to have let my 2 year old wean my DD??

[KateBeckinsale]

I've got a 2 yo DS and a 17 week old DD.

DD has been exclusively breastfed but she's moving quickly, she can near enough sit up on her own and she can sit up in a bumbo seat. She's always chewing on her hands and wants to eat my food to the point that I have to eat in a different room or all hell breaks loose. She has always slept through the night from birth as she's fed on demand through the day, but the past 3 nights she's been waking up hungry. This could also be due to the fact she's getting her first tooth.

DS was weaned early under a consultant due to horrendous reflux so I wanted to wait until 6 months with DD and enjoy breastfeeding.

However, today I gave DS a biscuit and went to get him some juice. Had a slight incident knocking a vase of flowers over and so I was clearing that up so he had a good few minutes with DD who was sat in her bumbo seat. When I came back DD had the biscuit in her hand, in her mouth munching away!!! I took the biscuit off her and she screamed blue murder but she'd already had some of it anyway! I tried her with a tiny bit of baby rice yesterday afternoon after this incidence and she feeds off a spoon properly! She also screamed for more.

So do I go against advice and wean her or do I stick to the 6 month rule? I don't know what to do for the best.

[KateBeckinsale]

Sorry, he gave her the biscuit yesterday not today.

[greensnail]

17 weeks does seem early, but if she's capable of sitting up and feeding herself then it does sound like she's ready. I think i'd be inclined to offer her some finger food when she's sat in her bumbo and let her get on with it. If she's not ready, she won't eat it.

[porcamiseria]

and you are asking on here!!! crazy lady

fuck what other people think, do YOU think its OK to start him on food??? if yes, do so and check with your healthcare provider. many people start nearer 5 months anyway as have to go back to work etc

[KateBeckinsale]

What sort of finger foods can I give her so young? Don't really want to give her rusks etc. Can she go straight on veg?

[greensnail]

Yes, have a read up on baby led weaning. We started DD1 when she was about 22 weeks as she grabbed some brocolli off my plate and ate it. We started by just offering some veg off our plates while we were eating. I think fruit was popular in the early days as well, strawberries and bananas were good and she used to nibble on rice cakes too.

At 17 weeks you'd probably want to start quite slowly so maybe just veg for a while. Once they're 6 months they can have pretty much anything except honey and whole nuts, and obviously you need to keep an eye on sugar and salt content. No more than 1g salt a day until she's a year old.

[glasgowmandy]

i started weaning my DD at that age and she is fine! i started her on rice then pureed fruit and veg, then just mixed them together! she loved it, then i just started on the baby porridge and by 8 months she has 3 good meals a day, im still scard at what to give her, i usually styick with porridge then a jar of food thats got a meat in it, chicken, or turkey or beef etc then a beggy meal for dinner, each folloed by pot of fruit or a yoghurt, i havtn tryed finger foods yet im alittle paranoid about chocking! can you really give them almost anything now? like food i make for me and my partner can i give her the same? i stick the jars to be safe lol, first time parent!! x

[greensnail]

yes, they really can have just what you have. DD1 is 17 months now and I have never cooked separate food for her, she's always had exactly the same as us. She's a brilliant eater now and will eat absolutely anything - shared an indian takeaway with us this week (not that i'd recommend that on a regular basis!)

[glasgowmandy]

i just thought because of things in the stuff we eat.. if i cook something with dolmio sauce or whatever kind of sauce im using, or stock cubes, or things like haggis! can she have little bits of that? i exhaust myself, i make me and DP dinner then i make hers, i usually for her dinner fling in loads of different beggies in a pot and mash it all up and she has that for dinner, and some fruit, and as i said at lunch i give her a jar of cottage pir or caserole, or spagetti bolo, somthing meaty but always jarred. she will eat anything i think im just worried, i think i have a bit of anxiety actually, about what might harm her. i freaked out the other day giving her toast and butter, just incase she shouldnt have wheat! i sound like a crazy person x

[greensnail]

All those things are fine, but you do need to keep an eye on the salt content if you're using prepared foods like stock cubes or jars of sauce. So long as you check the label and make sure she's not getting too much salt in her portion of it. Boots do baby stock cubes which don't contain salt so I just use those for all of us. You could either make your sauces from scratch with all the time you're saving by not cooking twice, or just check the prepared sauces (which is what I do!)

Wheat is fine from 6 months

[glasgowmandy]

how much salt is ok? yeah ive seen them stockcubes, will prb just use them instead for all of us, i would never add salt anyways, i just add to taste once its ready, i alwasy feed her first then get her bathed ready for bed for about 7 then i make dinner for me and other half then im shattered lol, i feed her at 8am, 12pm and 4pm im a bit weird about my routine times, thinks that the anxiety thing in me x

[pigletmania]

Go for it, your dd sounds as though she is ready, is sitting up, taking an active interest in food and wanting to eat it. Do what you feel is best, I weaned dd at 4 months, that was recommended then 3 years ago, and she is absoulutely fine. Try veg, soft fruit, grated cheese, yoghurt, stewed apple etc and see how you get on, as she gets used to these try different things. Mabey homemade soup too.

[pigletmania]

oh greensnail did not know that, will have to used them for us aswell as stock cubes are quite salty.

[greensnail]

maximum 1g salt (0.4g sodium) a day up to a year old.

maximum 2g salt (0.8g sodium) a day age 1-3 years.