Weaning

Emmamumof2

I know there have many threads about this historically, which I've found, and truth be told I feel slightly embarrassed putting this out there being a mother of 3, I've done this twice before with no problem and neither has any 'hang ups' with food.

I have the kiddy cook books such as Annabel Karmel etc and as I said I have done this stage twice before!

However, my littlest treasure (age 1 in March - 1y 4m) is challenging me to a stand off with the weaning process! So much so, if she hasn't eaten enough of what I've tried her with I have to cave in a give her a baby jar to top her up, as I obviously don't want her to go through the day or to bed hungry.

She isn't on SMA any longer, I moved to cows milk at 1 and that went smoothly.

She 'objects' to lumpy food, but she will eat the likes of tiny cut up pieces of chicken, ham etc. She likes yoghurts and grated cheese so for now I'm covered on the dairy front. She isn't massively keen on 'munching' on fresh vegs such as carrot batons etc which I seem to recall the other two did. She loves bread so toast is often a good back up.

Has anyone got any bright ideas for me that I may not be thinking about....or is a just a case of persistence will eventually prevail?

Any suggestions are welcome, but please don't criticize me for still using the baby jars where needed, I don't want my daughter to go hungry and these are a last resort when I am so rung out - it is the last course of action!

She likes eating with her hands by the way but won't entertain trying to feed herself with the spoon.

DufferDoris

Does she like grated carrot/apple etc? Just thinking that if she likes grated cheese, it might be she doesn't like biting into batons rather than she doesn't like carrots altogether.

Does she struggle to chew lumps or does she just not like the texture?

Oh & don't feel bad for resorting to jars, sometimes you just have to do what it takes to survive the day!

BitterAndTwisted

Your child seems to eat enough varied items for a healthy diet, so I don't really understand your need to "give in" with jars. By "fresh veg" are you referring to raw? I wouldn't be that keen on raw veg if I didn't have the full compliment of molars to tackle them with.

Emmamumof2

Thanks so much! Yes with three of them, 2 school runs etc it can get difficult to manage.


That is a really good idea to grate the apple and other fruits - I will try that!


I think re: lumps she doesn't like the texture since she has quite a lot of teeth including some of the bigger ones at the back! She is quite happy to eat custard, for example, since this isn't too far from the texture of the jars, whereas she won't tolerate 'normal' rice pudding, which only contains the most minimal of 'lumps'.....

Emmamumof2

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

Your child seems to eat enough varied items for a healthy diet, so I don't really understand your need to "give in" with jars. By "fresh veg" are you referring to raw? I wouldn't be that keen on raw veg if I didn't have the full compliment of molars to tackle them with.

She loses interest and will eat a little of those things but I know not enough to 'fill her', I have tried holding off and just going with what she will eat but it isn't long before she is crying and usually food solves that....in the form on a jar on occasion.

Veg - she won't eat raw cut up vegs or diced cubes, nor is she too keen on them after they've been cooked to be honest.

She does has quite a few teeth, including some of those back 'big' teeth and given that she will eat tiny pieces of chicken and ham, she is obviously capable.

I was just looking for any practical suggestions I may not have thought of, other than to obviously keep 'trying' her with the food I make for the other two children, who are 6 and 9. She will eat pasta when it is in a cheese sauce for example, but she won't eat it 'plain' or in a tomato sauce....does this come as they get older? I honestly can't recall with the other two children at what stage these things developed...

I'm going to try the grating of fruit/veg that the poster above suggested and see if we can get some of her daily allowance in that way!!

DufferDoris

If she likes pasta in a cheese sauce, it might be worth trying leeks, broccoli or cauliflower in cheese sauce maybe?

Also how does she get on with bananas? Ripe avocado may also be worth a try as there wouldn't be lumps.

Lastly, I know it's not a solution to the lump issue but if she refuses her dinner then you could always try pureeing it up instead of giving her a jar. It seems to be the texture rather than the taste she objects to so it might save you a few pennies to try that.

Emmamumof2

Thanks Doris! I will try avocado - I tried her again with banana this week but she didn't take to it, even though I make her up the banana multigrain cereal by Cow & Gate for breakfast sometimes, although that's hit & miss!


I may well get a little hand blender and whether I can get her to eat the meals we are eating but pureed down - and gradually increase the texture of the food by not blending for as long -


I just want to introduce her to as much as I can and get her eating the same meals as us, or an aspect of that meal so that a) we can save money as those jars don't come cheap! and b) more importantly give her the taste and nutritional values she needs but the overriding importance is clearly always going to be making sure she's has enough to eat so as to avoid any problems with sleep, which, we have had spot on from the early days!

theoretica

How is she on foods which have been zapped in the blender? The new flavour but without the texture.

sooty&sweep

To be honest I think you're doing good !
She's eating pasta in cheese sauce, ham, chicken, toast, custard. Are there any fruit & veg that she likes ?
It will take a little time to develop her tastes.

Both of mine always ate better at lunchtime so I'd usually give their main meal then. At tea time they were more tired and preferred things they were familiar with.

Finally don't let anyone make you feel bad about using jar food ! You are trying to wean on to normal food and its perfectly understandable you wanting to ensure she's got a full tummy before she goes to bed !

Jen

Emmamumof2

I've been very silly in not trying to blend 'normal' stuff up with a hand blender before now to be honest. I've just thought if I keep trying we'll get there, but I realize from the few posts so far I should try this and maybe let the food get less and less lumpy as time moves on....essentially it will be like the baby jar initially until I start blending less...


I am also definitely going to try Doris' idea of grating fruit and other veg. She has had some mash potatoes before, but she is so hit and miss with things - it can become terribly frustrating.


Thanks Jen, I am doing my best!

Counting_Pennies_2

I definitely would recommend blending with a stick the foods you eat.


At a year they know how to play the system, and if she knows a tasty treat will come to her then she won't eat her meals.


So I agree with the poster about blending the food. What you will probably need to do is put that food in the jar that you normally end up caving in on. She will know what the jar symbolises so she will very likely eat it blended from that vessel.


Definitely stick with it. It will be hard, but try to crack it these next two weeks before the holidays start, and hopefully you will have a calmer summer


In terms of foods not tried you could try blending a banana with a little of the other fruits to give her a healthy puree so she gets the taste of banana mixed with other things.


The usual raisins, eggy bread etc.