not chewing well / goofing around while she eats

LadyTurz · July 2013

Daughter is 12 months old and loves to feed herself, and gets annoyed when I try to spoon feed her, understandably.

Problem is, she tends to shove so many pieces of food in her mouth at once, (and likes to wiggle around/be silly while she's eating) that she makes herself choke. (Now I use the term "choke" loosely- she's never ACTUALLY choked, but gets too much food in her throat that she coughs/scares herself and gets upset)

Do I have to put one little piece of food on her tray at a time for her entire mealtime to keep her in check? Or is this a phase that she just has to get through on her own?

To be honest I spoon fed her at least 2 meals a day up until now (less of a mess, quicker meals, plus I could control how much she'd get in her mouth at once), so I'm wondering if it's my own fault for not letting her learn her limits until now. I feel so dumb!

Any tips/advice/anecdotes welcome!

khill86 · July 2013

You have to allow her the opportunity to feed herself in order for her to figure out how to do it. The gagging is normal. She's learning how much food is appropriate and how to move it around her mouth.

Allowing her to feed herself all the time is more time consuming ane messier, but with more practice she'll get the hang of it!

Haley.Beth · July 2013

khill86:
You have to allow her the opportunity to feed herself in order for her to figure out how to do it. The gagging is normal. She's learning how much food is appropriate and how to move it around her mouth. Allowing her to feed herself all the time is more time consuming ane messier, but with more practice she'll get the hang of it!

This. She has to learn somehow. Just keep an eye on her during mealtime. My toddler has always been bad about stuffing her mouth, it's like a game to her. She has never actually choked, though. Also, the gag reflex is just another muscle, it needs to be stimulated to get stronger.

LadyTurz · July 2013

Haley.Beth:
khill86:
You have to allow her the opportunity to feed herself in order for her to figure out how to do it. The gagging is normal. She's learning how much food is appropriate and how to move it around her mouth. Allowing her to feed herself all the time is more time consuming ane messier, but with more practice she'll get the hang of it!
This. She has to learn somehow. Just keep an eye on her during mealtime. My toddler has always been bad about stuffing her mouth, it's like a game to her. She has never actually choked, though. Also, the gag reflex is just another muscle, it needs to be stimulated to get stronger.

Thank you both!

I get nervous, but you're right, I guess she has to learn SOMEHOW... I mean, I feel like once she stops trying to stuff her mouth full, and realizes that she doesn't need it all in there at once, she'll be fine!

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