Pincer grasp

Hey everyone!! I am wondering if any of you helped your little ones learn to use their pincer grasp & if so, how? I've notice that they use it when playing with my hair or small things, but they never use it to pick things up. I haven't given them cereal yet, we're slowly working through level 1 foods...so is there anything else you recommend or just wait until they're ready for cheerios, etc?

 

Gosh, I never got mine to practise it until I wanted them to self feed. Mine love to chew on Daddy's shoelaces :blush: and they use the pincer grasp for that.
One of my boys was much later than the other at self feeding and I was told to hold the bits of food up for him to take from my fingers instead of grabbing it from the tray.

 

I just put the boys in their high chairs with some of those little Gerber puffs (they're with the toddler snack foods) or Cheerios. The puffs will dissolve in their mouths quickly without the risk of chocking, but if you aren't comfortable with that, I would maybe try bits of really soft, steamed veggies so they're nice and mushy.

 

Mine never learned either until we started puffs and cheerios. DD got it right away, but DS would make a fist around the food and try to shove it in his mouth. I just did alot of 'showing' him how to pick it up and hand over hand grasping and eventually he got it. He didn't get really good though until 9 months.

 

OK!! I feel better I was worried they wouldn't learn if we didn't practice, but if they get it on their own, then I'm not worried anymore! Thanks ladies!!! :hug99:

 

We practiced with puffs and cheerios in the highchair after meals at first.

 

I started with the puffs and yougart melts. At first they would take the food in their fist, then they learned to pick it up with the pincher grasp.

 

I would put some puffs on their tray and than give them one so they remember it's food and it tastes good. Still, the way it seems they have learned is from me holding it in front of them and making them grab it and than pull it to their mouth. If I don't do that, DD forgets it's food, I think, and she just plays with it on the tray.

I think it's like everything babies do though- rolling over, crawling, standing. We can't teach them, they just do it when they do it!