Independence And Choices

At 47 weeks old, your baby has realized that he has the coordination to do various things on his own.  When you feed him, is he grabbing the spoon from your hand?  He doesn’t quite know how to manipulate the spoon to get the food into his mouth, but it won’t stop him from trying.  Your baby is also using his new found skills to feed himself finger foods such as little pieces of bread, peas, blueberries and etc.  It’s the best chance for your baby to practice his pincer grasp and eating independently. 

Another self-help skill your baby will attempt is drinking from an open cup.  Most likely, your baby won’t have the control to drink from the cup, but he will be able to do it with your assistance. You will just have to hold it steady while he picks it up and brings it to his mouth.  Or, if you are fine with a little water or diluted juice on the floor, pour very little in the cup and let your baby experiment.   The first time I let my son hold an open cup of water; the water spilled everywhere!  He basically grabbed the cup, lifted it to his mouth and then threw it on the ground.  My son loved being able to hold the cup without my help.

Also, this month, if you haven’t tried it already, start giving your baby choices.  Giving choices allows him to be somewhat independent, but at the same time you are keeping things within limits.  Offering choices can be as elementary as holding a ball and a musical book and letting him choose which one he prefers.  A good thing about offering choices is that you can start it now when your baby is young and continue for years after.