This is Max when he was eight months old, about the time he started doing baby food. As you can see, more of it typically ended up on his bib than in his mouth. From the first time he ate, he’d thrust food out of his mouth with his tongue. It was an issue that took me by surprise: I never imagined he’d have trouble eating. Out of all his challenges, that was the one that got to me the most. It seemed like such a basic thing to be able to do, although I learned to understand how the cerebral palsy affected his oral-motor skills.
My husband, Dave, wasn’t the least bit bothered by the food issues. Max needed to eat, period. And so, oftentimes Dave ended up feeding him. I did everything else—got him dressed, changed his diaper, bathed him. But Dave was the feeder back then. Max is six, and Dave still does a lot of it, though Max is getting better about feeding himself. More food is staying inside his mouth, too—slowly but surely, he’s progressing.
Do you and your husband divvy up childcare, too?
Ellen blogs daily over at To The Max.