Here are some easy tips on how to make feeding baby with a spoon easy and (slightly) less messy! Plus, we go over 4 spoons that we love for both baby food purees and baby-led weaning.

Graphic for Post - 3 Easy Tips on How to Spoon Feed Baby - with 3 spoons in a row with tips and our favorite spoons.

Easy Tips on How To Spoon Feed Baby

What’s the first spoon I should give my baby?

Whether you decide to start introducing solids using a more traditional approach with purees or via baby-led weaning, at some point or another, your baby will be exposed to foods that are eaten with a spoon. Keep the following tips and options in mind when introducing a spoon to baby:

  • 👀 Watch baby’s cues carefully. Place the spoon near your baby’s lips, let him smell, and give time for baby to open his mouth. If baby closes her mouth, turns away from the spoon, blocks it with her hands, or is otherwise uninterested, stop and try another day.
  • 💪 Avoid the power struggle! If your baby wants more control but has trouble getting food to his mouth (and what baby doesn’t?!) sit down to eat with a rotation of 2-3 spoons. Load and then re-load each spoon after a bite, letting baby hold at least one spoon at a time. In-between his attempts to self-feed, he might be more accepting of taking a turn from your spoon.
  • 🧠 Your baby learns through play! Let baby have some time to “play” with the spoon at the end of each meal by dipping it in a little puree and allowing her to teethe and explore it on her own for several minutes. The Olababy and Num Num are great options for this.

FOUR GREAT SPOON OPTIONS TO CONSIDER (AND WHY WE LOVE THEM):

How did your baby do with their first spoon feedings?

Written by: Lauren Braaten OTR/L, Pediatric Occupational Therapist exclusively for Baby FoodE. Lauren has been supporting children and families with feeding challenges and sensory integration difficulties since 2011. She currently practices in the greater Denver, CO area. 

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