Weaning FTM Clueless!!

Queen of Sheebs

Just starting weaning my little fella on Monday. Started with one teaspoon of baby rice and increased that by 1 teaspoon each day until today where he polished 4 teaspoons of babyrice mixed with 3oz of his formula.
I've no idea what to do next....when to fit in next feed, what to give, how much to give etc!!

At the moment his routine is awake at 9 ish. First bottle at 9.30 where he takes only about 5 oz (he has a really poor appetite in the morning). Bottles then at 1.30, 5 and 8.30. He generally sleeps until 1am when he looks for soother and wakes again at 3.30-4.30 for bottle (7oz), wakes again at 6 for soother. I'm giving him the baby rice at 12 noon (is that ok? He doesn't have anything to drink until the 1.30 bottle).

What do I do next??? How do I fit in a second feed? I'm thinking the second feed will be purees but again how much and at what time? Should i give him the bedtime banana rice in the hope that he'll speep through the night???

Anyone with any ideas or just share their routine would be great!! Thanks

Ayla

Wow, you sound so organised. With my girls I just blended up some potato, or sweet potato (yam), or carrot, or peas, or banana & gave it to them whenever they wanted it. They ate until they were done & I'd save the rest for the next time. Both of my girls ate loads from the start.

I didn't mess too much w/ the storebought cereals/porridge for a couple reasons: (1) i breastfed & couldn't be bothered to express to mix it in with the cereal, and (2) i think a lot of the storebought stuff is a rip-off & nutritionally unneccessary if you're providing a mixture of solids.

newmammy2011

Hi there,
Yeah weaning is great fun!:)
I started my 2 boys off about 2 months ago when they were 4 and a half months.
For the first week, I gave them 1 spoonfeed. which was babyrice or a fruit puree. This was with their 12 o clock bottle.
For the 2nd and 3rd and possible 4th week, I increased this to 2 feeds a day,one with after their 1st bottle at 7.30/8 (generally fruit mixed with baby rice) and then 2nd was with 12 bottle(generally pureed veg)
After that I went onto 3 spoonfeeds so was the same as 2nd and 3rd week and then another one at 4 with a bottle.Was fruit but in last few days they,ve had beans,egg and a few other bits!
Have been using Anabel Karmels book for recipes!
Routine is pretty much:
Awake at 7.30. 8oz bottle and breakfast.
12.00pm- 6oz bottle and dinner,
4pm -6oz bottle and tea
7.30-8pm - 8oz bottle and bed!

Queen of Sheebs

Thanks for the replies!
Just wondering Newmammy, when you say that its breakfast and bottle.....do you give the food first then bottle or vice versa or a mix?
Also do you wake your little one up to start the routine or do you just go with whenever they wake up? I'm totally confused as to how to fit in naps with feeding and bottles? I think I'll have to start a new routine.
Could I start replacing the baby rice with pureed carrott in the next day or two or should I stick with baby rice for a while? I know to give any new food for three days but as for how much I haven't a clue! My little one took very little in the way of bottles today.
Can I count the ounces of formula that I put into the baby rice?
Sorry for all the question as I said I'm clueless!

Lola92

I gave my daughter baby rice once and then never again - it tastes horrible!

You can make up big batches of steamed veg like broccoli, carrot, parsnip, sweet potato, butternut squash, cauliflower etc. and stew fruits like pear, peach,apple, nectarine, plum, and any other really. Then purée them with a hand blender to freeze in ice cube size portions. So handy! My lady used to love mashed banana and yoghurt too.

With regard to routines I never gave my daughter milk with her solids, it was far too much for her. She got water in a beaker afterwards and formula staggered between.

Rough idea:
7.30 - 6oz bottle
9.00 - breakfast
11.00 - bottle and nap
1.30 - lunch
3.00 - bottle and nap
6.00 - dinner
8.00 - bath & pajamas
8.30 - 8oz bottle & bed

Hope that helps!

Just edited to add I never woke my daughter up unless completely necessary, definitely not in the mornings anyway! The way I see it is if baby is still asleep they are obviously tired and need the rest! Mammy does too

newmammy2011

I usually give the bottle first and then spoonfeed. They would usually have a couple of minutes in between but wouldnt say I stagger the feeds.
Dont wake them up unless necessary!
I only gave them babyrice on its own for the first 2 days.....after that mixed it with fruit. They would eat babyrice with fresh(frozen) fruit but wouldnt eat the baby cereals.
Definitely 2nd what Lola said about making them up in batches!...So handy! I bought trays in boots for freezing food. Each portion was was about 1.5oz. They ate 1-1 &1/2 of these between the 2 of them at the start. I then gradually increased this and at 6.5 months they usually have 2 of these each now.
I count any oz's going into the babyrice or other meals. If they didnt finish there bottle I usually tipped a bit into their spoonfeed!
There are some days/feeds when they dont have much interest in their bottles...they much prefer their solids!!!
With regard to naptimes....they usually have go back to bed shortly after breakfast....usually around 9 or half 9 and sleep for about an hour and a half....but then only cat nap for the rest of the day....maybe having 20mins to half hour between each of the next feeds! Cant complain tho as I generally wont hear a peep from them all night!

Queen of Sheebs

Thanks a million for the info.....it's great to get an idea of what other people are at rather than the general info in the books etc.

Anyway had MAJOR success ....... He slept last night from last bottle 8.30 until 7.30 this morning!!! Wohoo!!! I had to get up 4 times to put his soother back in but I can do that in my sleep at this stage!!!!

He took a 7oz bottle this morning at 7.30. No going back to sleep...I did try but he was talking to himself in the cot so I decided to get up and start the day. He played away in his bouncer and highchair until 10. I then gave him 2 teaspoons of babyrice with a little of his formula and he took about 2 oz of milk afterwards. He slept for 2 hours after that.
At 2 o'clock, I gave him 2 oz of his bottle first and then 2 tablespoons of pureed carrot with a little of his formula. I left him a while and then gave him the rest of his bottle so 7oz in total. He's in bed now for his afternoon nap.

Going to give two more 7 oz bottles at 5 and 8.30.

I'm praying that we'll have a repeat performance tonight....am I kidding myself??:D

Thanks again for all the advice and info.