Why it's important to let your baby get messy when eating?

The extra time you spend cleaning up now will pay off later.

It may gross you out and even increases your stress level to watch your baby squish food in their fingers, smear it all over his face and tray or see most of the food land on the floor. However, there are many great benefits to letting them get messy with their food and setting them up for a great relationship with food.

- It allows your baby to explore and learn about foods by touching, seeing, smelling, or hearing the sound a food makes when they squish it

- It helps your baby learn about food, its texture, temperatures, flavors, and shape and that different sensations are ok and safe for them

- Playing with foods typically goes along with tasting the food (Remember it is ok if they don't taste it on the first exposure, keep on offering)

- It can help to create a positive and fun association with mealtime

- The feeling of control they get can help prevent picky eating

- It is an opportunity for sensory play

- It helps your baby to learn to self-feed and develop fine motor skills

I know it is not always easy to stay calm and embrace the mess. And being realistic, there is not always the right time and place to let them get totally messy, but try not to wipe their face after every bite (not with the spoon or washcloth) and wait until the end of the feeding. It can be uncomfortable for them, and they create a negative association with mealtime for them.

We all associate messy eating with baby-led weaning, but I would recommend to also allowing your baby to play with some puree on their tray, handing them the spoon (you can also give them the whole bowl, which is probably just a good idea when you are outside ;))

All this is a normal phase of development, and all the extra time you spend cleaning and washing your baby; it can all pay off with a happy and adventurous eater.

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about starting solids with your little one. There is no right or wrong feeding approach you and your family will choose, but there are some important things to know to help create a positive association with food for your baby from an early age.