Hints and tips for weaning (merged)

Juicy_Tube

Mr Flibble and Mrs Flibble and LO,

Here are my thoughts..x

I started weaning at 6 months or thereabouts. I started using a spoon and water before this to get him used to being spoon fed(less messy) and get him used to it(spoon).

I think weaning at 6 months was fairly easy(although I was daunted my the whole thing before), if baby can hold out that is. I think I fed only a spoonful or two in the initial days of baby rice, thought it was yucky myself, so moved quickly to pureed carrot/sweet potato/butternut squash. If carrot seemed to agree, then I would add another veg and see how this went, then I knew if there was any reaction which veg it was-saved doing things individually. So I did veggies in pairs? Hope this makes sense!

We added an extra meal about two weeks apart. Do what suits you as to which meal is best to start with, so you are all at ease at not rushed.

If you wean at 6 months the process is easier and quicker I think for you and LO(we found anyway).

I am pleased you are going down the home-cooked/fresh food route which is always better for baby.

If you are out and about, then just use a banana or avocado! The 2 are lovely together too, believe me..:D As with anything you are gining your LO, I would say try the food yourself and and see what YOU think of it.

My LO is one year old and I have not given him a jar of food. Our choice. But then, I have not been working so I have found this relatively easy? Not sure what your situation is? Even if you are working maybe you could batch cook and freeze amounts if this suits for the week. From your post it sounds as if this is the way you want to go?

I introduced full fat natural yoghurt, which now LO adores on its own! Only 3/10 LOs at his nursery eat natural yoghurt on its own, I am told, "they don't like it"(maybe because they didn't have it on it's own at the start??). I add my own pureed frsh fruit ocassionally to it to make a healthy yoghurt. LO has had strawberry and natural yoghurt today which has to be better for him than the commercial stuff IMHO. Check sugar levels of petit filous, for example.

I personally avoided all things processed, like 'baby cereals (i.e sunshine orange cereal etc), rusks(even low sugar), baby juices and all things aimed at babies. Check the levels of sugar, you will be surprised-I was! I was very lucky in that we had someone come and talk to us about salt, sugar and all the commercial products aimed at LOs and parents. You will be surprised when you check the labels. Perhaps you could check in your area and see what is available?

I would also encourage your LO to drink water, especially from a sippy cup.i.e. the tommy tippee range. It took my LO a few weeks to get the knack, but he got there and loves water-has to be better than juice? And cetainly less messy!! So I think introduce it early on and use a sippy cup rather than a bottle for water. My LO loves water so why introduce anything else if they will take it?

I wish you all the best in a healthy weaning process, please let us know how you get on. It can be easy and healthy.

Regards,

JT x

MrFlibble

Hi!

Manic week work, so here's the update!

It turns out he's actually nearer 20 weeks old! How bad is that for me getting his age mixed up!!

Sam has had some big changes in his life, and is taking them in his stride, he's in his own cotbed now, after being in his little crib bed with us in our room, and it's much better for him. He's a tall baby, and the extra room is just what he needs - if you go to check on him, his arms area all outstretched, and he sleeps very soundly indeed, so that's all good.

The solids - well, baby rice looks more like wallpaper paste to me! we've started him off on it though, and he seems to be liking it, but is still a bit 'strange' with it at the minute. i was trying to think of ways to get him to open wide, using the 'here's comes the train' and all that - but he's no concept of what a train is, so that didn't help

Thanks for everyone's help and advice though - really helped!

Rachie_B

:rotfl: :T aww bless him

babies tend to copy so if you do a " big wide open mouth" then lil fella should copy

andycarmi

I started weanig DD too (on Monday) scary:o she is almost 6 months. She has had baby rice M,Tu, W amd today no probs. Thinking of giving banana tomorrow. Why do you mix it with the rice?

Is it best to stick with one taste for a couple of days before trying another?

Ishtar

We started weaning at around the 5 month mark - despite the HV 'disapproving' - but quite honestly I think sDD would have been eating the furniture if we'd waited any longer! She had been interested in the food on our plates for around 4 weeks at this point, and had had a couple of experimental chews, so I guessed she was more than ready.

Anyhow, we started at 5 months, with baby rice, but then had to pause for a week as her bottom teeth started to come through. Once we went back to solids, we started her up on vegetable purees, which she vastly preferred. I occasionally mixed in some of the rice to bulk them out, hoping that she would sleep through the night (which, needless to say, didn't happen!).

I used the Annabel Karmel complete baby and toddler cookbook, which I found really useful for a couple of months, but after that she started eating the same meals as us. For us, that has meant a reduction in salt and a more healthy diet - which can only be a good thing.

She's now 2 years old and going through a phase where she's not really interested in eating 'real' food, but would happily eat biscuits, cakes, etc, etc. I can't really complain though, as she can be quite easily diverted towards helping herself from the fruit bowl - all that early puree-ing has paid off!

It's really great fun trying them out with new flavours - but get ready to duck if they don't like something!

Cheers
D.

ajay73

My little one is coming upto his 6 months.

What I wanted to know from others, is at what time is it best to feed him with the rice, inbetween the feeds or after feeds?

I read somewhere, that you should feed him after he has drank his milk.

Can someone please clarify

andycarmi

I gave just read in my HNS Book to give rice first then milk That is what I have been doing for 2 weeks.

Clive_Woody

Justie wrote:

my Israeli friend swears by avocado for weening - not something that often appears on the lists here but it seems to be a staple there.

Our little girl loves avocado, it mashes up nicely and can be mixed with baby rice and a little water to make it a bit more interesting. Avocado is a great food too, very good for growing babies.

Baby rice is best given after milk feed, let the little one have as much milk as she/he wants then half an hour or so later try them with some baby rice.

Our little lady slept through the night from very early on, we knew she was ready for solids when she stopped sleeping through as she was waking up hungry. After a week of sleepless nights we started her on organic baby rice, then gradually added more variety and volume to her meals. Now she is almost 8 months and loves her food. I think the more variety you can give them at the this early stage the less fussy eater they will be as they grow up. Our little lady has tried all kinds of things, chicken, salmon (tinned and steamed fillets) lamb casserole, carrots, swede, sweet potatoes, parsnip, broccolli, baked beans, yogurt, ice cream, petit filou, cheese, rice crackers, prawn crackers (from chinese take-away - don't tell the HV). They often pull a funny face when they try something for the first time, don't let this put you off, they may not go for it first time, but do try it again, theymay just have not been in the mood for that particular food on that day.

inkie

My little one is coming upto his 6 months.

What I wanted to know from others, is at what time is it best to feed him with the rice, inbetween the feeds or after feeds?

I read somewhere, that you should feed him after he has drank his milk.

Can someone please clarify

I would say sandwich it in between. If you have a baby that is v. hungry they will not want to be faffing with food on a spoon, and will take milk more easily. When the hunger has been taken off then offer the spoon, and fininsh off with the milk. If you give all the milk first, then they may not have room for spoon.
I used to put baby on the boob for a few sucks, then give solid, and finish off on the boob.

heather38

my baby is 17 weeks and we went to the baby clinic today. she has dropped down a centile in her weight and the HV thinks that i should think about weaning her but i don't want to, i think she's to young.
she's totally BF and doesn't seem hungry after a feed. she's sleeping through now so isn't having a night feed anymore and i think this is why she's not gaining weight, plus the weight charts are based on bottle fed babies not BF babies.
should i wean early or not?