Hints and tips for weaning (merged)

Welshlassie

I'm weaning my baby at the moment. We started with a week of baby rice, just to get him used to the texture and then every 2 or 3 days tried a new vegetable. Once we had a good selection of veg we started on fruit, this way he'd accept the veg and fruit and not get a sweet tooth.

I added baby rice to each new food for the first try and then the following day gave it straight.

We started late morning half way between milk feeds (I'm still breastfeeding), after about 3 weeks we then added a second meal and then approximately 3/4 weeks later a third meal. Desert was then gradually added to the lunch and dinner meals, if he still appeared hungry.

He has a milk feed whenhe wakes between 7 and 8 then has breakfast about 9/9:30, lunch around 12, with a milk feed after, another milk feed around 3:30, followed by dinner at 5:30/6 and a milk feed before bed. We then give a bottle at 11pm before we go to bed. In the last few weeks he has dropped his feed in the night.

This is how we've done it, but obviously everyone will have their own way. I'm really loving this stage. Enjoy.

daphne_descends

You might enjoy looking at https://www.babyledweaning.com

nb: not my site

Justie

weaning at 6 months isn't necessarily the same as weaning at 4 months... if your baby has good head control the you might want to go down the finger foods route (as per baby led weaning that fac has linked to but also think of 'stage 2' old style weaning). The advice generally if you're doing this is to feed with milk as usual and then afterwards offer finger foods to baby just to hold and gum on to begin with and eventually to eat. The research on 6 month weaning is based on breastfeeding and presumes that milk will be the main 'food' for the first 12 months so there's no rush to have 3 meals a day (ie having the majority of the nutrition from food).

If you want to go down the puree route then some (AK included) recommend starting with lunch but this doesn't always work well depending on routine so see what works for you but trying new food earlier in the day is generally better than starting at tea time so that you can moniter for any reactions.

And bear in mind that babies go through growth spurts etc so waking in the night isn't always food related.

Good luck and enjoy seeing your house splattered with mush :rotfl:

smiler34

Hi, does anyone have any recipes for cheap weaning meals for 7 month old. He is having the heinz 7 month jars at the mo which are 68p and usually on offer for 5 for £2.50 but just seems like I could spend less money on his meals.

mintymoneysaver

I twould be much cheaper to prepare your own food. At 7 months they could have most things you have but mushed up!

tanith

I would agree just puree up the veg you are having with a little gravy or liqued from cooking the veg and give them that... its better to get them used to lots of bland stuff first before introducing stronger flavours... for puds give pureed fruit or custards or mashed bananas for instance...

fsdss

breakfasts
wheatabix / porridge oats / mix with fruit if needed

mashed potatoes carrots mixed with petit pois and low salt gravy (variable can use parsnips / sweet pots etc)

boil spaghetti add cream / cheese

any meat / veg meal (low salt) wizz it down you can add rice, pasta, potato etc

toast and butter

crackers

Puddings
custard
fruit (cut down if applicable)
yoghurts
jelly etc

AnnieH

I agree with making your own food it's a lot cheaper. buy frozen veg so you can just use a tiny amount at a time if litle one i not eating what you eat.

Becles

I just give my daughter some of our food mushed up. It's much cheaper than buying jars, and gets her used to the meals she will be eating on a regular basis.

If I'm doing things like chilli or curry, I make it mild then take some out for her, and spice ours up a bit!

If you buy some small plastic pots with lids you can make extra meals to cover the days when your meal isn't suitable for baby.

geekgirl

Lentils are good to add to mushed veg as you can make it a little thicker using them. They are cheap and very nutritious.