: Teaching the "pincer grasp". Any suggestions?

  • two-pink-shoestwo-pink-shoes
    I think it's just something they develop on their own.  In the meantime, maybe just give him larger pieces for now.  We're doing BLW and we give him 2-3" pieces of food that he can grab with his fist and still stick in his mouth.
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • anabell0920anabell0920 member
    You don't teach it to them it's something that develops with them and should. Te fact that he can't pick up tiny things protects him from swallowing them and that's a good thing right now. That's why if he is getting finger foods it should be at least the size of your finger so he can slob er on the end and suck and chew.
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    Report Reply
  • anabell0920anabell0920 member
    Sorry for the typos I'm on my phone.
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    Report Reply
  • Jeni182Jeni182 member
    I've started giving J puffs every once in awhile so he can practice. He couldn't get anything in his mouth either...he'd pick it up with his whole hand and then try to shove his whole fist in his mouth to eat it. He's definitely getting there though so I just let him practice with the puffs. He'll figure it out on his own eventually.
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
    Report Reply
  • two-pink-shoestwo-pink-shoes

    imageKirbus:
     How do you know when they are ready?

    Essentially, if they can feed themselves something they're usually not going to choke on it.  At least that's the premise of BLW and why you start with big things that they just kind of gum.

    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
    Report Reply
  • mojito14mojito14

    imageanabell0920:
    You don't teach it to them it's something that develops with them and should. Te fact that he can't pick up tiny things protects him from swallowing them and that's a good thing right now. That's why if he is getting finger foods it should be at least the size of your finger so he can slob er on the end and suck and chew.

    I was hoping you would respond, since you seem to know much more about it than myself. :-)

    I was going to try the "as big as my finger" with chicken and avocado for dinner, but I was giving him something that I couldn't cut up in that large of a piece. If I "have to" cut something up, what size should I be cutting it in? I cut it up in smaller pieces, because I was scared that he "would" choke if he got a larger piece in his mouth.

    He does know when not to put more in his mouth though. We had tried giving him another bit of something ourselves and he has refused to open his mouth, because he was still "chewing". That's good right?

    image Preston 10/13/06 - Harrison 04/14/10
    Report Reply
  • mojito14mojito14

    imagetwo-pink-shoes:
    I think it's just something they develop on their own.  In the meantime, maybe just give him larger pieces for now.  We're doing BLW and we give him 2-3" pieces of food that he can grab with his fist and still stick in his mouth.

    Can you do this large of a piece with scrambled eggs too?

    He isn't doing well with stage 3 foods, because it has chunks AND is liquidy, so I think he gets confused and forgets he needs to chew before swallowing. I'm concerned that if I give him a larger piece of a soft food (like eggs), the he will just cram the whole thing in there, but maybe not.

    image Preston 10/13/06 - Harrison 04/14/10
    Report Reply
  • loveyoubeanloveyoubean
    Practice... DD is getting better and better and we just keep letting her try it out!  I think they just sort of do it when they are ready.
    Report Reply
  • 808to619mama808to619mama
    I know the get frustrated but finger foods are the best way to learn. Isaiah got it down practicing with cheerios. He got to a point where he won't let us feed him, he has to do it himslef no matter how slippery the food is!
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
    Report Reply
  • anabell0920anabell0920 member
    Yup very good because he is learning what he can handle. DS does the same thing. If it's something that is smaller I just let him grab it and suck on his hand. That seems like the only way he will eventually learn to open his hand to get it. Which I give him puffs occasionally and cheerios and he has actually started on occasion opening his fist or grabbing it by his finger tips. It's ok if he doesn't really eat it playing with it is part of the proccess. Oh and those bigger chunks are good because he will learn how much to bite off and he might cough and gag up the excess but it's his bodies way of protecting itself from choking.
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    Report Reply
  • mojito14mojito14

    imageanabell0920:
    Yup very good because he is learning what he can handle. DS does the same thing. If it's something that is smaller I just let him grab it and suck on his hand. That seems like the only way he will eventually learn to open his hand to get it. Which I give him puffs occasionally and cheerios and he has actually started on occasion opening his fist or grabbing it by his finger tips. It's ok if he doesn't really eat it playing with it is part of the proccess. Oh and those bigger chunks are good because he will learn how much to bite off and he might cough and gag up the excess but it's his bodies way of protecting itself from choking.

    Thank you!

    image Preston 10/13/06 - Harrison 04/14/10
    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"