Hints and tips for weaning (merged)

Jay-Jay_4

Really interesting thread.

I was just the same as bylromarha. I listened to all the advice about waiting until 6 months and agreed that I would do whatever was recommended.

However, by 16/17 weeks the feeds were almost merging into one another. She was up every hour, chewed anything she could lay her hands on (noses were a favourite) drooled while we were eating and went to grab food from our plates.

My boobies were getting sore and I was getting tired so I introduced a little rice mixed with breast milk. I continued with this for a week or so then introduced a little mashed potato. Gradually over the next few weeks I increased the amount I was giving her, then at around 22 weeks introduced a second meal per day. I kept portions small (one or two cubes) and still fed her on demand when she wanted but she seemed so much more settled that she wasn't as 'frantic' for the milk feeds.

It probably sounds like an excuse but my daughter was REALLY active, always on the move, never still, hated being sat on my knee and even my health visitor agreed that she needed some real food. It was quite a quandry for me because I do firmly believe that breastmilk is perfectly adequate for even extremely hungry babies but in my heart of hearts I knew that weaning was 'right' for her at 4 months.

I agree that seeing a floppy headed baby having mush spooned into its mouth, only to spit it back out again is NOT good, but an active, strong baby that is showing all the signs is probably ready. Only parents their childrenand as long as we know all the facts then it's down to informed choice.

Savvy_Sue

Whenever you start, do consider that there is a suspicion that SOME allergic reactions MAY BE caused by the too early introduction of the offending food. And some people are allergic to bananas!

Having said that, the son most affected by eczema is the one for whom I followed the strictest diet. I was taking part in a trial and excluded milk and dairy products from my own diet while I was pregnant and breastfeeding. He then didn't have any cow's milk or dairy until he was a year old.

First time round I started with mashed pumpkin. But it was autumn and pumpkins were in season!

Oh, and if you're using ice cube trays, don't forget to scrub them spotlessly clean before you use them, and initially sterilise them as well.

And if you find your little darling pushes away your food but gobbles it up from a jar, decant your food into the jar.

kidtechnical

We've all digressed a little & I've forgot to mention some 'tips' that OP was asking for.

I made all my own food & froze it in ice cube trays, this made for smaller portions & less waste. It also meant that I could mix & match (a cube of potato & a cube of carrot, or a cube of carrot) rather than serve the whole thing. Once heated to the right temp (83 degrees for homemade reheats?) I used to pop a frozen cube of breastmilk in to melt into it & help bring the temp down & achieve desired consistancy.

If you're not completely against giving jars then when you're out & about go for lunch in places that provide free jars of food - Debenhams & John Lewis were my favourites & if I already had food with me for baby I took the freebie anyway as a standby for later!

My 1st was weaned early on purees and my second was weaned later on mainly finger foods or mashed foods. My experience has been that no2 is a far better & more adventurous eater than No1 who is fussy & had mild eczema from around the time solids were introduced (thankfully this has cleared up & he has been left with no lasting intolerences/allergies). There are also foods that are considered more 'allergenic' than others & can be avoided in the early stages, citrus fruits & strawberries.

I also wouldn't make the mistake of assuming that if it's allowed in a jar it's ok to feed it to a baby. The people making baby foods primary concern to make money, so if they can get away with saying 'from 4 months' they will & if they can add ingredients to bulk it out they will (sugar, starch, water). So a good book that will teach you a bit about infant nutrition will help you make good judgements when buying or making baby food is essential and is handy to refer back to as they child grows & needs change (a survey about a yr ago found that the majority of parents were unware of the difference between a good weaning diet & a good adult diet).

Jay-Jay_4

Following on from kidtechnical, .......back on course

I used to batch cook purees. Buy around 7 ice cube trays and some large freezer bags.

Potatoes
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Carrot
Swede

Apple
Pear

Boil or steam the ingredients and puree with a stick blender then decant into the ice cube trays and pop the trays inside freezer bags. When the cubes are frozen empty the trays into the bags, seal with ties and label. I used to freeze the cooking stock too to cool the meals down.

I used to fill the top of my freezer like this and meal times were a case of grabbing a couple of chunks and microwaving (I know that many people don't like this method but I was careful to thoroughly stir and cool before feeding baby)

The combinations of things like mash and pear were an absolute winner (started by accident)

jellyhead

maybe a 4 month old baby can manage weak baby rice mixed with breastmilk but would struggle with a jar of lamb casserole? i was looking at babyfood this week and wondered if a 4 month old really can digest meat? the 6 month rule seems very recent, and stage 2 babyfoods still say 7 months, a bit odd that stage 1 should be 6 months but they're ready for stage 2 only 4 weeks later.

a friend with a baby 12 months old told me she'd read that weaning too early can make a baby more likely to be allergic to certain things e.g. gluten. her baby didn't want solids before 6 months anyhow but i know plenty of babies that do. mine was 9 months before he'd even entertain the idea of babyrice and couldn't finish a 6oz bottle of milk at any point in his babyhood, he just wasn't hungry at all, all babies are different. my HV visitor still made me feel like a bad mother though from 4 months onwards but i'm sure if my baby had been hungry i'd have noticed and i did try weaning every so often.

about the allergy thing though, i know someone who gave rusks mixed with babymilk at 3 weeks old and her son has always had bowel problems, could the two be linked? maybe the reason we have so many people claiming to be gluten intolerant in my generation is because it was so easy to mix a rusk in with the milk for a bottle-fed baby.

plumpmouse

When I started weaning I tried baby rice to begin. Little boy had 2 meals of it then we moved on as he didn't think much of it.

Moved on to apples, pears, carrots.

Then progressed to other things Bananas were and still are his favourite food. He loved butternut squash, mango and papaya.

Other things he liked included broccoli and green beans(but that was a bit stringy), Peas (with broccoli) and swede.

Moved him on to having meat at 6 months old.


The one thing he did struggle with was potatoes he just didn't enjoy them and did gag on them. So i left them for a while and then introduced them later.

He hated avocado and have to admit I only tried him once with it.

They do say that if baby dislike something leave it a while and then try again and they may just like it.

Was also told when beginning to give the same food for a few days so you can see if they have any reaction to it and then remove it from the diet.

Also didn't bother with ice cube trays as my son had a huge appetiite(and still does). An ice cube wouldn't have filled him at all. we got little food storage jars and used them.

We have been incredibly lucky as we have a son who loves food and has never been fussy. He was weaned at 4 months and has no adverse effects from it. he suffers from no eczema etc.

Hth and good luck

katglasgow

I found Annabel Karmel's Superfoods for children and babies really helpful - it has chapters for recipies up to the age of 5!
I started my son with baby rice and then mixed it with apple, pear and then carrots. I then just worked my way through Anabel Karmel's suggestions. Apple and pear are particualry good to start with as it will help him to process his new solid poo!
I bought tiny little food pots from a pound shop and cooked everything in batches and kept it all in the freezer. Whenever I went out and about I either took a flask or hot water with me to heat up the tub, or asked for a teapot or soup bowl with hot water in it. (Ikea also give you a free baby meal with every adult meal).
I introduced cows milk in cooking at 6 months, followed by white meat, fish and then red meat. Gina Ford suggestes leaving 3 days between introducing each new food group s you can check whether or not it had any effect on baby's system.
I weaned my son at 14 1/2 weeks because he was a terrible sleeper and I was desparate to try anything! On reflection, I probably could have waited a little longer, but I did continue to breastfeed until he was 8 months and I did take it very slowly. Most of my mummy friends started sometime between 16 and 22 weeks depending on when they - or the baby - were ready for it.

sexy_fufu

I have a 6 1/2 month old baby, i started weaning her at 11 weeks. She is a really good little eater but i find she still loves her milk.

The HV Never had a go at me for weenign her early they do tell me to make sure she is getting at least 20 oz of milk a day as well as her food.

so she as brekfast and 6 oz
lunch and 5 0z
dinner and 5oz
and 8oz bottle for supper.

Like the previous post, make sure they still have there milk.

jma_4

OK, guy talking here so feel free to disregard advice from a dad

Forget the rules, they're guidance only -- my daughter started on the mushy stuff at about 4-5 months. She knew when she was ready and so we just went with it. It isn't really worth worrying about if you're breaking rules, etc... 'cos each baby is different She quickly moved onto more solid stuff, like banana and mash potatoes! Most of the time, me a SWMBO have given her boxed meals of varying consistency.

Dribbling could be a sign of teething too and babies will stick everything in their mouth 'cos it is like the only sense they seem to be aware of at that age. She is 12 months now and has gotten to a stage where she'll eat what we're eating and nine times out of ten, she will want to feed herself (what a mess!)

Woby_Tide

sexy_fufu wrote:

I have a 6 1/2 month old baby, i started weaning her at 11 weeks. She is a really good little eater but i find she still loves her milk.

The HV Never had a go at me for weenign her early they do tell me to make sure she is getting at least 20 oz of milk a day as well as her food.

so she as brekfast and 6 oz
lunch and 5 0z
dinner and 5oz
and 8oz bottle for supper.

Like the previous post, make sure they still have there milk.

no worries on that front, even with his new meal at lunchtime he still takes c.30oz per day, he actually had his smallest weekly weight increase so far which was a bit bizarre last week!