First Forks: Encouraging Your Baby’s Steps Toward Self-Feeding with CERELAC®

At 11 months, your little bulilit is showing signs of independence — lalo na kapag kumakain.

And with CERELAC® as their mealtime companion, every grab, pinch, poke, and chew becomes a BIG Sustansya moment that fuels physical, emotional, and cognitive development.

Self-feeding isn’t just about eating — it’s a major milestone. Yes, it gets messy, but every attempt builds confidence and strength, one tiny movement at a time.

CERELAC® helps support these important skills during this stage:

Enhancing Fine Motor Skills

Using hands, fingers, and eventually utensils strengthens small muscles. CERELAC®’s smooth and manageable textures help babies practice grasping, scooping, and picking up food — all foundational skills for writing, dressing, and creative play later on.

Building Independence and Confidence

That proud smile when your baby feeds themselves? That’s independence blooming. Self-feeding with CERELAC® helps babies feel capable, involved, and confident at mealtime.

Cognitive Benefits

Every CERELAC® scoop, grab, or hand-to-mouth moment is a mental workout — teaching problem-solving, cause and effect, patience, and sensory learning through repetition.

When to Start Self-Feeding with CERELAC®

Your baby may be ready to start self-feeding with CERELAC® when you notice signs such as:

• Sitting up on their own
   
• Showing interest in your food during meals
   
• Reaching for spoons or grabbing small bites
   
• Touching, squishing, or exploring CERELAC® textures with their fingers

Every baby develops at their own pace. If they’re exploring CERELAC® with their hands, that’s a natural sign of curiosity — and a great starting point for self-feeding practice.

What is DHA and Why It Matters for Your Baby

DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) is an omega-3 fatty acid that plays a vital role in brain and vision development.

During your baby’s first years, their brain grows rapidly, and DHA supports learning, memory, and overall cognitive skills.

The good news? CERELAC® contains DHA, making it an easy and delicious way to add this key nutrient to your baby’s diet. Together with proper diet and exercise, it helps build a strong foundation for growth and discovery.

Recipe Highlight: Soft Pumpkin Cakes

Soft, naturally sweet, and moist, Pumpkin Cakes are perfect for little hands and mouths.

• Great for self-feeding practice
• Adds color and variety to baby’s plate
• Can be made even more nourishing by mixing CERELAC® Infant Cereals into the batter—especially yummy flavors like Wheat & Banana, Rice & Milk, and Mixed Fruits & Soya. Get your CERELAC® products here.
• Fun and tasty way to build confidence

Serve them in bite-sized pieces for easier grasping and chewing.

The Role of Parents in Encouraging Self-Feeding with CERELAC®

Providing the Right Tools

Create a supportive CERELAC® mealtime setup with baby-friendly plates, cups, and utensils. A secure high chair helps your bulilit explore CERELAC® comfortably and confidently.

Encourage Exploration Without Pressure

Some days your baby will eagerly eat CERELAC®, and other days, they’ll poke, play, or taste a tiny bit — and that’s okay. Every touch, squish, and tiny bite counts.

Follow your baby’s pace. CERELAC® is there to make every small step a nutritious, positive, and pressure-free experience.

Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them with CERELAC®

Messiness

Use bibs, mats, and finger-friendly CERELAC® recipes. Remember: mess = learning.

Frustration

Babies may miss their mouths or get overwhelmed. Offer a smile, a short break, or help when needed — then let them try again with CERELAC®.

Balance

Some meals will be half parent-fed, half self-fed. That’s okay — independence builds little by little.

The Connection Between Self-Feeding and Social Development

Mealtime as a Social Experience

Babies love to copy. Eating CERELAC® at the table helps them learn routines, connection, and social cues through observation.

Family Bonding

Shared laughs, claps, and cheers during CERELAC® time turn everyday meals into warm, meaningful bonding moments.

• Play gentle games like “dip and taste”
   
• Sing songs while they try something new
   
• Offer different CERELAC® textures for sensory play
   
• Encourage touching, squishing, scooping — all part of learning

Babies explore CERELAC® in many ways — sometimes with spoons, sometimes with curious little fingers. Every touch and squish is part of sensory and motor development.

Final Thoughts

Self-feeding is a joyful (and yes, messy) step toward independence. Every grab, squish, and bite is a lesson in growth.

With your support, and nutrient-rich options like CERELAC® with DHA, BIG Sustansya, and yummy taste, your little bulilit builds confidence, skills, and a love for mealtimes that lasts a lifetime.

✨ Kaya naman ang little bulilit na #LakingCerelac ay may cereLAKI, cereLAKAS at cereLISTO, with proper diet and exercise.

Ang little bulilit na laki sa BIG Sustansya, laking Cerelac yan!