The Weaning Thread

Neyite

God, do people count spoons?

I've just been giving him whatever amount he is willing to eat 3 times a day about 30 mins after a milk feed- for me its about introducing as many tastes and textures as I can think of. He is a solid baby, and loves his grub so I'm happy to go that way. In a month or so I will introduce finger foods and bigger chunks. I stick by the motto "food is fun until you're one" and that way mealtimes are enjoyable because I'm not fretting about if he is getting enough or a balance or whatever.

lounakin

Should I be slightly worried that my 8 months old (almost) is still not eating solids? She'll have one spoon of puréed food at lunch, but she'll have whatever I put in the mesh feeder gladly (although she can't get to all of it because it's trapped in the net). She doesn't seem to be interested in lowering the milk intake. She's still breastfed. The strange thing is I introduced solids at 5 months and she loved it, then stopped altogether. I didn't insist as she seemed perfectly fine. Anyone had this kind of experience?

How Strange

Maybe try her with finger foods I stead of purées. A lot of babies around this age want to feed themselves do finger foods are ideal. Continue eith the mesh feeder too if it works for you. Breastmilk is still their main source of nutrition until 1 year so look on it as food is fun until 1. That will help take the stress out of eating for you.

lounakin

Thanks How Strange. I'm not stressed yet as she's thriving and obviously getting all she needs from milk. Yes she seems to enjoy feeding herself but I'm still afraid she'll choke on the food. What's the best thing to give them as finger food?

Emcm

Lounakin my wee man is coming up on 8 months so roughly same age as your wee one. I have just started him with finger foods. He loves his mashed up dinners but noticed he was trying to grab what was on our plate.

I have just started him with bits of wholemeal bread, rice cakes, tiny cubes of cheese, penne pasta and soft fruits like banana or very ripe pear. Now an awful lot of it ends up on floor and all over him but he has great craic sucking and slurping away and the facial expressions are priceless!

How Strange

lounakin do a google search for the gag reflex. It's normal for them to gag but the gag reflex is st the front of their mouth so gagging while it looks and sounds terrifying doesnt mean they're choking.

The best advice I got, from here I think, was to sit on your hands and count to 10 when they start gagging. If it hasn't stopped by then you can intervene.

Also look up you tube clips of what to do with a choking infant. I hope you never need to use it but it's good to know in advance. We had to do it once and I was so glad, in hindsight, that we'd seen what to do.

lounakin

I've seen her gag before so I know she's not choking and yes, it's weird how it's so in the front! I'm still afraid she'll actually choke but so far so good. I also know what to do in case she's choking. I just gave her a piece of carrot, cucumber and cheese, lots of fun and gagging was had and I think she even ingested some! I'm slightly anxious to have her eat a little as I'm starting work on monday and I can't express, won't give her formula, so she'll be without food for a while.

How Strange

lounakin at 8 months shed be fine without milk while you're in work as long as you feed on demand in the mornings and evenings. She can have water from a sippy cup during the day. I wouldn't start introducing formula at that age.

lounakin

How Strange wrote: »

lounakin at 8 months shed be fine without milk while you're in work as long as you feed on demand in the mornings and evenings. She can have water from a sippy cup during the day. I wouldn't start introducing formula at that age.

Oh I'll fight tooth and nail against formula, if I don't HAVE to give it I won't. She's not good with a sippy cup or a bottle, she's never had to drink much water and she can't figure them out yet! But we'll get there.

How Strange

She'll learn :P

This is what I did with my son who was just over 6 months when I went back to work. I wouldn't have thought it was possible that he'd be fine even without drinking anything all day or just a bit of water but other mums assured who'd done it me he'd be fine and he was. In fact it made going back a lot easier and stress free.

littlemissfixit

lounakin wrote: »

Thanks How Strange. I'm not stressed yet as she's thriving and obviously getting all she needs from milk. Yes she seems to enjoy feeding herself but I'm still afraid she'll choke on the food. What's the best thing to give them as finger food?

My son favorite finger foods are: toast, tomato, chicken, salmon, brocoli & carrots, strawberries, pasta, cheese, and most fruits too.
Anything that is not likely to snap into small hard bits (think raw carrots or very hard apples) is safe, in a long shape when possible to make it easier for them to grasp.
I so wish I hadnt been so nervous with my daughter, I thought she would choke on everything and I think her being so fussy now is a result of me mushing everything for too long and not letting her discovering "real" food.
My son eats the likes of avocado, tomato, toast, grapes, cooked veg, chunks of chicken, beef or fish etc since just over 6 months. It is amazing how different the experience is with him. Im sure it doesn't guarantee he wont be picky, but for the time being its so pleasant to be able to all sit down and we can just offer him a selection of what we are having.
What I wish I had been told is that swallowing is not a reflex for babies, or for us either now that I think of it. In fact, it took him quite a bit of practice to realise once he had chewed the pieces enough the point was not to throw it back out! And thats what was the most reassuring for me, that he seemed to instinctively know at what point it was safe for him.

lounakin

My 8 months old daughter does not want to be spoonfed at all! She got a few purees around 5 months and then completely stopped, I'm glad I saw so many of you posting about finger food because that's all she'll have now. She only wants to feed herself! It's hilarious to see her play and enjoy food even if most of it is spat out or thrown on the floor!

javagal

Hi girls,
I'm new around here but looking for some tips on moving onto lumpier foods and finger foods in the next few weeks. Zoe is 6 months now and I've given her very little finger food mostly because I'm petrified.

Can anyone tell me when is the right time to start her and what's the best approach!

Thanks!!x

implausible

javagal wrote: »

Hi girls,
I'm new around here but looking for some tips on moving onto lumpier foods and finger foods in the next few weeks. Zoe is 6 months now and I've given her very little finger food mostly because I'm petrified.

Can anyone tell me when is the right time to start her and what's the best approach!

Thanks!!x

Is she taking purees? If so, as a cautious start, you can start to make them lumpier e.g. mash carrots instead of annihilating them. You can also try adding baby pasta shapes to her grub, to add texture to it.

As for finger foods, you really would be amazed at what they can manage. Rice cakes are great as they more or less dissolve. My wee woman loves fingers of toast and broccoli - she will suck and suck at them until there's nothing left. I've often had to check her highchair to see if she dropped them!

I also found Annabel Karmel books great for food ideas.

littlemissfixit

javagal wrote: »

Hi girls,
I'm new around here but looking for some tips on moving onto lumpier foods and finger foods in the next few weeks. Zoe is 6 months now and I've given her very little finger food mostly because I'm petrified.

Can anyone tell me when is the right time to start her and what's the best approach!

Thanks!!x

I was the same with my first, absolutely petrified and I think as a result I delayed to much introducing different textures, lumps, etc. This time around I have started him straight on finger food at 6 mths. Cut things in long pieces that she can grab easily, and let her handle them, don't put them in her mouth. Let her explore and play with it for as long as she enjoys it.
Things I started with were: steamed brocoli, carrots, parsnips, ripe pears, strawberries, banana, toast, pasta (I find fusillis the best shape) and then you can quickly move on to whatever you are eating. My son was 7 months at christmas and was tucking in to pieces of turkey and roast veg!!

lmullen

My 7 month old is eating a good variety of semi solids now and has yoghurts too. Just wondering is it ok to use full fat dairy milk in cooking or should I just put some of her formula in?

Ms2011

lmullen wrote: »

My 7 month old is eating a good variety of semi solids now and has yoghurts too. Just wondering is it ok to use full fat dairy milk in cooking or should I just put some of her formula in?

It's safe to give babies over six months cow's milk so it would be fine in cooking.
I use Super Milk as it has added Vit D in it for cereals & cooking for my 9 month old.

Neyite

lmullen wrote: »

My 7 month old is eating a good variety of semi solids now and has yoghurts too. Just wondering is it ok to use full fat dairy milk in cooking or should I just put some of her formula in?

I'm doing half-and half with milk for cereals and so on. half formula half cows milk. My uneducated theory being that when the time comes for him to drink cows milk he will be accustomed to the taste and also that his system will be used to it. So far so good, he hasn't had any problems digesting it.

implausible

My nearly nine month old has cow's milk in everything other than her cup. Once you know she's not sensitive to dairy and she's getting enough formula, it's no problem.

lounakin

So my little girl had her 9 months check-up today and she's underweight. I wasn't surprised as my entire family was always underweight until adulthood but still I can't help being a little worried. She hasn't gained any weight in 2 months, roughly when I started weaning her. She has gotten taller though.
Anyway, I thought the diet I provided for her was sufficient but the nurse said I should be giving her cereal in the morning. I bought some and it says I have to mix it with milk. I am not able to express any (it just doesn't work any more) and she's never had formula or cow's milk. I see from the thread it's quite common to use cow's milk for cooking as long as they don't drink loads of it. But which is best? Formula or cow's milk? To me both are unsuitable (the paediatrician said no cows milk before 1) but she should gain a little weight.

Julo12

lounakin wrote: »

So my little girl had her 9 months check-up today and she's underweight. I wasn't surprised as my entire family was always underweight until adulthood but still I can't help being a little worried. She hasn't gained any weight in 2 months, roughly when I started weaning her. She has gotten taller though.
Anyway, I thought the diet I provided for her was sufficient but the nurse said I should be giving her cereal in the morning. I bought some and it says I have to mix it with milk. I am not able to express any (it just doesn't work any more) and she's never had formula or cow's milk. I see from the thread it's quite common to use cow's milk for cooking as long as they don't drink loads of it. But which is best? Formula or cow's milk? To me both are unsuitable (the paediatrician said no cows milk before 1) but she should gain a little weight.

I just mix it with the fruit purée. Sometimes I mix in a little formula if the fruit portion is a little small but quite rarely. The one I have (ellas kitchen porridge) says to use milk too but really I think mixing it with fruit is perfect as it bulks up my runny purées and gives a bit more flavor than using milk or water.

lounakin

Julo12 wrote: »

I just mix it with the fruit purée. Sometimes I mix in a little formula if the fruit portion is a little small but quite rarely. The one I have (ellas kitchen porridge) says to use milk too but really I think mixing it with fruit is perfect as it bulks up my runny purées and gives a bit more flavor than using milk or water.

Oh that's a good idea

lounakin

Anybody get some issues with bleeding nappy rash with introduction of solids?

lmullen

Not bleeding but it was still a pretty nasty rash - it wasn't helped by the teething. I use loads of Bepantham which seems to help and clears it quickly too.

Rose35

Maybe this has been discussed before but the 6 month + milupa feeds state they are made with follow on milk!!!! Since this milk contains ingredients more like cows milk than the newborn to 12 month formula does anyone think that these cereals i.e rusk with pear and semolina with honey are ok for a 6 month old tummy to handle? I wouldnt consider using follow on milk as dont see the need, but its in the 6 month plus feeds. My little man had an upset tummy over weekend and now im wondering if it was the semolina with honey cereal i gave him with the 'made with follow on milk'. Anyone have a similiar experience?

How Strange

Who makes milupa? Aptamil who also make follow on milk. Of course they're going to encourage you to use more of their products.

There's no reason why you can't use cows milk for breakfast cereals etc after 6 months

Rose35

How Strange wrote: »

Who makes milupa? Aptamil who also make follow on milk. Of course they're going to encourage you to use more of their products.

There's no reason why you can't use cows milk for breakfast cereals etc after 6 months

Thought baby had to be 12 months before cows milk was introduced. The milupa feeds are made up with cooled boiled water but state on pack contain follow on milk.

I should have stated that its the contains follow on milk that im concerned about as its harsher on tummy in my opinion or am i just fretting over nothing

How Strange

It's fine to add cows milk to breakfast cereals etc but dilute it with a little water if you prefer. It's definitely better than follow on milk which is a highly processed product and is more expensive.

How Strange

Well at 6 months you could make your own semolina, creamed rice etc and use weetabix for breakfast. That way you control what your little one is eating as there's no hidden ingredients.

Rose35

How Strange wrote: »

Well at 6 months you could make your own semolina, creamed rice etc and use weetabix for breakfast. That way you control what your little one is eating as there's no hidden ingredients.

The milupa feeds are for the creche for afternoon snack. So i gave him one on saturday to see if he would like it, still not keen on giving cows milk to a 6 month old though, will use formula milk i think when making up my own.