[marcav]

Does anyone have any suggestions about baby who won't stay in his high chair? My little guy can actually slip out of his harness and twist to stand up while I'm trying to feed him. It makes dinner time very unpleasant as he would rather do that than eat. We end up in a struggle almost every night. He is also not practicing feeding himself. Help!

[HBV]

H does that in those restaurant high chairs without the tray, so we've sort of stopped taking him out for the time being. At home, he's always happier in his chair if there's music playing. Have you tried that?

Will he not pick food up at all or is he not interested in trying to use utensils?

Occasionally we will put H in his exersaucer and feed him in that---I don't love it because I want him to learn to sit at the dinner table w/ us, but sometimes it will take care of the immediate "I'm hungry right this minute" issue, then we'll put him in his high chair w/ some Cheerios while we eat in relative peace.

Other than leg irons, I can't think of anything else. Maybe one of the other ingenious moms will have an idea.

[marcav]

He can't even sit still long enough to pick up food by himself unless he's really, really hungry, and that's pretty much limited to cheerios & crackers. I'm wondering if those seats that attach to tables would restrain him better.

[StorkWatcher]

Marcav - how old is your baby? Wow - I can see us heading down that line! If it's anything like the diaper changing wars we're going through right now, NOT so fun at all!

My sister had good luck at one time letter her kids eat at a kids' sized table and chair down low to the floor or the tiny picnic tables for a while. Not sure if he's big enough for that yet.......

What a Houdini!

[HBV]

Marcav, your post about the Cheerios and crackers made me think of something else we've just noticed in the last few days w/H.

He's been way more interested in feeding himself lately, so I'm trying to find more stuff he can pick up and eat himself. I made him some whole wheat rotini w/ broccoli and cheese the other day and gave it to him, no spoon, in one of his bowls instead of putting it directly on the tray. He loved it. In fact, he got mad when we tried to take the bowl and put the last few spirals on the tray.

You might see if he will entertain himself putting things in and out of bowls or cups. Messy, but less dangerous than the Houdini routine.

[marcav]

Oh don't even get me started about the diaper wars!!! Funny thing is that he will lie quite dociley when his day care providers change him, but the only way I can do it is if he's standing up, and that's a struggle!

I have tried putting a bowl of food in front of him, but it is clear that his intent is to hurl it across the room if at all possible LOL. He just turned 13 months today. What happened to that helpless tiny infant???!