self-feeding
Supplies its own
Self-feeding describes the ability to eat independently, without assistance from another person.
The term appears most often in developmental contexts, where a child's self-feeding marks a milestone, or in medical and caregiving settings where patients may have lost or regained this capacity.
It also applies to mechanical devices that automatically supply their own material or fuel: a self-feeding wood stove, self-feeding printer.
In agriculture, self-feeding systems allow livestock to access food at will from a hopper or bin.
Infant self-feeding approach
- spoonEating utensil for liquids
- highchairTall infant seat
- finger foodsSmall handheld appetizers
- pureeSmoothly blended food
solids · toddler · mealtime · independence · messiness · pincer grasp · developmental milestone · bib
Seeking wild food sources
- grazingFeeding on pasture
- browsingCasual examination of options
- peckingJabbing with beak
- free-rangeNot confined to enclosure
pasture · trough · hay rack · livestock · cattle · ad libitum · rumination · scavenging
Operating without intervention
- hopperTapered dispensing container
- conveyorMechanism that transports items
- magazineBound periodical with articles
- continuousWithout pause or gap
mechanism · loader · autoloader · belt-fed · drum · cartridge · automation · replenishment
Devices modified for disabilities
- assistive deviceTool supporting impaired function
- occupational therapyRestoring practical life abilities
- rehabilitationRecovery from injury/addiction
- disabilityImpairment affecting life activities
stroke recovery · tremor · elderly care · dysphagia · motor impairment · independence · nursing home · geriatric
Curve closing on itself
- reinforcingMaking more robust
- perpetuatingCausing to persist indefinitely
- cycleRepeating sequence of events
- spiralCurve winding around center
recursive · amplifying · sustaining · maintaining · feedback · vicious circle · escalation · compounding
baby-led weaning
Infant self-feeding approach
- spoonEating utensil for liquids
- highchairTall infant seat
- finger foodsSmall handheld appetizers
puree · solids · toddler · mealtime · independence · messiness · pincer grasp · developmental milestone · bib · sippy cup
foraging
Seeking wild food sources
free-range · pasture · trough · hay rack · livestock · cattle · ad libitum · rumination · scavenging · instinctive
automatic
Operating without intervention
- hopperTapered dispensing container
- conveyorMechanism that transports items
- magazineBound periodical with articles
continuous · mechanism · loader · autoloader · belt-fed · drum · cartridge · automation · replenishment · industrial
adaptive equipment
Devices modified for disabilities
- assistive deviceTool supporting impaired function
- occupational therapyRestoring practical life abilities
- rehabilitationRecovery from injury/addiction
disability · stroke recovery · tremor · elderly care · dysphagia · motor impairment · independence · nursing home · geriatric · arthritis
loop
Curve closing on itself
- reinforcingMaking more robust
- perpetuatingCausing to persist indefinitely
- cycleRepeating sequence of events
spiral · recursive · amplifying · sustaining · maintaining · feedback · vicious circle · escalation · compounding · snowball effect
- developmentgrowth, progress, advancement, expansion, improvement
- feedingmeal time, mealtime, breakfast, lunch, dinner
- infant developmentbabbling, developmental milestones, crawling, first steps, developmental delay
- motor skillsmotor skills, fine motor skills, motor control, gross motor skills, walking
- self-carebathing, renewal, brushing teeth, bath bombs, revival
self-feedingspoon-fed
Given information too easily
dependent · bottle-fed · force-fed · nursed
feed, self, feeding, selfless, feeder, feeds, selfhood, self-sufficient, self-sufficiency