Hints and tips for weaning (merged)

tiamai_d

No you don't have to pass it through a sieve. I only blend sauces, the rest I use a masher or a fork, but DD likes lumps anyway.

And save any liquid left over, you can put it in some cooled boiled water as a drink (Pear is a favourite right now). Has to be used quickly though.

tiamai_d

space_rider wrote: »

Krystal, don't know how old your baby is but becareful of the salt in foods like moussaka.

If it's home made there won't be any salt in it, unless you put it in.

space_rider

Good point!

EVIESMUMMY_2

I found this book really helpful http://www.amazon.co.uk/Feeding-Your-Toddler-Annabel-Karmel/dp/1405331585/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263071206&sr=1-6 I tried to wean my daughter at four months but she was'nt ready & ended up skipping the puree stage and eating solid food at 6 months dont wory too much about the do's & dont's good luck:p

skintchick

Krystaltips wrote: »

Skinty, your breasts don't store milk Hun, it's made as it's needed

Storage capacity: Another factor that affects milk production and breastfeeding management is mom’s milk storage capacity. Storage capacity is the amount of milk that the breast can store between feedings. This can vary widely from mom to mom and also between breasts for the same mom. Storage capacity is not determined by breast size, although breast size can certainly limit the amount of milk that can be stored. Moms with large or small storage capacities can produce plenty of milk for baby. A mother with a larger milk storage capacity may be able to go longer between feedings without impacting milk supply and baby's growth. A mother with a smaller storage capacity, however, will need to nurse baby more often to satisfy baby’s appetite and maintain milk supply since her breasts will become full (slowing production) more quickly. Think of storage capacity as a cup - you can easily drink a large amount of water throughout the day using any size of cup - small, medium or large - but if you use a smaller cup it will be refilled more often.

From: http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/milkproduction.html

Kellymom is a respected source of info I think?

sorry to hijack thread OP!

Glamazon

hey lolly

I too am getting stuff ready for Jack - how quickly has the time gone hey?!

I have read that bananas & avocado can just be mushed up and mixed with baby's milk to make it more runny. I have 20 little freezer pots so my plan is to steam a load of fruit and veg - starting with Apple, Pear, Carrot, Sweet Potato, Parsnip. Then whack it in the blender and add his milk to make it runny.

I also read it can be stored in freezer for 3 months but once we get up to 2 meals a day I'll probably be cooking once a fortnight or so.

Tigsteroonie

Oooh, I didn't realise there was a separate thread for this!

I nuked two dessert apples today and froze the puree as ice-cubes. I also fed Andrew a little bit mixed with his baby rice (day 3 and counting!), and he loved it. I'm planning on nuking carrots next ...

Gina Ford's contented book about weaning has a very useful section at the back that lists fruit & vegetables, and what needs to happen in terms of preparation (skinning or not, cooking or not, etc). Hopefully I'll have memorised enough before I have to return it to the library!

Glamazon

Oh Tigs - the library! Why do I always forget about getting books from there instead of buying them?!!!!!!

My worry is not knowing how runny to make it at first!

tiamai_d

Don't make it too runny if your freezing it, it will come out runnier. You can always add water to it (actually I take stuff out the freezer, pop in the fridge then at feeding time add boiling water to it to heat up and get it to the right consistency - well lazy me). Anything with pasta will need more water added by the time it comes to eating it anyway, thats the magic of pasta.

I'm using lots of fruit pots and using the excuse that I have no kitchen tap so I totally can't steam fruit... (and nothing to do with the burnt pears and the half hour scrubbing at the pot) oh yeah, and my microwave door won't open so I think it's either really really dirty or broke.

And also I forgot to add that my cheese sauce is simples, boil some milk, mix some cornflour into cold milk, stir in till it thickens, add cheese. (again with the lazyness)

frugalfreda

Thank you so much to everyone for all your replies - they all helped and made me feel better.

Just to update you I have started to mix the purees with porridge or milk and so far she has been okay with them - will gradually up the ratio of the purees as it is still very much porridge she is having. I am swaying towards baby led weaning now (this making up purees is a bit of a faff although once it is done and in the freezer, it is over and done for a few days). I think I may try a combination of purees and baby led-weaning but I don't think I am going to tell any of my family as no doubt they will try to persuade me otherwise. I am here Monday to Friday with her and am generally on my own when I feed her.

I am actually a bit against food jars as I just see them as ready meals in a jar (although as with ready meals I don't think there is anywhere wrong with having one or two in the cupboard for emergencies). My mother in law used with them with my OH and other sibling so that was one reason why I took the food jars with me to her house! My mum didn't use food jars with me or my sibling (one reason was because they couldn't afford them) and we were fed mushed up versions of what my parents ate once we got the rusk stage.

Also tried DS on our lentil bolognese but she wasn't impressed but it was too lumpy for her anyway.

I have now calmed down about the weaning and will just her take her own time. Gradually we will get there