I look over my shoulder to make sure he's still sitting comfortably, and there he is, all smiles and clapping and graham crackers and banana flying everywhere. He loves it SO much more than the high chair!
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| Photo Credit: Author |
Joseph is almost 9 months old, and is very comfortable sitting at his table. He stays at the table for a good amount of time, safely, without needing to be strapped in, and if he falls to the side, he is close enough to the ground that he is not hurt. Our daughter, Abbey, didn't take as well to the table. . . she would wiggle out and crawl away, and I remember just giving up and using the highchair instead because there was pressure from our doctors to get her to eat solid foods (they were concerned about her "low weight gain" but in hindsight, her crawling away was probably just notice that she wasn't hungry or wasn't ready for the foods I wanted her to eat).
Curious about weaning tables, and Montessori's ideas on starting solids? There's discussion on the subject at Babycenter - Weaning Table and Chair. And there's a lovely post about a weaning table and chair in use over at Life In A Pink House as well.
Here is a link to a DIY Weaning Table and Chair. The one that we have was a a gift from Grandma, for Abbey, in 2009. I am unsure of it's brand, but I am researching this for my upcoming post about feeding furniture options on Natural Parents' Network, and when that post is written, edited, and live, I will update this link.
What "feeding furniture" did you use with your little one?
Have you heard of using a Montessori Weaning Table, or had experience using one?
Curious about weaning tables, and Montessori's ideas on starting solids? There's discussion on the subject at Babycenter - Weaning Table and Chair. And there's a lovely post about a weaning table and chair in use over at Life In A Pink House as well.
Here is a link to a DIY Weaning Table and Chair. The one that we have was a a gift from Grandma, for Abbey, in 2009. I am unsure of it's brand, but I am researching this for my upcoming post about feeding furniture options on Natural Parents' Network, and when that post is written, edited, and live, I will update this link.
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What "feeding furniture" did you use with your little one?
Have you heard of using a Montessori Weaning Table, or had experience using one?
This is so cool! I had never heard of a weaning table until today. You have enlightened me. :) I think Alrik would love it so much more than the highchairs. He loves to eat eat eat (so much more so than Mikko ever did — or still does!), but he always seems so unstable in highchairs. Do you find everything gets really messy, or are things kind of contained? Not that I'm expecting neatness from a baby…
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty messy, but it's usually contained to the table, under the table, and surrounding the table, so about the same mess as a high chair, just easier to clean up because there are no crevices for food to get jammed into.
DeleteRecently, I have been enforcing the limit to "sit and eat" with Joseph. The freedom to get up is a positive part of the experience of a weaning table, but it does mean that you have to be an attentive and consistent parent regarding eating habits. I simple say "you must be all done then" and sign "all done" and take his food away if he pushes the table away and stands up. If he isn't done, he'll whine or cry, and I'll return him to his seat and remind him "sit and eat. We sit and eat" with signs, and return his food.
It's. . . a little more work in ways. . . but much more developmentally and emotionally freeing for the babes. And like I said, there are zero cracks and crevices to get food stuck in (my absolute LEST favorite part of a high chair set up)