Teaching not to stuff mouth

[Hunni Bee]

My 13 month old daughter is now feeding herself most foods. But she tends to shovel the food in with both hands. When she does this I take her plate and only put a mouthful at a time on her tray but she gets upset about it.

Any other tips? TIA

[NightOwl]

Hi Hunni Bee!
I have a stuffer also. The only thing I've found that sorta kinda works is to give her little bite size pieces that I space out onto her highchair tray. I don't even offer her the plate because I know how that's going to go. I space them out so that she can't scoop handfuls. She has to pick one up over here and another one over there, etc. I don't know if this is going to help in teaching her not to stuff her mouth, but it at least keeps her from getting choked. My plan is to offer her the plate in a couple of weeks to see if there's been any improvement. If not, back to the little spaced out bites for a couple of more weeks.

Eta: she isn't happy about the arrangement, but I can't help it. She will figure out that, in order to get the whole plate at once, she will have to take one bite at a time.

[Cradle2crayons]

Hi Hunni Bee!
I have a stuffer also. The only thing I've found that sorta kinda works is to give her little bite size pieces that I space out onto her highchair tray. I don't even offer her the plate because I know how that's going to go. I space them out so that she can't scoop handfuls. She has to pick one up over here and another one over there, etc. I don't know if this is going to help in teaching her not to stuff her mouth, but it at least keeps her from getting choked. My plan is to offer her the plate in a couple of weeks to see if there's been any improvement. If not, back to the little spaced out bites for a couple of more weeks.

Eta: she isn't happy about the arrangement, but I can't help it. She will figure out that, in order to get the whole plate at once, she will have to take one bite at a time.

I do this too with my current 14 month old dcb... I cut everything very small and spread out a teaspoon worth at a time over the tray. In just a few weeks he's figured it out already. He's very off the charts in weight and his mom way over feeds him at home.

[KiddieCahoots]

Hi Hunni Bee!
I have a stuffer also. The only thing I've found that sorta kinda works is to give her little bite size pieces that I space out onto her highchair tray. I don't even offer her the plate because I know how that's going to go. I space them out so that she can't scoop handfuls. She has to pick one up over here and another one over there, etc. I don't know if this is going to help in teaching her not to stuff her mouth, but it at least keeps her from getting choked. My plan is to offer her the plate in a couple of weeks to see if there's been any improvement. If not, back to the little spaced out bites for a couple of more weeks.

Eta: she isn't happy about the arrangement, but I can't help it. She will figure out that, in order to get the whole plate at once, she will have to take one bite at a time.

..........
EI has me do this to children that have required services for the same.
If they get good at the pincer grasp, and start going too fast, then you regress with putting one small bit of food on the tray at a time. Emphasize "chewing" by demonstration and sign, otherwise they will continue to just swallow the food whole, especially the food they like.
Having them sign for "more" helps slow them down too.

[NightOwl]

My little, petite, dainty 12 month old dcg shovels and swallows whole! Her nickname is piglet.

[Hunni Bee]

So what do you do when they refuse your methods

I read you guys responses and tried the "more" thing. She's very familiar with baby signs as they do it religiously in her classroom.

She had eaten enough to be satisfied but their was still a bit in the bowl. I tried to have sign more ...she screamed, attempted to snatch the bowl from me and slapped my hands when i did the sign! She acts like this when I try to get her to sign please as well.

Sigh.

[Unregistered]

I do this too with my current 14 month old dcb... I cut everything very small and spread out a teaspoon worth at a time over the tray. In just a few weeks he's figured it out already. He's very off the charts in weight and his mom way over feeds him at home.

I'm sure you have discussed what his mom feeds him at home, but ust in case you haven't I'm coming to her defense.

I have an 8 mo who tops the weight charts. I also have a DCG the same age who is about 7 lbs lighter. I do not over feed him. He's primarily BF with maybe 3-4 oz of formula a day. He eats some snacks during the day but not enough to make a meal. When I'm feeding breakfast and lunch it amazes me how skinny DCG will finish a full jar of baby food whereas my chunky son may only finish half of his.

Some babies are just bigger. He is a food stuffer though so I have to be careful what & how much I give him at once.

[NightOwl]

So what do you do when they refuse your methods

I read you guys responses and tried the "more" thing. She's very familiar with baby signs as they do it religiously in her classroom.

She had eaten enough to be satisfied but their was still a bit in the bowl. I tried to have sign more ...she screamed, attempted to snatch the bowl from me and slapped my hands when i did the sign! She acts like this when I try to get her to sign please as well.

Sigh.

Well she can refuse your methods but she will quickly see that this isn't in her best interest. Lol. If she wants more, slapping and screaming is not the way to get it. My 12m dcg also was a screamer and it made for some very long lunchtimes for her, but this is what I did. She screamed (not crying, just noise for me to hurry up), so I stopped giving bites. I said no screaming while we eat. When she stopped screaming, I immediately gave her a bite. Rinse, repeat a bajillion times. It took about a month of this, but I finally got her out of the screaming. She figured out that being quiet was what got her belly full! I wouldn't withhold food, don't get me wrong. She could have it when she stopped with all the dramatics.

[Cradle2crayons]

I'm sure you have discussed what his mom feeds him at home, but ust in case you haven't I'm coming to her defense.

I have an 8 mo who tops the weight charts. I also have a DCG the same age who is about 7 lbs lighter. I do not over feed him. He's primarily BF with maybe 3-4 oz of formula a day. He eats some snacks during the day but not enough to make a meal. When I'm feeding breakfast and lunch it amazes me how skinny DCG will finish a full jar of baby food whereas my chunky son may only finish half of his.

Some babies are just bigger. He is a food stuffer though so I have to be careful what & how much I give him at once.

Yes I've discussed it.... And really she has no defense.... She also knows I feed appropriate portions and I don't constantly stuff his mouth simply because it opens

[ColorfulSunburst]

I do not allow children to eat with their hands.There are spoons and forks. They eat with their hands only fruits and other food such as crackers, waffles, toasts....

[Blackcat31]

I agree with ColorSunburst.. I give my kiddos silverware at a very early age.

I've had very few kids that eat with their hands once they figure out silverware. Especially a fork... Kids WANT to poke their food so its a great motivator.

I buy the little plastic Take'N Toss ones that are not sharp or dangerous.

It slows them down a bit too so they don't eat so quickly.

It takes a bit of patience and for some kids LOTS of redirecting but like any new skill, once mastered works fantastic!!

I have a 14 month old who has been using silverware since starting table food.

[KiddieCahoots]

I do not allow children to eat with their hands.There are spoons and forks. They eat with their hands only fruits and other food such as crackers, waffles, toasts....

......
I use the sporks, once they've settled into the eating routine, without using power struggles or tantrums during eating, otherwise you can get flying silverware too.