To be disappointed that weaning isn't anywhere near as much fun as I expected it to be?

[WhoahThere]

Loads of mess and a bit tedious. And when will she actually eat something?

[Sirzy]

Depends on the child. DS was an easy weaner so was eating properly at 6 months by 8 months he was happily eating meals.

[MissPenteuth]

At the beginning it's as much about learning how to eat as about actual eating. The saying goes 'food is for fun until one', which means that until they're 1yo they're still getting the nutrition they need from milk, so don't worry too much about what and how much they eat. Just let them experiment!

[DoMeDon]

Why do you find it so messy and tedious?

Put down a splash mat and put plastic bib on baby - all sponge clean in seconds. Let baby get on with it finger food wise and give somepuree so you get satisfaction of them eating.

I loved weaning as it was warm up to eating out. I love eating out and DD now loves it too.

[GreenEyesandHam]

I have three children and I have to say, weaning wasn't one of my favourite stages!

I hated the mess, pure and simple. I wish they could just stay on milk feeds until they are four.

[Bearcrumble]

I hated the early days of weaning - loads of faff, loads of mess, having to have a routine.

I thought he'd never swallow anything.

I had been making a fundamental mistake - I'd been overloading the spoon. Someone pointed this out to me, and I started giving him tiny spoonfuls and things started to go a lot better. Then I started not worrying about buying pouches rather than making my own and things got even more better. I did finger food too - I think it's good to do a bit of both from the start.

[CharlotteBronteSaurus]

definitely depends on the child
dd1 was lovely to wean. she ate everything i placed in front of her, with as little mess as can be expected. by 9mo she was fully weaned, at 12mo she was complimented on her table manners and palate by the maitre d' of a michelin starred restaurant.

dd2 shouts throughout mealtimes, really shouts - we've given up wondering if she's too tired/uncomfortable/too hungry/not hungry enough, and accepted it. she shouts, and bangs, and throws things, and smears, and spits over the side of the high chair for her own entertainment. I daren't even take her to McDonalds.

[EverythingsNotRosie]

We're on the messy side here. DD is 8 months and smears food everywhere. I don't mind that too much, but I mind the constant repetitve cycle- milk, breakfast, milk, snack, lunch... Yawn!

[DialMforMummy]

YANBU. I hated this phase. I did not expect to hate so much.

[ceebeegeebies]

I know what you mean - from what I can remember with my 2 DC, it seemed like I was constantly doing some kind of feeding all the time every day - bottle, breakfast, bottle, lunch, bottle, tea, bottle....it did become very tedious very quickly!

But, funnily enough, I look at babies who are 5/6 months old now and get slightly of their parents just starting the weaning stage...rose-tinted glasses I guess

[slartybartfast]

oh yes, i hated it too, stuck inside after the freedom of a portable baby, it is a shock to the system.