Are you constantly asking, “How To Stop the Baby from Throwing Food? 10 Easy Tips to Stop” dinner madness? Dealing with a food-throwing infant can be stressful and messy, making a peaceful dining experience a chaotic scene. Every parent knows how to keep their little one seated and eating correctly.
Fortunately, there are practical methods to minimize this behavior and teach your baby proper mealtime etiquette. Simple techniques like modeling good behavior, using positive reinforcement, and providing a structured eating environment can make a significant difference.
This article will explore ten proven tips for regaining control during mealtimes and changing your baby’s dining habits from messy to manageable.
How To Stop The Baby From Throwing Food?
When I had a baby, I found that they liked to throw their food onto the floor. This was a messy, inconvenient, and frustrating dilemma, and it was hard to avoid by having them feed themselves.
Why Do Babies and Toddlers Throw Away Their Food?
Some children like to play with their food, and this type of toddler throwing food is common. There are many other reasons for your baby or toddler to throw away their food.
If a small baby is sitting in a highchair and sees you eating across the room, they may try to get your attention by throwing away their food.
Your child may be so used to being spoon-fed that they instinctively want to fling it away when they have something in their mouth that they don’t like. This is a normal stage, and most children will grow out of it during the next few years.
When is Your baby Throwing food?
If your child is throwing food and you are unsure whether they are ready to stop, remember that children usually become ready to stop between the ages of 6 and 12 months. You can identify whether or not the throwing has stopped and whether your baby is still pulling up their legs when sitting down.
If this is the case, there’s a good chance she is no longer tossing her food out at the toddler stage. If you think she is too young, wait a little longer until you notice them not pulling up their legs when seated.
Stop The Baby From Throwing Food:
1. Only serve small amounts of food:
Eating meals in a hurry is understandable if you are a busy parent. However, if your baby is constantly dropping their food, you should try only to give them small portions so they don’t have to bother with it as much.
2. Don’t let your baby see you eating:
If you want your child to follow suit by keeping their food in their mouth, avoid providing visual cues when trying to eat something. It does not help if you drop food simultaneously and expect them to keep it in their mouths.
3. Keep all of your child’s food in one location:
If your child throws their food, it’s because they anticipate that you will come around to give them a new portion when they are done with it.
If this is the case, move all the baby plates, bowls, and food to one location so that you don’t have to walk back and forth from the kitchen.
4. Remove anything that can be used as a weapon:
If you put your baby in a highchair, keep all the extra items out of reach or put them in a place where they are not visible.
When serving food from a highchair, ensure their hands and arms are well-supported so they do not pull up their legs.
5. Don’t leave food on the floor:
When your child loses their appetite, they may want to throw away their food. This may be fine if they do it in the highchair.
However, if they start dropping food on the floor and making a mess, you can stop this by putting their plate or bowl on a tray that you put up in your child’s room while they sleep.
6. Use a colander, dish towel, or wad of paper towel tubes:
If you are dealing with a younger infant grasping objects and throwing food, it’s time to get creative about stopping them from doing so.
If you put them down in a playpen, put a colander on top of the mattress where they can’t reach it. This will allow their food to drop safely through.
7. Always remain calm:
If you see your baby drop a spoon or fork on the floor, calmly pick it up and give them a new one. If you have to, tell yourself it’s okay for them to try. Don’t get too upset, as this will encourage them to throw away their food.
8. Make sure that you have an appropriate place for the cutlery:
When you serve your baby, ensure they have not just a pile of cutlery. If your child likes to grab for the cutlery, make sure that there is a fork and knife in each hand so they can also use them.
9. Let them have their safe toys in the room:
If you see your infant throwing food, do not take these objects away from them or refuse to let them play with these items because they are getting tired of eating. This will only encourage them to get upset and throw away their food.
10. Prepare food in small amounts:
If you serve your older child a large portion of food, they may want to throw it away after tasting it. It may be best to prepare the meals in smaller amounts so they do not have too much to throw away.
What to do if nothing works?
Most babies grow out of throwing food by the toddler stage when they’re around 6 months old. If you think your child is ready to stop, but nothing has worked for a long time, and you want them to stop throwing food, be prepared that they may not be able to.
However, there is a chance that they will go through the throwing stage and later get over it by the time they are 1 year old.
You can try ignoring the behavior. If your child throws food out of boredom, they will eventually stop this when they lose interest.
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Conclusion
There are many reasons why babies and toddlers throw away their food. If your baby is 6 to 12 months old, there’s a good chance that you can teach them to stop.
If you’ve tried for a few months and nothing has worked, it may be time to look at other options, like ignoring the behavior or letting them eat alone.
When it comes to children, nothing is ever easy, which applies when they resist eating solid food. However, there are ways you can get around this, such as allowing them to eat solid food in the presence of a parent. You can also give them something they like to hold on to, such as an apple or banana.
If you want your toddler to stop throwing food and get control over their eating habits, be patient with them and use these helpful tips for stopping a baby from throwing food.
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