MORE AUTONOMOUS BABIES, ALSO WHEN EATING AND DRINKING

Babies, from very young, are able to perform simple tasks for themselves. In many cases, it is a learning and a natural and instinctive evolution, like walking or talking. However, as parents we can give them the appropriate tools for its development and facilitate the task. This also happens in food, an area in which we can contribute by promoting its growth and autonomy, taking into account some simple guidelines.

Beginning of complementary feeding: new flavors and textures

The first stage related to feeding in which babies make great advances is the Start of complementary feeding. Around 6 months, babies begin to try new foods, in addition to milk, which will remain their main food until approximately one year.

Touching food, smelling it or trying to put it in your mouth can be, in addition to a game, a great step for your autonomous and cognitive development

From that moment, you have to offer small foods appropriate for your age, such as fruits, cereals or vegetables. Depending on the capacity of each child, you can give them crushed foods, crushed with a fork or in small pieces, a method known as Baby Led Weaning. Whatever method you choose, this is a good stage for the little ones discover food through your senses. Touching food, smelling it or trying to put it in your mouth can be, in addition to a game, a great step for your autonomous and cognitive development.

Learning to eat alone

In a matter of months, the little ones will go from trying to carry out the action of bringing food from the dish to their mouth to be able to take food with great precision and eat them. This simple step, the result of letting them try many times, will have granted them a great fine motor skills and coordination, two very important skills for children.

Encouraging them to eat with their hands will increase their confidence

When they learn to eat alone you can encourage them to continue doing it with their hands, to increase their confidence, and over time Teach them to eat with cutlery appropriate to their age. You can start, for example, by trying to take pieces of food with the spoon or by pricking them with a fork, since liquid dishes, such as soups or purees, will be more difficult.

The same goes for fluid intake. When you start offering water to your baby, also around 6 months, you can bring the glass to your mouth but later you will discover how instinctively wants to drink alone. For them there is no greater satisfaction than learning something new every day.

Who said it was easy

Seeing how food is stained or thrown on the floor can be stressful, but we must think that it is a natural evolutionary process and is part of its learning. To carry it better you can place plastics or garbage bags on the floor and wear bibs with sleeves or pelican type, with a space to collect the food that falls. In this phase you must have patience and be positive, since in a short time they will perform the task with ease as an older child.

We must avoid despair, get angry or laugh at them for not achieving their achievements. On the contrary, We advise you to always encourage them, simply for the sake of trying. It's about teaching them to acquire new skills, but also to have a fun time at the table. Food handling discover new flavors and textures, getting your relationship with food to be very natural and spontaneous. If we put healthy food at your fingertips, and we eat it ourselves, we will make you feel interest in those same dishes.

Putting healthy food at your fingertips and eating it will awaken your interest in this type of food

Do not forget that when they are eating or drinking you must always be present monitoring the process, to avoid choking or getting hurt. This advice is also valid for older children, since they can have a fright at any time and it is essential that you be attentive and cautious.

The tools to get it

A good way to promote the autonomy of children in the field of food is to gain utensils designed and designed for them. A comfortable high chair that allows them to be at the right height and a age-appropriate dishes they will help them to develop with ease and to feel satisfied and motivated with their own advances.

On the one hand, you have in the market of ideal glasses to stop using the bottle little by little and without difficulty. Is about evolutionary vessels, different for each section of your childhood, to drink water safely and without getting wet, since the liquid comes out gradually through its drip valve.

In addition, we recommend that you use appropriate cutlery for children, both if you feed them as if they are already learning to eat by themselves, for being safer and appropriate to their size and physiognomy. The same applies to the dishes, more resistant than the dishes of adults, and whose non-slip bases prevent the content from tipping over.

Chicco offers a fun range of dishes, cutlery and glasses for the kids in the house, with the characteristics that we have mentioned, that will help them to be more autonomous when eating and drinking.

Everything at your fingertips

In the same way, we recommend that you are tools put them at your fingertips. For example, when they know how to move alone, you can reserve a kitchen drawer or an easily accessible closet and there to keep his placemat, his dishes and his bib. So, at lunchtime you can start teach them to set the table and to remove things once they have finished. Think that for them it will be a fun game, in which, in addition to helping you, you will be teaching them important values for the future.

In summer it is important that they have their glass of water nearby, so they will get used to drinking alone

More important, if possible, is leave your glass of water near you, so that whenever they want they can drink. The most common is that they turn to you, mom or dad, when they are thirsty, but it is good that they know that they have water at their fingertips at any time. This advice is especially recommended for the coming months, in which the heat will tighten without truce and is even more necessary drink water frequently. But do not trust, leaving water at your fingertips, especially the smallest, is not enough and should be offered often to keep them hydrated.

As you can see, to make babies more autonomous when it comes to food, it is essential that you have trust in themas well as put at your fingertips proper tools to get it. A positive attitude and patience will be essential to achieve this milestone successfully.