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The Weaning Thread

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    #122
    foxinsocks
    Registered Users Posts: 326 ✭✭foxinsocks


    Have just sat and watched Izzy (6 months and 1 week old) DESTROY some homemade tortilla pizza (idea from Annabel Karmel's finger food book) and some home made butternut squash and banana loaf (recipe from bbc food website).

    Course, when I say destroy, I mean lick and gum until mushy, rip the rest to pieces, and then pour most of the contents of her cup (water) on to her tray, mixing well. Also, she rubbed the mixture on her feet! So very funny. I'm reasonably sure she did swallow some of the food though.

    Baby lead weaning is fun.


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    #123
    missis aggie
    Registered Users Posts: 116 ✭✭missis aggie


    Baby led weaning is fun for babies and for us to watch them exploring and tasting food, having total control over what they eat and how much :) luckily I have two dogs so no mess here ;)


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    #124
    red fraggle
    Registered Users Posts: 862 ✭✭✭red fraggle


    WHEN CAN YOU START baby led weaning? at 6 months? my little one is nearly 5 months and we just started on baby rice. how long do i give her this until i can give her my homemade carrot puree etc!:rolleyes: shes only on tiny bit and is prob swallowin very little but its a start anyway


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    #125
    How Strange
    Registered Users Posts: 6,339 ✭✭✭How Strange


    red fraggle it's 6 months for baby led weaning. The tongue thrust has to stop before starting blw.


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    #126
    foxinsocks
    Registered Users Posts: 326 ✭✭foxinsocks


    :/ The whole point of baby led weaning is that you DON'T give purees, or baby rice, or any deliberately mushed up food. I'm not sure what you'd call what you're talking about. Maybe you're talking about giving finger foods at 6 months?

    Baby led weaning starts at 6 months, which is when they start to develop the physical skills necessary to feed themselves. You don't give any solids at all before then, as milk is 100% enough for them, and they won't even begin to digest any other food until 6 months at the EARLIEST.

    The recommendation is not to give solids at all before 6 months, I'm not entirely sure why you've started to give baby rice at 5 months, did you think your baby seemed hungry? Did her sleep patterns change? Need more info!


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    #127
    red fraggle
    Registered Users Posts: 862 ✭✭✭red fraggle


    foxinsocks wrote: »
    :/ did you think your baby seemed hungry? Did her sleep patterns change? Need more info!

    yes and yes to the above. she was also very interested in our food, had to sit at the table with us and was grabbing food from our plate. we felt we had to start even tho i would have liked to wait but i think it was the right decision. its very hard making these desisions especially with all the conflicting advice:eek::(


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    #128
    dublinlady
    Registered Users Posts: 1,992 ✭✭✭dublinlady


    red fraggle wrote: »
    foxinsocks wrote: »
    :/ did you think your baby seemed hungry? Did her sleep patterns change? Need more info!

    yes and yes to the above. she was also very interested in our food, had to sit at the table with us and was grabbing food from our plate. we felt we had to start even tho i would have liked to wait but i think it was the right decision. its very hard making these desisions especially with all the conflicting advice:eek::(


    I think there's conflicting advise as babies are all different and you can't make one rule for all. Hse advise is to start between 17 weeks and 6 months - I was always told you know by your baby when to start - u can't decide a time before u meet the person!!


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    #129
    How Strange
    Registered Users Posts: 6,339 ✭✭✭How Strange


    I totally agree about conflicting advice. Ask 10 healthcare professionals and you'll get 10 different answers. I read that if your baby's tongue thrust has stopped and they're sitting up before 6 months then they're ready. Grabbing food and putting it in their mouths isn't necessarily a sign as they put everything in their mouths at that stage. Night waking also isn't a sign of readiness as night waking is developmental and sleep through the night is a milestone.

    Sitting up is a sign that their gut is closed so food doesn't simply run through them and their tummies can process it. Thats why purée is purée because their gut is too young for food. The gut closing usually happens around the 5th month but could happen a month or so later.

    Baby led weaning is about letting your baby tell you when they're ready for food and letting them set the pace. They decide how much they'll eat and you shouldn't coax them or cajole them into eating more. That's why finger food is best; they pick it up, mush it, taste it etc.The theory is food is fun until one so it's for experimenting and exploring and milk should remain their main source of nutrition until one year. It suits breastfed babies more because they've most probably been fed on demand and not to a prescribed routine.


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    #130
    red fraggle
    Registered Users Posts: 862 ✭✭✭red fraggle


    just wondering when is the best time to give babies their little meal and when do you start to give 2 meals?


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    #131
    Hannibal Smith
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,893 ✭✭✭Hannibal Smith


    How long are you giving baby rice for red fraggle? Did you say she's 5 months? (can't believe she five months already) Is she devouring her brekkie?

    If so you can introduce a second meal. Have you got one of the baby food ice cube trays that you can put your purees in to? They're a god send because you can also keep account of how much they're eating.

    If you can get butternut squash or sweet potato you could start with that. Sometimes carrot can be clumpy when you puree it and can make them gag lol. If you can get the butternut squash already chopped up (I know superquinn) do it, all the better. Otherwise be prepared to cry! Lol

    With ordinary potatoes they recommend you mash them through a sieve as opposed to puree in a blender because its so starchy and becomes gloopy and vile looking.


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    #132
    red fraggle
    Registered Users Posts: 862 ✭✭✭red fraggle


    Hannibal Smith wrote: »
    How long are you giving baby rice for red fraggle? Did you say she's 5 months? (can't believe she five months already) Is she devouring her brekkie?

    If so you can introduce a second meal. Have you got one of the baby food ice cube trays that you can put your purees in to? They're a god send because you can also keep account of how much they're eating.

    If you can get butternut squash or sweet potato you could start with that. Sometimes carrot can be clumpy when you puree it and can make them gag lol. If you can get the butternut squash already chopped up (I know superquinn) do it, all the better. Otherwise be prepared to cry! Lol

    With ordinary potatoes they recommend you mash them through a sieve as opposed to puree in a blender because its so starchy and becomes gloopy and vile looking.

    i know where have those 5 months gone!!! she LOVES her food. shes eating carrots now. only thing is im not sure how much i should be giving her. do i let her decide??

    where would i get baby ice cube trays? are they normal ones?

    thanks for the tips. i got a sweet potato so might cook that next. i froze some turnip i made for myself yesterday so thats ready to go.

    thanks for the tips. so much learning for me never mind poor e!!!


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    #133
    Hannibal Smith
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,893 ✭✭✭Hannibal Smith


    red fraggle wrote: »
    i know where have those 5 months gone!!! she LOVES her food. shes eating carrots now. only thing is im not sure how much i should be giving her. do i let her decide??

    where would i get baby ice cube trays? are they normal ones?

    thanks for the tips. i got a sweet potato so might cook that next. i froze some turnip i made for myself yesterday so thats ready to go.

    thanks for the tips. so much learning for me never mind poor e!!!

    Babies will eat as much as you give them, so even when they're full they'll keep going and will end up puking half it back up. So that's why I find the icetrays so handy, because you can keep an account of how much they're eating. I got one online about 3 years ago, this is similar to it...http://www.tonykealys.com/oxo-tot-baby-food-freezer-tray.html For quantity, just use one to start off (I think one cube = 2 table spoons of food).

    So you make a big batch of something, say your sweet potato, save some for the day you've made it and put the rest of it in the tray and freeze it. After 24 hours, put it in a ziplock bag and just take a cube as you need it. Then make something else, say your turnip do the same thing and before you know it, you've a freezer drawer full of food to select from. You can keep the food for 6 weeks (I think) so you can write a date on the bag if you need.

    You can use a normal icecube tray if you like, but I find the baby ones more bendy and easier to get the cubes out of.


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    #134
    red fraggle
    Registered Users Posts: 862 ✭✭✭red fraggle


    Hannibal Smith wrote: »
    Babies will eat as much as you give them, so even when they're full they'll keep going and will end up puking half it back up. So that's why I find the icetrays so handy, because you can keep an account of how much they're eating. I got one online about 3 years ago, this is similar to it...http://www.tonykealys.com/oxo-tot-baby-food-freezer-tray.html For quantity, just use one to start off (I think one cube = 2 table spoons of food).

    So you make a big batch of something, say your sweet potato, save some for the day you've made it and put the rest of it in the tray and freeze it. After 24 hours, put it in a ziplock bag and just take a cube as you need it. Then make something else, say your turnip do the same thing and before you know it, you've a freezer drawer full of food to select from. You can keep the food for 6 weeks (I think) so you can write a date on the bag if you need.

    You can use a normal icecube tray if you like, but I find the baby ones more bendy and easier to get the cubes out of.

    cool thanks for the tips. i think 2 tablespoons is about what im giving her. i thought that too that if i keep feeding her she will keep eating til puking!! she roars when i finish giving it to her but i just distract her:rolleyes:


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    #135
    dublinlady
    Registered Users Posts: 1,992 ✭✭✭dublinlady


    red fraggle wrote: »
    Hannibal Smith wrote: »
    Babies will eat as much as you give them, so even when they're full they'll keep going and will end up puking half it back up. So that's why I find the icetrays so handy, because you can keep an account of how much they're eating. I got one online about 3 years ago, this is similar to it...http://www.tonykealys.com/oxo-tot-baby-food-freezer-tray.html For quantity, just use one to start off (I think one cube = 2 table spoons of food).

    So you make a big batch of something, say your sweet potato, save some for the day you've made it and put the rest of it in the tray and freeze it. After 24 hours, put it in a ziplock bag and just take a cube as you need it. Then make something else, say your turnip do the same thing and before you know it, you've a freezer drawer full of food to select from. You can keep the food for 6 weeks (I think) so you can write a date on the bag if you need.

    You can use a normal icecube tray if you like, but I find the baby ones more bendy and easier to get the cubes out of.

    cool thanks for the tips. i think 2 tablespoons is about what im giving her. i thought that too that if i keep feeding her she will keep eating til puking!! she roars when i finish giving it to her but i just distract her:rolleyes:

    How is it going now red?
    A had her first play with baby rice yest - and strawberry and banana baby cereal this morn! Loves it! Spits most back out - but swallows a few teaspoonfuls! Gives out when take it away! Think she just enjoys having new texture on her mouth -worth it even for that!


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    #136
    red fraggle
    Registered Users Posts: 862 ✭✭✭red fraggle


    dublinlady wrote: »
    How is it going now red?
    A had her first play with baby rice yest - and strawberry and banana baby cereal this morn! Loves it! Spits most back out - but swallows a few teaspoonfuls! Gives out when take it away! Think she just enjoys having new texture on her mouth -worth it even for that!

    its going great dublinlady. she loves her food. she had chicken the last few days and loves it. made a face at the different texture at first. so funny. its so hard to know how much you should feed them but i suppose we figure it out.

    its great she is taking to the spoon. its so exciting!! and messy and alot of work but good craic. they are growing so quick!:D


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    #137
    dublinlady
    Registered Users Posts: 1,992 ✭✭✭dublinlady


    Very messy... Very very messy!! Hehe! I love it! Totally appeals to the nerd in me too... So happy organising all my pots and ice cube trays etc... And my blender.. I love my blender....!!!


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    #138
    Ms2011
    Registered Users Posts: 3,119 ✭✭✭Ms2011


    Gonna be weaning J in about 4 weeks so have been keeping an eye out for any bits and pieces I might need and I found these great little pots in the Euro shop today for freezing batches of food. They are supposed to be used for making frozen drink shots but would work just as good for baby food, they are a good size and come with a little tray to sit the pots in so they are not falling all over the freezer. Best part is you get 8 for just €2, I thought they were great :)

    picture.php?albumid=2176&pictureid=13358


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    #139
    Xdancer
    Registered Users Posts: 752 ✭✭✭Xdancer


    Well my daughter's weaning was going great, she was eating anything and everything I gave her and I had started her on some finger foods too (she'll be 7 months tomorrow) then as of last Saturday she is refusing to eat her usual lunches and fruit purees. She will still drink her bottles, eat her cereal and literally salivates when she sees her yoghurt....very strange. My mother thinks it could be more teething (she has 2 bottom teeth) or the heat and she is losing her appetite a bit.

    As regards little pots and things for freezing and storing the purees, I use Babypotz. I got the starter pack which have 10 each of 1oz, 2oz, 3oz, 4oz and 5oz pots. They are so handy. I also use ice-cubre trays for the fruit purees.
    http://www.babypotz.com


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    #140
    dublinlady
    Registered Users Posts: 1,992 ✭✭✭dublinlady


    Gave A her first butternut squash purée yest - had lots of fun and she really enjoyed it! I gave it to her around 11am. She was fine all day - napped well etc, then we put her down at 10.30 for the night - she woke at 1am and I had to take her into the bed where she spent until 7am writhing and wriggling with discomfort - and farting! No sleep for me - well 1 hr b4 she woke - actually worse than when I was breastfeeding!!
    Anyone experience anything like this?? I'm thinking back to baby rice and cereal and then try introduce it again in few days but less than I did - maybe mix some in with some rice? I gave it straight. She seems to really want and enjoy her morning meal so don't want to take it away.... But rice and cereal aren't what I had in mind!!! She had those for 3 days with no problems after.


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    #141
    Xdancer
    Registered Users Posts: 752 ✭✭✭Xdancer


    dublinlady wrote: »
    Gave A her first butternut squash purée yest - had lots of fun and she really enjoyed it! I gave it to her around 11am. She was fine all day - napped well etc, then we put her down at 10.30 for the night - she woke at 1am and I had to take her into the bed where she spent until 7am writhing and wriggling with discomfort - and farting! No sleep for me - well 1 hr b4 she woke - actually worse than when I was breastfeeding!!
    Anyone experience anything like this?? I'm thinking back to baby rice and cereal and then try introduce it again in few days but less than I did - maybe mix some in with some rice? I gave it straight. She seems to really want and enjoy her morning meal so don't want to take it away.... But rice and cereal aren't what I had in mind!!! She had those for 3 days with no problems after.

    I experienced something similar with my little girl, and found that she took to pureed fruit better than vegetables so I stuck with fruit for a few days, then tried sweet potato again and she had a bad night's sleep.
    I went to the pharmacy and bought these granules that you can add to a baby's bottle to aid digestion - chamomile and fennel. I added this to her last bottle of the day for a week or 2 and it seemed to help.


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    #142
    dublinlady
    Registered Users Posts: 1,992 ✭✭✭dublinlady


    Xdancer wrote: »
    dublinlady wrote: »
    Gave A her first butternut squash purée yest - had lots of fun and she really enjoyed it! I gave it to her around 11am. She was fine all day - napped well etc, then we put her down at 10.30 for the night - she woke at 1am and I had to take her into the bed where she spent until 7am writhing and wriggling with discomfort - and farting! No sleep for me - well 1 hr b4 she woke - actually worse than when I was breastfeeding!!
    Anyone experience anything like this?? I'm thinking back to baby rice and cereal and then try introduce it again in few days but less than I did - maybe mix some in with some rice? I gave it straight. She seems to really want and enjoy her morning meal so don't want to take it away.... But rice and cereal aren't what I had in mind!!! She had those for 3 days with no problems after.

    I experienced something similar with my little girl, and found that she took to pureed fruit better than vegetables so I stuck with fruit for a few days, then tried sweet potato again and she had a bad night's sleep.
    I went to the pharmacy and bought these granules that you can add to a baby's bottle to aid digestion - chamomile and fennel. I added this to her last bottle of the day for a week or 2 and it seemed to help.

    That's rreally interesting thanks! Do u remember the name of granules? Sure I can just go in and ask!
    I think I'll try rice or cereal and then maybe add done banana or sonething if fruit better!
    Mind u I just offered her cereal and she didn't want at all! Will leave her be with her bottles at all and see! Thing is over last few days shes much hungrier! Downing her bottles which is great!


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    #143
    Xdancer
    Registered Users Posts: 752 ✭✭✭Xdancer


    dublinlady wrote: »
    That's rreally interesting thanks! Do u remember the name of granules? Sure I can just go in and ask!
    I think I'll try rice or cereal and then maybe add done banana or sonething if fruit better!
    Mind u I just offered her cereal and she didn't want at all! Will leave her be with her bottles at all and see! Thing is over last few days shes much hungrier! Downing her bottles which is great!

    They're called Blevit Digest, but I don't think they are available in Ireland. I think the Spanish equivalent of Aptamil do something similar, so you should be able to get that.
    I keep a tub of them now just in case, I introduce something new to her at least once a week so I like to have them on standby.


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    #144
    red fraggle
    Registered Users Posts: 862 ✭✭✭red fraggle


    maybe some chamomile tea in the evening might help as it helps with the digestion in some way. i give E about 2/3 oz half an hour to an hour before bed and i think it helps her. health shop said just give it a bit more watered down than you would for yourself but ya could always go in and ask anyway. and its only about 2 euro for 20 bags!:D


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    #145
    liliq
    Registered Users Posts: 2,242 ✭✭✭liliq


    Love babypotz!
    I use them now for freezing hummus or portions of berries etc, and then just put them in the changing back if we're going out and they defrost along the way :) They're great in the dishwasher as well :)
    AND they're Irish :D


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    #146
    Xdancer
    Registered Users Posts: 752 ✭✭✭Xdancer


    liliq wrote: »
    Love babypotz!
    I use them now for freezing hummus or portions of berries etc, and then just put them in the changing back if we're going out and they defrost along the way :) They're great in the dishwasher as well :)
    AND they're Irish :D

    I know. They're so handy. My sister's phn told her about them and she told me. They ship abroad too which was very handy for me. Baby stuff is so expensive here!


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    #147
    Ellsbells
    Closed Accounts Posts: 985 ✭✭✭Ellsbells


    What do you put with the baby rice? Ds is 7 months and eats potato, veg etc but hasn't had rice. Any ideas?


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    #148
    How Strange
    Registered Users Posts: 6,339 ✭✭✭How Strange


    Ellsbells I'd say at 7 months your son is too old for baby rice. It's usually given to babies who are weaned around 16 weeks. There's no reason to give it to him. At 7 months his good should be lumpy in texture and he should be given finger foods to hold, eat/mush up himself.


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    #149
    Ellsbells
    Closed Accounts Posts: 985 ✭✭✭Ellsbells


    Yeah he is on that stuff but the dietitian (has v bad reflux) said to give him the rice at tea time...


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    #150
    How Strange
    Registered Users Posts: 6,339 ✭✭✭How Strange


    In that case I'd give readybrek or some adult food with a similar consistency as baby rice has zero nutritional benefit. It's an empty carb that just fills the tummy.


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    #151
    Hannibal Smith
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,893 ✭✭✭Hannibal Smith


    You can put anything with it...apples...pears....any kind of fruit or vegetable you like ellsbells. Fruit can make them windy though, so if you mix it with apple and he wakes up screaming in the night, I apologise in advance for suggesting it ;)

    You can mix the fruit and veg with natural yogurt too, for something a bit different. Just check with your dietitian that the baby is old enough...I can't remember was it from 7 months, or 8 months that I used it.


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