What’s your baby doing whilst you’re prepping their meals?

Question

What is your baby doing as you make their meals? From the beginning, mine has whined and cried when being in the chair. I always thought “ok maybe she’s done a potty. Ok maybe she needs a new nappy, ok maybe she’s sleepy.”
 
A lot of times, being in the chair made her do a potty so I’d change her, by which point she’d want to have breast milk and snooze. 
As she’s gotten older, she’s become a bit better, but i have to give her something f new every 3-5 mins eg I’ll give her a little book with bright COLORS, but after 3-5mins she’s had enough and throws it on the floor, then I’ll give her a small animal toy, which again she throws after a few minutes. It’s an exhausting ordeal and so cumbersome and delays the whole process of getting her meal ready. So I often (ashamedly) rely on putting on music or an “educational” video on for to watch eg Videos teaching her how to say words, nursery rhymes etc. 
My high chair doesn’t allow things to “stick” on it because it has some non-stick coating, so I can’t use suction stuff on it. 
I don’t want to use “tv” during this period or when she’s being fed so what on earth can I do instead?!?

Answer

I don’t put my baby in a high chair until I’m ready to feed her, I just leave her playing on the floor or doing whatever she was doing.
As she’s gotten past a year I’ve started incorporating her into helping me cook and prep when possible

Answer

I’d give puffs or yogurt or something that doesn’t require prepping to get her started. Then I’d bring over the meal. 
I also involved her in cooking even from her high chair. The chair would be right at my side.  Giving her a spoon and bowl to mix like I was doing. Or giving her a spatula while I was using one to flip pancakes. I explained everything I was doing and let her watch every step of the process. Giving her taste as I could as well. 
Even now at 20m, she’s still involved in the cooking process. She puts food on the cooking sheet. She cuts veggies and fruits. She pours things for me. She stirs for me.

Answer

When my kiddos were under a year sometimes I brought a playmat out or an activity center. I gave them cooking utensils pots and pans. I rarely used a high chair when I cook unless I was feeding them foods. I regularly play music in our kitchen and we talk the whole time I'm cooking. Sometimes I would allow them to sit in the highchair and play with cheerios or something messy like yogurt while I cook.

Answer

I had the same problem and then recently i got fridge magnets and she loves them so she plays with those while i get her food ready.

Answer

I let my baby roam around and explore. In his less mobile days, I would prop him up on the corner counter (no way to fall onto floor) and make sure I was on the corner. Close off the kitchen if needed and put baby on the floor. My son would make a racket with a pot and a spatula or just pulling everything out of the lower cabinets. Sometimes he was on my hip. He loved to "cook" with me. Once he could walk, he was on a chair next to me. We didn't have a high chair. Now that he's almost 2, my son is everywhere. Everywhere is safe for him, but he prefers to stand on a chair next to me and snag bits of food or finds something in the drawers to play with. He will help me mix things as well. If he ever got too much and my husband was home, I would hand him off. Babies really don't like being confined, and it'll make it way easier on you to just let baby roam free (within reason). Make the area as safe as you can. Put up a gate or use chairs to block areas off. You could always use a carrier as well for when baby just wants to be held.

Answer

Are you putting her in the high chair the entire time while you cook? I’d be aggravated also if that’s the casing not fridge magnets are always a hit 
Or huge double sided tape on a wall and stick ball pit balls ok it and have her remove the balls and put in a container 
Or sticky notes on a wall to have her remove and put on a container

Answer

Let her play on the ground while you get things ready, she doesn’t have to be in her high chair

Answer

I used to put my daughter in her jolly jumper or the activity centre while getting meals ready

Answer

It can be challenging to keep your baby entertained while preparing their meals. You can try giving your baby a variety of toys to play with, such as soft toys, rattles, or teething toys. You can also try giving your baby some finger foods to keep them occupied, such as small pieces of fruit or vegetables. Another option is to have your baby in a carrier or sling while you prepare their meals, so they can be close to you and feel secure. It's okay to use educational videos or music as a last resort, but it's important to limit screen time for babies.

What’s your baby doing whilst you’re prepping their meals?

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