We started with DS about 11 months. However I don't give him utensils every meal because he is more distracted when he eats with them. He is now 13 months and knows generally how to use them but isn't great yet. probably partially because we don't give them to him all the time.
I gave my second child everything from 6 months, even forks. She really wants to feed herself only and can even eat soup with a spoon. It's crazy to me but she won't do anything she doesn't want to & will NOT eat from me feeding her so it worked out, but it is messy!
We stared right away too at about 8 months. I always gave DS a small bowl of yogurt to practice with after dinner before a bath. He wasn't hungry so he didn't stick his hands in it, it's a good consistency and it doesn't stain. He now uses a utensil at almost every meal. If we are using one, he wants one.
We gave DS spoons probably about 7 months. Then a few months later we gave him forks. He is better with the forks. He can pick food up with them now and feed himself. He is 13 months.
We started at about 13 months. I would have waited but DS only wants to eat food with a utensil. It gets everywhere, but he is having fun and I can see that he's improving.
We started about 8 months with the spoon. Now at 15 months, he loves eating with forks! He isn't great at spearing things but he is really good at putting things on the fork himself. Its messy but its also really fun!
Thanks for all of the input. My DS just turned 16 months and is I guess a bit behind. Whenever we have tried giving it to him it has just distracted him from actually eating his meal so we didn't. Will work on giving it to him more and more. At his 15 Month we questioned the Dr and they said to wait till 2 which I thought was late. He has gotten spoons more than forks and attempts to feed himself but only can if we load the food on it for him. Last night I gave him a fork and put the chicken on it for him for the 1st bite then helped him poke the other pieces. Most bites he ate off the fork though a few he pulled off and ate caveman style. It's a start! Thanks
DD can eat her yogurt with a spoon by herself. I use a cup with suction bottom to make it easier for her to scoop. Her other meals she likes to use her hands. I am not too worried about introducing utensils yet.
We stayed away from utensils for a long time until DS started asking for them when I was feeding him yogurt or soup. Probably at around 14 months he started "helping" me feed him (he'd hold the spoon too and I would direct it) but he's only been getting his own utensils since he was 15 1/2 months old. He is actually pretty good with them now but still makes a bit of a mess so if he is eating something that requires the utensil, like yogurt, I give him a spoon and I use another one to help him, then between the two of us, the mess is less and he is able to get more into his mouth.
Me: 38 DH: 36 Married 8/27/2011 BFP #1 9/28/2011 DS born 5/22/2012 BFP #2 4/24/2013 m/c 4/25/2013 at 4w BFP #3 1/31/2014 DD born 10/14/2014 BFP #4 1/20/2016 m/c 2/12/2014 at 7w2d BFP #5 8/19/2016 DS2 born 4/29/2017 BFP #6 3/7/2018 EDD 11/18/2018
DD is 19 months and has only been using a fork or spoon for a month or so. We would rarely give her one before then, but as pp said it seemed to be a distraction. She started asking for it one day and picked it right up.
Re: Eating with utensils
Married 8/27/2011
BFP #1 9/28/2011 DS born 5/22/2012
BFP #2 4/24/2013 m/c 4/25/2013 at 4w
BFP #3 1/31/2014 DD born 10/14/2014
BFP #4 1/20/2016 m/c 2/12/2014 at 7w2d
BFP #5 8/19/2016 DS2 born 4/29/2017
BFP #6 3/7/2018 EDD 11/18/2018