A lot of what babies do with food looks like a problem and is not. So here is a list of things that are entirely normal, for reassurance as much as anything.

All of this is normal

• Gagging. Completely natural and expected as part of learning to eat.
• Squishing food and pushing it around the tray.
• Throwing food on the floor.
• Making a lot of mess.
• Stuffing their mouth full of food, the hamster cheeks.
• Holding food in the mouth without swallowing it.
• Pulling faces, particularly at sour foods.
• Mixing foods together.
• Using hands instead of a spoon.
• Tipping water out of the cup.

Every one of these sits within the realms of normal.

Why the mess is doing something

Babies like to be very independent, and food based messy play is really important for the acceptance of food.

So the mess is not a side effect to be minimised. It is part of how your baby learns about what they are eating, which makes sense when you consider that eating involves touch and sight as much as taste.

Practically, that means letting it go. No wiping hands at the table, and cleaning up after they have left rather than during.

Pulling faces is not rejection

This one causes a lot of premature conclusions. Pulling faces and spitting food out is very normal behaviour, and it does not mean your baby does not like something.

At this age they are still learning. Some babies need 10, 15 or 20 exposures to a food before they accept it, so a face on the second attempt tells you very little.

Rather than looking at a single day and deciding they did not like it, look over the week and the month.

Gagging deserves its own note

Gagging is a completely natural and expected response to weaning. A baby's gag reflex sits very far forward, and they need the exposure and experience of learning to eat for it to mature and move back. You will see less gagging as time goes on.

It is worth doing a first aid course as a parent. It is reassuring, and it means that if your baby ever does choke you will know exactly what to do and can stay calm.

The behaviours that go with learning to drink

Water gets the same treatment as food. When your baby is learning to use a cup, expect banging, tipping and throwing it on the floor.

Open cups mean water goes everywhere, and some babies prefer them anyway. That is all part of learning how a cup works, because they genuinely do not know yet.

What you can do

Mostly, less than you think.

• Make sure your baby is well supported in a high chair with a footrest.
• Role model. Exaggerated biting and chewing movements help your baby watch and learn.
• Keep mealtimes a sensible length rather than extending them.
• Try not to be anxious. Babies pick up on that very easily.

When behaviour is worth a second look

Almost all of the above is normal. A few things do warrant advice:

• Gagging and vomiting that continues without resolving.
• A baby taking fewer than around 10 foods by 9 months.
• Over the age of one, we would want to see at least 20 foods or more.

If you are stuck at around 10 foods, it is worth getting a bit of advice from a professional.