{"id":208,"date":"2017-07-13T17:36:04","date_gmt":"2017-07-13T17:36:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/every-one-unique.com\/?p=208"},"modified":"2018-06-17T17:49:43","modified_gmt":"2018-06-17T17:49:43","slug":"mealtime-messes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adventtherapy.com\/advent-therapy-d\/mealtime-messes\/","title":{"rendered":"Mealtime Messes"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s mealtime with your 9 month old baby and it\u2019s spaghetti night. \u00a0You cut the noodles into small bites, put them in a bowl, and top them with some sauce. \u00a0You sit down with a spoon and start feeding your baby. \u00a0But she is having none of it. \u00a0She just keeps grabbing at the spoon. \u00a0And when she does get her chubby little hands on it, she won\u2019t let go. \u00a0Spaghetti is starting to fly. \u00a0If this isn\u2019t bad enough, she begins smearing the bits of stray spaghetti all around on her tray and then\u2026her face. \u00a0Balled up fists move in the general direction of her mouth, but much of the time they miss their target. \u00a0You are beginning to regret adding so much sauce to the bowl. \u00a0While on one hand you can appreciate the cuteness of the moment, you are also desperately hoping to regain control (and cleanliness). \u00a0Taking a deep breath, you wipe off her face and her tray and start again.<\/p>\n

If this scenario sounds familiar, you are not alone. \u00a0And if the parent\u2019s actions described above sound reasonable to you, you are also not alone. \u00a0Before our time is up today, I hope to convince you that there\u00a0is<\/i>\u00a0a better way to managing mealtimes with your littles. \u00a0And that the better way is really quite simple:<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Let your baby make messes at mealtimes.<\/h3>\n

Why, you ask? \u00a0If mid-meal wiping is working for you, you are one of the lucky few. \u00a0And your luck could run out anytime. \u00a0There are several not-so-desirable side effects that can come from being the clean police at mealtimes (more on that later). \u00a0But aside from that, what if I told you that there are benefits to messy mealtimes? \u00a0Yes, it\u2019s true! \u00a0I have seen this play out both professionally and personally with my own kids. \u00a0What good could possibly come from the disaster that is my baby at dinnertime, you ask? \u00a0Let\u2019s take a look.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

1. Mess-Making is Learning \u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n

Babies and young toddlers actually derive a lot of information from the messes they are making. \u00a0Touching, feeling, smearing, and even throwing foods helps babies to learn about what the foods are and even learn their names. \u00a0A University of Iowa study of 16 month-old toddlers found that those who physically interacted with their food the most were more likely to learn (and say) the names of the foods they were served (1). \u00a0Exploring during mealtimes promotes learning<\/strong>\u2013\u00a0the very thing we want for our kids!<\/p>\n

Trish LaCour, our very own pediatric Occupational Therapist and feeding specialist says this of the connection between mealtime messes and learning:<\/p>\n

\u201cBabies and young toddlers are hard wired to explore their environment with their hands and their mouths. \u00a0The touch sensors in their mouths and fingertips are extraordinary at identifying nuances in\u00a0textures, shapes, temperatures, and taste. \u00a0This exploration feeds their brains with information that helps them create associations, memories of their experiences, and a general understanding of the world around them.\u201d<\/p>\n

So messy meals might be better for baby, but is it worth the stress? \u00a0Well, I would actually argue that\u2026<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

2. \u00a0More Mess = Less Stress<\/h3>\n

Okay, now you think I\u2019ve lost it, but let me explain. \u00a0If you can learn to make peace with the mess, you will no longer need to spend your whole meal time attempting to prevent the mess from happening in the first place. \u00a0Instead, you can sit back and enjoy watching your baby explore, taste, and yes, even play. \u00a0 And the even better news is that you might actually find you have time to eat your own food before it gets cold. \u00a0Have I convinced you yet? \u00a0A more relaxing dinner time is high on my parenting priority list!<\/p>\n

I would also add a reminder that we are talking about babies and young toddlers here. \u00a0There most certainly comes a time when teaching table manners is appropriate and necessary. \u00a0Trust me- I am not advocating food fights. \u00a0But I am saying that a baby can make a mess within the confines of her highchair and just be left to it. \u00a0This is one reason high chairs are a must at mealtimes. \u00a0It gives baby a space to safely explore their food without infringing on everyone else\u2019s meal enjoyment.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

3. Messy Meals Promote Self-Feeding and Independence<\/h3>\n

It is difficult to learn a new skill if someone else is always doing it for you. \u00a0So it goes with feeding. \u00a0By backing off and letting your baby take the lead, you are not only giving him the freedom to learn and explore, you are giving him invaluable practice at self-feeding. \u00a0This is an extremely important skill in a child\u2019s life, but one that I find many parents overlook in the day to day busyness. \u00a0Of course it will be faster if you feed your child. \u00a0Of course it will be less messy and make for faster clean-up. \u00a0But this is a short-term win. \u00a0If you are the one always doing the feeding, it may actually take your child longer to learn to feed himself than if you had let him practice from the get-go. \u00a0Child-directed feeding is better for your child\u2019s development and even for his overall willingness to eat new foods.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0Which brings me to my next point\u2026<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

4. \u00a0Messy Meals Protect Against Food Refusal (Aversions)<\/h3>\n

If a baby is not allowed to touch a food or is wiped off every time she does touch it, she may not learn about the food texture in the way she is supposed to. \u00a0She might become very sensitive to the feel of the food on her hands, face, or eventually in her mouth. \u00a0She may start to refuse the food altogether. \u00a0While this can happen for other reasons as well, it\u2019s important to recognize the role that the meal routine can have in food refusal. \u00a0If you are concerned you are already seeing signs of refusal like I\u2019ve just described, don\u2019t despair. \u00a0 \u201cAlways begin where the child is comfortable, and never force a child to touch something they do not want to. Continue to provide consistent opportunities for exposure of foods and even play things that may mimic the textures the child dislikes (play in water table, play-doh, slime, etc). \u00a0Most importantly, be patient. \u00a0If problems such as unwillingness to touch persist, it may be time to contact a Sensory Certified Occupational Therapist,\u201d says LaCour. \u00a0A Sensory Certified OT is uniquely trained to help your child manage the sensory input they are receiving.<\/p>\n

LaCour also points out that the more a child is allowed to participate in meal routines independently (touching, picking up, squeezing, banging with a spoon, dipping with a spoon, feeding a parent), the more likely the child is to place the food into his mouth\u00a0without any prompting from the parent<\/em>\u00a0(every parent\u2019s dream come true!).<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Survival Tips for the Type-A Parent (myself included!)<\/h3>\n

If this article has made your heart race and your palms sweat, read on for a few pointers to help you ease into embracing the mess.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Save really messy foods for bath night, but DON\u2019T remove them from the menu (spaghetti, yogurt, etc). \u00a0Better yet, build bath time into your routine every night after dinner so you don\u2019t have to worry about putting your kid to bed with sweet potatoes in his hair (although I won\u2019t tell if you do).<\/li>\n
  2. Keep your baby or young toddler in a high chair (but pulled up to table) until they are at an age where they can follow table rules. \u00a0This helps contain the mess. \u00a0And studies have actually shown that babies are more likely to explore their foods in a highchair vs a seat at the table (1). \u00a0This is a good thing (for all the reasons we talked about above).<\/li>\n
  3. Use an all plastic or wooden baby seat instead of the kind with a fabric cover. \u00a0These are much easier to clean. \u00a0I actually like this one (and you can\u2019t beat the price!):\u00a0Fisher Price Travel High Chair<\/a><\/li>\n
  4. Use washcloths for cleaning up your baby after messy meals. \u00a0They work a lot better than paper towels, in my experience. \u00a0I keep a stash of washcloths in the kitchen that are just for baby\u2019s face.<\/li>\n
  5. If you are worried about a particular outfit at mealtimes, change or remove your babies clothes. \u00a0This will help everyone feel more relaxed.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    As always, don\u2019t hesitate to reach out to your therapist, pediatrician, or health care providers if you need guidance on mealtime routines. \u00a0If you are concerned that your child\u2019s feeding skills are not developing appropriately, consider reaching out to us for an occupational therapy\/ speech therapy\/ feeding therapy evaluation. \u00a0Not local? \u00a0Ask your pediatrician or insurance provider for some places to look into.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Cheers to Messy Babies and More Relaxed Parents,<\/p>\n

    Annie and Trish<\/em><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    References<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Messy Children Make Better Learners. \u00a0Available at:\u00a0https:\/\/now.uiowa.edu\/2013\/12\/messy-children-make-better-learners<\/a><\/li>\n
    2. Guidelines for the Development of Self-Feeding Skills. \u00a0Available at:\u00a0https:\/\/www.superduperinc.com\/handouts\/pdf\/156%20Self-Feeding.pdf<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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