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The Weaning Thread

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    #842
    Pocos
    Registered Users Posts: 336 ✭✭Pocos


    Crybabygeeks wrote: »
    Hi everyone. Have a 4 month old that I think will need to start solids within next month or so. currently BF and looking for a good resource to help me understand and start the process.

    Have heard baby led is good and worthwhile in the long run but unsure of how it works

    Any help or links much appreciated!

    Thanks all.

    I have a 6 month old and we started solids 2 weeks ago! To be honest I went to about 3 or 4 different sources and they all tend to say the same things but in different order and amount! So the assumption I came to was there’s no way of doing it wrong per say! Just introduce foods slowly!

    But I am interested to hear other people’s opinions and advice as I’m completely winging it! :)


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    #843
    bee06
    Registered Users Posts: 4,514 ✭✭✭bee06


    Crybabygeeks wrote: »
    Hi everyone. Have a 4 month old that I think will need to start solids within next month or so. currently BF and looking for a good resource to help me understand and start the process.

    Have heard baby led is good and worthwhile in the long run but unsure of how it works

    Any help or links much appreciated!

    Thanks all.

    To start baby led weaning the baby has to have lost their tongue thrust (the reflex to push things out of their mouth) and be able to sit up well (they need to be able to push themselves forward when they gag). These things usually don’t happen before 6 months. Basically you give them finger food instead of purees. Chip shaped so they can pick them up and long enough so there is some sticking out the end. They eat very little at the start but it’s all about learning to chew, move food around the mouth, picking up food, texture etc. I would also recommend a first aid course because babies do gag and it’s completely normal but it’s nervewracking!

    We started last week at 6 months and so far he’s had a good few different veg, shredded chicken, scrambled egg, nectarine and banana pancakes.


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    #844
    Crybabygeeks
    Registered Users Posts: 256 ✭✭Crybabygeeks


    bee06 wrote: »
    To start baby led weaning the baby has to have lost their tongue thrust (the reflex to push things out of their mouth) and be able to sit up well (they need to be able to push themselves forward when they gag). These things usually don’t happen before 6 months. Basically you give them finger food instead of purees. Chip shaped so they can pick them up and long enough so there is some sticking out the end. They eat very little at the start but it’s all about learning to chew, move food around the mouth, picking up food, texture etc. I would also recommend a first aid course because babies do gag and it’s completely normal but it’s nervewracking!

    We started last week at 6 months and so far he’s had a good few different veg, shredded chicken, scrambled egg, nectarine and banana pancakes.

    Great thanks bee. Must look into the first aid course too to have the basics. Are you pureeing everything or cutting it up?


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    #845
    bee06
    Registered Users Posts: 4,514 ✭✭✭bee06


    Crybabygeeks wrote: »
    Great thanks bee. Must look into the first aid course too to have the basics. Are you pureeing everything or cutting it up?

    I’m doing all finger food.


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    #846
    Toots
    Administrators, Business & Finance Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 16,905 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Toots


    Quick question for you guys, I started introducing a small bit of solids last week - a little bit of pureed fruit or veg at lunch time - and my daughter is really enjoying it. How long do I leave it before introducing a second "meal" in the day? She gets very annoyed when we're having dinner because she wants to be eating as well, but I don't want to go to fast. I thought I'd never forget this stuff, but I can't remember how long we left it before adding meals with my son.


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    #847
    shesty
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,893 Mod ✭✭✭✭shesty


    If she wants something Toots, I'd give it to her.There's guidelines, but no hard and fast rules let's face it :-).A couple of small spoons of something will hopefully keep her happy!
    Unfortunately this is the problem with second and subsequent kids, the rules change for them because they demand what their siblings have!!!!


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    #848
    Milly33
    Registered Users Posts: 8,638 ✭✭✭Milly33


    I introduced one meal each week. First week went for brekkie or well 11 brekkie and gradually cut down that bottle feed too, then the following week went with dinner and done the same with the bottle. The book I go back to reference says she should be on three meals a day but they she isn't up at the crack of dawn so tis more brunch she gets.. She is happy with it so going with it..
    Kinda started to give her the odd snack during the day too, like even if we are having dinner early she can have half a lega or piece of bread (just so messy :)) maybe a bit of yogurt.. Tried her recently with Apricots and she loves them, I think she likes the texture of something a little more chunky and also the melt in the mouth bit. Also tired chicken this week and she is getting there, not too sure of it but working with it... It is actually lovely Chicken and Garlic blended like a pate, id have it for a party piece on toast or something.. Really enjoying making up the foods...Have her drinking better out of the cup now too trying to get rid of the bottles at brekkie and lunch time so working on the cup daily with her..


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    #849
    Toots
    Administrators, Business & Finance Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 16,905 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Toots


    Thanks guys! I think I'll let her have a bit of sweet potato during dinner this evening. She had apple and pear for lunch so that'll be 2 meals today and we'll see how she gets on. We had these banana wafer things for her - basically a communion wafer that had spent time in the same room as a banana - and she really liked them, but I noticed the days we gave her them, she'd be very unsettled going to bed, so I'm not sure if she was finding them hard to digest.

    Not looking forward to the change in the nappies. I've gotten used to the virtually-odorless breastmilk poos :pac:


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    #850
    Milly33
    Registered Users Posts: 8,638 ✭✭✭Milly33


    Oh the stinkers!!! haha they are quite potent the new poops.... What are these wafer things they sound good and mess free.. Herself loves the lega but it is so messy... Could be the banana flavour, do you or your hubbie have any allergies or something like that with foods? Himself cant eat bananas gives him stomach pains and found herself was the same, while she liked it and would it, similar to your little one she was upset later and spewed a lot more after it..


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    #851
    Pocos
    Registered Users Posts: 336 ✭✭Pocos


    Hi ladies just following the thread there! Someone mentioned about reducing milk feed during the solid food times and using cups!

    In the cup feeding what are ye giving? Is it milk or water? I’m EBF but haven’t reduced how often I Breast feed should I be? I think it’s kinda happening naturally but is it something I should be doing?? This weaning thing is very confusing :(


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    #852
    Toots
    Administrators, Business & Finance Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 16,905 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Toots


    Milly33 wrote: »
    Oh the stinkers!!! haha they are quite potent the new poops.... What are these wafer things they sound good and mess free.. Herself loves the lega but it is so messy... Could be the banana flavour, do you or your hubbie have any allergies or something like that with foods? Himself cant eat bananas gives him stomach pains and found herself was the same, while she liked it and would it, similar to your little one she was upset later and spewed a lot more after it..

    These are the wafers, TBH they are probably only marginally less messy than a liga - there aren't crumbs but if she spits a bit out it sticks all over the place. She somehow managed to mash a bit into her hair and ear and I ended up having to soak it off with a wet facecloth. Neither myself or my hubby have any food allergies. It happened with both the banana and the blueberry flavour, so I think it might be just that the wafer itself is a bit hard for her to digest yet. I'll try her with another little bit in a few weeks and see how she goes. Today she had the apple and pear at lunch time and then the sweet potato at tea time and seemed fine.
    Pocos wrote: »
    Hi ladies just following the thread there! Someone mentioned about reducing milk feed during the solid food times and using cups!

    In the cup feeding what are ye giving? Is it milk or water? I’m EBF but haven’t reduced how often I Breast feed should I be? I think it’s kinda happening naturally but is it something I should be doing?? This weaning thing is very confusing :(

    I'm EBF too and haven't reduced how often I breastfeed, I've just been doing it on demand whenever she looks for it. It's all new to me because breastfeeding didn't work out with my son and he got formula instead. That being said, I'm not 100% sure how I weaned with him either, you'd think you'd never forget this stuff!! I know with my daughter, the PHN said basically you give the solid feed and then when they've either eaten it all or won't eat any more, you offer the breast and let them feed/drink as normal. That's what I've been doing for the last week and so far so good. In terms of quantity, she'd only be getting about a tablespoon or so of puree, so I'm not concerned about overfeeding her.


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    #853
    bee06
    Registered Users Posts: 4,514 ✭✭✭bee06


    This is a good article on solids and breastfeeding.

    https://kellymom.com/nutrition/starting-solids/solids-how/


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    #854
    Anne_cordelia
    Registered Users Posts: 446 ✭✭Anne_cordelia


    Always breastfeed/offer bottle before a solid feed. This applies up to age 1 as milk should be their main source of nutrition until then. Keep feeding on demand. Feeds will naturally reduce as they get more established on solids. I haven’t really heard of people getting rid of daytime bottles at such a young age. Most babies I know are still on 3 bottles a day at age 1 even though officially PHN says bottles should be gone by 1. My babies always just ate when we were eating if they were awake so could have eaten 2-5 times a day even from 6 months.


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    #855
    Ms2011
    Registered Users Posts: 3,119 ✭✭✭Ms2011


    Pocos wrote: »
    Hi ladies just following the thread there! Someone mentioned about reducing milk feed during the solid food times and using cups!

    In the cup feeding what are ye giving? Is it milk or water? I’m EBF but haven’t reduced how often I Breast feed should I be? I think it’s kinda happening naturally but is it something I should be doing?? This weaning thing is very confusing :(

    Breast/Formula milk should be your baby's primary source of food until they are one so I wouldn't actively reduce milk consumption. It's fine if your baby does it by themselves but otherwise allow them to have as much milk and as often as they want.


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    #856
    Pocos
    Registered Users Posts: 336 ✭✭Pocos


    Thanks all! Some very good advice there! Hard to know isn’t it what’s right or wrong. Like if I offer breast first she barely eats the solids as she is full from the milk!

    But she’s happy and seems to be getting on developmentally so I’ll continue what I’m doing!


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    #857
    Milly33
    Registered Users Posts: 8,638 ✭✭✭Milly33


    Might have been me mentioned it Pocos, I am not breastfeeding and have been cutting down the milk... I did breast feed at the beginning and well still went with a schedule could never do this feeding on demand....But anywho it is recommended to cut down on the general milk intake for formula anywho, makes sense to me if you are getting a main meal then (unless tis wine) you would drink less milk...

    She still gets her recommended milk intake and a little above (as all babies are different) but the plan would be to cut down on the two smaller bottles (she gets two 3oz btls with meals). Cut these out altogether, either give her a drink or water, some flavoured water, or give her a little milk in a cup.. Must say the cup thing is going rather well, tried the sippy cup and a kinda bottle cup thing but she does much better drinking out of the cup itself..

    Thanks Toots must take a looksie at the wafers, seems like all the ingredients are good too which is a bonus.. It has to be less messer than lega, oh tis mad where they get it. Even the old storage spot for food under their chins the things they manage to keep in there, no matter how well you clean it....


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    #858
    Milly33
    Registered Users Posts: 8,638 ✭✭✭Milly33


    Anne_cordelia wrote: »
    Always breastfeed/offer bottle before a solid feed. This applies up to age 1 as milk should be their main source of nutrition until then. Keep feeding on demand. Feeds will naturally reduce as they get more established on solids. I haven’t really heard of people getting rid of daytime bottles at such a young age. Most babies I know are still on 3 bottles a day at age 1 even though officially PHN says bottles should be gone by 1. My babies always just ate when we were eating if they were awake so could have eaten 2-5 times a day even from 6 months.

    Anything then I have come across then, says to feed after giving the solids :)Makes sense when you think sure they would be full after a feed either formula or breast.. Or that you offer half a feed, then the solids and offer more milk then after if they are still hungry..


    Go with whatever suits though Pocos, Mother knows Best :)


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    #859
    bee06
    Registered Users Posts: 4,514 ✭✭✭bee06


    Pocos wrote: »
    Thanks all! Some very good advice there! Hard to know isn’t it what’s right or wrong. Like if I offer breast first she barely eats the solids as she is full from the milk!

    But she’s happy and seems to be getting on developmentally so I’ll continue what I’m doing!

    When breastfeeding the recommendation is to feed maybe 45-60 mins before solids. Considering my fella sleeps every 2 hours it’s tricky to fit it all in though. The way I think about solids is that it doesn’t matter how much they eat, it’s all about them learning to swallow non-BM, get used to different tastes, let their little tummy’s adjust to then food, once they’re eating finger food it’s learning to chew, move food around their mouth, picking it up. Don’t think of food as something to fill them, that’s what breastmilk is for, solids are developmental until they are 1.


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    #860
    Ms2011
    Registered Users Posts: 3,119 ✭✭✭Ms2011


    bee06 wrote: »
    When breastfeeding the recommendation is to feed maybe 45-60 mins before solids. Considering my fella sleeps every 2 hours it’s tricky to fit it all in though. The way I think about solids is that it doesn’t matter how much they eat, it’s all about them learning to swallow non-BM, get used to different tastes, let their little tummy’s adjust to then food, once they’re eating finger food it’s learning to chew, move food around their mouth, picking it up. Don’t think of food as something to fill them, that’s what breastmilk is for, solids are developmental until they are 1.

    This is it exactly plus they don't get the instant gratification to their hunger from solids as they do from milk so having them too hungry at mealtimes can be counter productive as they get too frustrated with the solids to really learn what they should be from the experience.


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    #861
    Pocos
    Registered Users Posts: 336 ✭✭Pocos


    Thanks all! Yes I know it’s just getting used to foods at the moment! I suppose I’m back to work soon and she won’t take a bottle so kinda suits me to try and reduce milk intake during the day (9-5) and give it in sippy cups instead! So that’s why I do solids first! It’s more to keep her going while I’m not around!

    Thanks for taking the time to reply :)


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    #862
    shesty
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,893 Mod ✭✭✭✭shesty


    Pocos, I'd just give her her food at breakfast lunch dinner (or however many meals she's on now) and fit feeds around that.You will find over time she is less interested in some of the feeds and they will gradually adjust.I don't think I'd be too fussed about whether the milk comes first or not.But definitely milk is the primary source of nutrition, do't forget to tell yourself that on the days she's not pushed about eating.


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    #863
    bee06
    Registered Users Posts: 4,514 ✭✭✭bee06


    Babies are clever anyway. She won’t let herself starve.


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    #864
    Pocos
    Registered Users Posts: 336 ✭✭Pocos


    shesty wrote: »
    Pocos, I'd just give her her food at breakfast lunch dinner (or however many meals she's on now) and fit feeds around that.You will find over time she is less interested in some of the feeds and they will gradually adjust.I don't think I'd be too fussed about whether the milk comes first or not.But definitely milk is the primary source of nutrition, do't forget to tell yourself that on the days she's not pushed about eating.

    Thanks shesty today she has no interest in milk and only in solids! Trying to keep up is tough!!! Boobs are hard and sore as she’s not feeding enough! Hopefully in a few days it will all calm down and get into a rhythm


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    #865
    shesty
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,893 Mod ✭✭✭✭shesty


    They like to keep you on your toes!!


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    #866
    Pocos
    Registered Users Posts: 336 ✭✭Pocos


    They sure do!!! There’s so much to learn in such a short space of time!!!


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    #867
    Toots
    Administrators, Business & Finance Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 16,905 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Toots


    Right, well she's worked out that the weird gooey stuff I've been shoving in her gob is actually food and now I can't get it in fast enough! She's barely swallowed one spoonful and she's got her mouth open and is leaning forward looking for the next one :pac: She's exactly like her big brother was when he was starting food. I remember having to say "last one!" every time I got to the end of a bowl of food to avoid a meltdown. I was chatting to my mum as I was feeding her yesterday at dinner, and obviously wasn't shoveling food in at the pace she wanted and she actually growled at me! I think she thinks she's the dog :pac:


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    #868
    scarepanda
    Registered Users Posts: 3,438 ✭✭✭scarepanda


    Toots, your last couple of sentences made me laugh, my girl was the same! She was fine for me because I'd shovel the food quick enough for her, but my husband wouldn't because it looked mad to feed her that quickly. She'd have a melt down with him (and everyone else) everytime until I'd remind them that they need to feed her quicker. She used to whinge and grunt to get her point across.


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    #869
    Toots
    Administrators, Business & Finance Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 16,905 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Toots


    My son was the same although you'd really have to leave him waiting before got vocal about it. He'd sit there with his mouth open like a little bird and then he'd open wider and wider and eventually he'd whinge. Madam just goes straight to a good loud shout. :pac: My husband is yet to feed her. He says it's because he's in work when she's getting her lunch and dinner but I think he's afraid he's forgotten how to do it :pac:


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    #870
    Milly33
    Registered Users Posts: 8,638 ✭✭✭Milly33


    haha the food monsters, herself will shout at me after a while if she see's the food out and I maybe make a cup of coffee and a slice of toast before giving it to her, its like Hi Mom, Hi Mom, HI MOM!! and then carnage... Trying to teach her a little sign language and found that she much prefers the sign for all gone rather than telling her, tell her and its like the world has ended, sign it and she thinks it is funny


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    #871
    dori_dormer
    Registered Users Posts: 1,919 ✭✭✭dori_dormer


    Milly33 wrote: »
    haha the food monsters, herself will shout at me after a while if she see's the food out and I maybe make a cup of coffee and a slice of toast before giving it to her, its like Hi Mom, Hi Mom, HI MOM!! and then carnage... Trying to teach her a little sign language and found that she much prefers the sign for all gone rather than telling her, tell her and its like the world has ended, sign it and she thinks it is funny

    We taught our chubster a few signs too! The only ones that stuck were food and more!


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