It is very natural for children to want to feed themselves as they get older. They seek a little bit of independence and can easily learn whatever you put them through as a way of surviving and gaining this natural freedom. This is why caregivers and parents introduce their little ones to these self feeding spoons for babies in hopes that they would not only help them develop the ability to feed themselves, but also help them with the necessary growth and development expected of their age.
So, why do you need to get baby spoons for your little ones’ self-feeding?
It is natural: There are different human developmental stages in life, a lot of which has to do with the desire to break away and attain some level of independence. Wanting to handle the spoon and help themselves to their foods is one of the earliest displays of such independence by babies.
This is a natural stage that cannot be avoided. So no matter how much you love and adore your baby, you are going to have to let go of the spoon at some point and let them take responsibility for feeding themselves for the most part. Note that this requires a lot of practice to get it right, so you are going to have to deal with a lot of mess after the meals.
A great way of developing their motor skills: By letting your little one maneuver his way around his dinner plate, you are giving him the chance to develop muscle strength and coordination. This helps him to tap into his fine motor skills (the ability to make movements with the hand and wrist muscles), which would eventually pay off in school related tasks like writing, drawing, and painting. It also contributes to sporting abilities and even dancing, and as a matter of fact, it helps your baby to grow into a whole, healthy, and confident person.
It is strange to think that investing in one of the best baby spoons for self feeding can help you and your little one this much, but that is the fact. According to Jaeah Chung, M.D., assistant professor of clinical pediatrics at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital in Stony Brook, New York, “A child being able to feed himself is an important aspect to his personal and social development.”
Helps with weaning your little ones: To a lot of mothers, weaning their babies off of breast milk is such a relief. It means that the baby is growing and the mother can get a little more time to herself. Introducing your little ones to baby spoons is one of the ways to ensure a smooth transition from breastfeeding to self-feeding.
It may take quite some time for your kid to get used to the new situation, but he will eventually, as long as you gradually let him feed himself more than he has to breastfeed.