The Weaning Thread

lmullen

Cunning Stunt wrote: »

I have this going on now. PHN said start him on the boring rice and move to other flavours in two weeks. But it's only been three days and he's started shying from the spoon or spitting it out. To be fair it does also remind me of wallpaper paste. I have a banana and strawberry baby porridge from cow&gate here that I was going to wait the two weeks before trying, but I might give it a go tomorrow - I don't want to traumatise him with the other stuff ....

I started my girl on sweet potato with some ebm through it. She's now had sweet potato, butternut squash, carrot, turnip, broccoli, peas, apple, pear, banana, porridge and today she sucked on a bit of chicken breast. We started almost 3 weeks ago. She has never refused the spoon. She can even put it her mouth herself if I preload it. I used baby rice once with my first but she wasn't mad about so went straight onto veg. PHN seemed happy with everything I've done so far.

Cunning Stunt

Thanks for your comments - they just helped me get the hubby onboard for starting our little lad on something nicer tomorrow - maybe pureed carrot or pear seeing as we have some to hand...

dublinlady

How Strange wrote: »

The oat Cheerios are noticeably lower in sugar although I'm sure they're still quite high compared to porridge or weetabix. I let my 11 month old eat them ocassionally as finger food.

My 10 & 1/2 month old loves a couple of Cheerios overh now and again - and will eat her fruit and veg mash much better if there's a Cheerio on the side!
She's has Rice Krispies once - big fan, and actually will eat lumps of anything we are eating from bagels to steak to broccoli - she eats what we eat and enjoys very second and we don't worry too much about the low sugar amt in the odd Cheerio as it's teaching her to like lumps and solids and we've experienced the worse alternative to eating the odd "bad" food mixed in with good... And that's not eating at all! My first went on hunger strike from 1-2 years and it was a stressful nightmare! My second can eat what she likes when she likes - we eat healthily so if she's eating off our plates she'll be ok!

yellow hen

I think I've created a sugar monster. Someone left a tin of roses as a thank you for something. Each time I have one, I give the little man the corner of the sweet. The utter delight on his face is priceless. Definitely his mammy's boy!

How Strange

I think that should be called family led weaning dublinlady. A is exactly the same. She'll sit on my knee and eat bits of whatever we're eating. It makes life so much easier.

Yellow Hen that's so funny. I can just imagine how happy he looks when he tastes the chocolate

Cunning Stunt

I must say, I am finding this weaning more difficult than expected...baby rice, baby porridge, pureed carrot, pureed sweet potato, mashed banana...he's only taken maybe two spoonfuls at the most and that was just the mashed banana. Am I supposed to keep trying different things or should I stick with the banana for a while? Could it be that he's just not ready to wean yet? He'll be 17 weeks on Weds...

Gee_G

Cunning Stunt wrote: »

I must say, I am finding this weaning more difficult than expected...baby rice, baby porridge, pureed carrot, pureed sweet potato, mashed banana...he's only taken maybe two spoonfuls at the most and that was just the mashed banana. Am I supposed to keep trying different things or should I stick with the banana for a while? Could it be that he's just not ready to wean yet? He'll be 17 weeks on Weds...

Maybe you could leave it for a few weeks if you feel he's not fully ready? I know I started my little man at about that age but he nearly ate soon and all!;) but you know your baby best x

loubian

Gee_G wrote: »

Maybe you could leave it for a few weeks if you feel he's not fully ready? I know I started my little man at about that age but he nearly ate soon and all!;) but you know your baby best x

+1

I started my lo around that time and she would cry when I fed her with the spoon so I left it for a few weeks! It says on my information leaflet from the phn that it takes baby about 10 days to get used to a taste! Just do what feels right for you and baby

Neyite

I used to freeze assorted puree veg and fruit in cheap icecube trays, then when frozen take them out of the trays and ziploc bag them with a label and date.

That way its only a couple of spoons wasted if the baby isnt hungry or refuses the taste, and its quick to defrost and heat extra if they are hungry.

Xdancer

Neyite wrote: »

I used to freeze assorted puree veg and fruit in cheap icecube trays, then when frozen take them out of the trays and ziploc bag them with a label and date.

That way its only a couple of spoons wasted if the baby isnt hungry or refuses the taste, and its quick to defrost and heat extra if they are hungry.

I used to do the same. Very handy for mixing and matching too when they're a bit older.

Cunning Stunt

Thanks all,
yeah we have decided that he's just not ready. He should want to taste what's on the spoon, or at least have some interest in it, but no matter which food we use, he doesn't want to open his mouth and he'll cry if we do manage to get some in there.

So we will leave it for a week or two and try again then. He's happy enough with his bottle for now.

lolademmers

We have been on purées here for about 6weeks. He is 6 months old. When do I start making it more lumpy and when will I introduce finger foods. He is taking everything I give him he is a monster!

lmullen

lolademmers wrote: »

We have been on purées here for about 6weeks. He is 6 months old. When do I start making it more lumpy and when will I introduce finger foods. He is taking everything I give him he is a monster!

You can start making it lumpier now and introduce some finger foods.

dublinlady

I tried S at 20 weeks but left it then til 23 weeks as she wasn't interested.
I changes to lumpier foods at 7 months plus. No need to rush them I feel. At about 7 months I gave some steamed broccoli stems etc, really soft , and she only played with them really for couple weeks, then got into it. Now I give her a mixture of fork mash and pieces if anything we are eating! She's almost 11 months - has no teeth - and can eat almost everything! Major fan of toast, Cheerios, broccoli, chicken, banana, rice cakes etc etc. Takes forever to eat French toast etc but I just leave her at it while I'm eating myself!

lolademmers

Tried the lumpier foods but not sure if he is ready. Or maybe I'm not! Not able for the gagging even though it only happened once. Could be coz i tried him with salmon either.

How Strange

lolademmers, gagging is a good thing. It shows that they are getting used to lumpier/more textured food. When babies are 6 months the gag reflex is to the front so thats why they gag a lot to start with. As they get closer to 1 year the gag reflex moves further back so when they are gagging the food is closer to the throat and they may feel like they are going to choke. That's why babies who haven't been introduced to lumpy/textured food until 10 months or more may get scared of lumps and refuse to eat them.

Gagging, bulging eyes and regurgitating are all 'normal' even if they are terrifying to watch. Choking is silent, there will be no noise, so lots of noise is a good thing. However, the best advice I got (I think from this board) was to sit on your hands for 10 seconds and if the food hasn't come out then you get involved and start doing first aid for choking infants. We only ever had to do this once when our son was 10 months.

Stick with it and you'll be very glad you did. You'll see a huge difference even in a couple of weeks in terms of how he can handle textured food and finger foods. It may seem counter-intuitive to give a 6 month old food that could seemingly choke them but they will taste it and spit out what they can't handle.

lolademmers

Thanks a mill for that! Will continue as I am then.

nikpmup

lolademmers wrote: »

Thanks a mill for that! Will continue as I am then.

My little man gags whenever he's given anything he doesn't like the taste/texture of, and that gag can sometimes cause him to vomit. Yesterday, it was scrambled eggs What I do is to give him a tiny amount of the offending food mixed in with something I know he likes, and gradually increase the amount of it. I know he can cope with lumps as he devours mushed banana and the organix carrot sticks, chews it and swallows no problem!

icescreamqueen

Ok, silly question but if I were to start giving my baby weetabix or ready brek, what do I mix it with? Babies formula milk?

How Strange

If the baby is 6 months plus then whole fat milk is fine.

Cunning Stunt

I think we might be headed in the 'baby led weaning' direction. He won't take anything from a spoon - porridge / purees etc. we have tried and tried.
But today he sucked the life out of some tomatoes at dinner (seeds removed), so I think we're gonna buy more things he can suck the juice from - cucumber / melon etc. and then start on some finger food when he's old enough.

red fraggle

When can our little ones have finger food?

Also anyone any tips to deal with wind? Any food or anything that can help it? He is getting constantly since birth!! Sometimes it's hurting him. Thanks!

How Strange

you can give finger food from 6 months. Perhaps give pear. It's very gentle on the tummy.

red fraggle

Thanks!! He had pear. Was still very windy!

yellow hen

red fraggle wrote: »

When can our little ones have finger food?

Also anyone any tips to deal with wind? Any food or anything that can help it? He is getting constantly since birth!! Sometimes it's hurting him. Thanks!

I think lots of babies are like this. My little fella at 14 months still farts like a demon. At least now he can do the farts on his own, as a smallie he used to be totally bloated with it. I kept a food diary for a while to try and establish what gave him the wind and oddly lumps of carrots were a big problem. I also avoided mince for a while. He loved eggs in any form so once he was trying more foods, I used to hard boil an egg and mash it up with a little unsalted butter. Then add some torn up soft bread and a little warm milk. He'll lap it up!

jackben

I dont no about everyone but im finding this introducing solids quite stressfull, my 6 month old is still on pureed foods since about 4 and half months, and i have such a fear of him choking so i am avoiding finger foods and lumpier foods for as long as i can.... fear ive always had,,, oh well im sure i will get it started soon!!!! i hope

Roesy

jackben wrote: »

I dont no about everyone but im finding this introducing solids quite stressfull, my 6 month old is still on pureed foods since about 4 and half months, and i have such a fear of him choking so i am avoiding finger foods and lumpier foods for as long as i can.... fear ive always had,,, oh well im sure i will get it started soon!!!! i hope

I still get a bit nervous jackben but the best thing I did was do an infant first aid course a couple of months ago. I've got a 6 month old too and I do still give her mashed food but let her feed herself. I also give finger food and am moving towards a more baby led weaning approach. It's worth looking up on YouTube what to do if baby is choking and also reading up on the difference between gagging and choking.

nikpmup

jackben wrote: »

I dont no about everyone but im finding this introducing solids quite stressfull, my 6 month old is still on pureed foods since about 4 and half months, and i have such a fear of him choking so i am avoiding finger foods and lumpier foods for as long as i can.... fear ive always had,,, oh well im sure i will get it started soon!!!! i hope

My mother has a hugely irrational fear of babies choking; she had my sister tormented, panicking that her two were choking, well past the stage where they could feed themselves. And now she's passed it onto me! I'm not as bad as her in fairness, but I can definitely feel panic rising when I see him try to deal with a lump! I'll have to give myself a good talking too. The infant first aid course is something I've been putting on the long finger, I must get organised and do one.

jackben

thanks roesy and nikpmup for your advice, glad to hear im not the only one that panics a bit too much, dont no where i got the fear from, but i may put my fear to one side and start giving him some lumpier foods and finger foods. i have done a general first aid course before which involved what to do when adults and children are choking but i think if i was actually in the situation would i just panic and forget what to do, anyway im sure i would be fine and hopefully i will never have to be in that situation.
thanks again all.:)

nikpmup

I think I read in this thread, that if your baby gags, sit on your hands for five seconds before you intervene! (I could have that arseways though, so check!)