Worried about weaning - am I doing it right?

[newmum234]

So my DS (6 months) started weaning about a week ago. So far he’s tried a variety of foods - sweet potato, broccoli, carrot, cauliflower, banana, watermelon, strawberries, scrambled eggs (made with eggs and whole milk) and toast fingers. Some of this has been served as purée and other bits as finger food. He currently has one meal a day at lunchtime.

Is this okay as an introduction to weaning? I thought food before one is just for fun so was feeling quite chilled about it all, but on another thread posters have informed me this is not in fact the case. Now I’m really worried that I haven’t given DS the best start with food - and am wondering where to go from here.

What do you think?

[Nix2020]

Best advice on weaning is to follow your gut and go from there. Weaning doesn't need to be COMPLICATED, your letting them try new foods and textures and that sounds good to me.

You sound like your doing fab.

[sausagerole]

You sound like you're doing great, OP. I've been trying to get around to weaning DS but between the elder children's bubbles being closed/ isolating and half term I've tried him on puréed peas and that's it!

[tissueboxx]

I did three meals a day which dd1 took to fine. Dd2 just wanted milk half the time and so played with her food a few times a day then filled up on milk. Both are good eaters now at 5 and 7 (after the fussy toddler years!). Sounds like you're doing a good job, follow your baby's cues and don't worry about what others are doing. If he's growing and happy he's getting what he needs.

[whoareyouIwonder]

Sounds perfect.

Best advice? Stop reading threads and go with your gut.

[Knittedkitten]

It sounds like you are doing really well! At the beginning it varies so much how interested they are and how much they will take. They do need to take more and different textures etc before they try one but this is over several months and you’ve already given a good variety.

[Lisa78Lemon]

This sounds brilliant for 6 months old!

[LeGrandBleu]

@newmum234 weaning is one of the most exciting phase of parenting, you have the pleasure and joy to make your baby discover the richness of food.

Food before one is not for fun, on the contrary it will shape your baby's preferences and taste.
You are giving a fantastic variety of real food and this is the key.

Think about what you want your child eat growing up Do you want him to like the whole range of vegetables, non-fried fish, whole grains, legumes, lentils, chickpeas, quality meats and so on, prepare and serve him that and he will like them.

If you introduce him to ultra-processed baby food (even and especially any that has the word "healthy" on the label) , he will grow up with a preference for processed food and sadly even pouches will push him away in the long run from real food.
Pouches, even the vegetable ones, are focused on sweetness, so the main ingredient will be sweetcorn, carrot, or similar or add fruit (cooked apple, basically apple sauce).

Think about lovely and creamy soups, even soupy risottos with parmiggiano cheese, roasted veggies and not only steamed ones.

As PPs posters have said, don't make choices based on other people.Focus on what you want him to eat as a baby, toddler, child and teen, and serve him that.
IT takes roughly 14 attempts for a child to accept a new taste that is not sweet. Offer one bite, than the next day again, ..

Don't take refusal as dislike. A baby had nothing in his mouth except milk, and all of a sudden it is an explosion of flavours and textures. Think of it as if a deaf baby all of a sudden has a cacophony of noises. It takes time, don't rush.

You also need to understand that eating and drinking involve the mouth muscle and the tongue differently and that until he masters chewing (for the production of saliva), your food needs to be a bit "wet" to lubricate its way. Try swallowing a big lump of mashed potatoes without chewing, it will get stuck.

My true and only piece of advice is to not offer alternatives straight away, especially not those bought from a shelf at the supermarket. Offer the same veggies prepared in different way, cooked in a pan, roasted in oven, ....
I am French and the recommendation we are given is to never offer baby something you wouldn't eat yourself. Make nice food. You can't use salt, so use olive oil, rosemary, a clove of garlic, parsley and so on.

Let him be near you while you cook and while you are having your lunch. Let him reach and try your food if you see him interested.

[whoareyouIwonder]

If you introduce him to ultra-processed baby food (even and especially any that has the word "healthy" on the label) , he will grow up with a preference for processed food and sadly even pouches will push him away in the long run from real food.
Pouches, even the vegetable ones, are focused on sweetness, so the main ingredient will be sweetcorn, carrot, or similar or add fruit (cooked apple, basically apple sauce).

Oh please, don't spout utter crap.

DS has pouches 90% of the time prior to 1 year old.

He mows eats me out of house and home with 'real food'

Your words could do a new mum harm. So maybe think, and possibly engage your brain, before you speak?

[Rubyroost]

@ariettesmall agree

[LeGrandBleu]

www.karger.com/Article/FullText/507840

[Aquamarine1029]

You're doing a great job. I would also let him try anything you are eating.

[TRus]

@ariettesmall

*If you introduce him to ultra-processed baby food (even and especially any that has the word "healthy" on the label) , he will grow up with a preference for processed food and sadly even pouches will push him away in the long run from real food.
Pouches, even the vegetable ones, are focused on sweetness, so the main ingredient will be sweetcorn, carrot, or similar or add fruit (cooked apple, basically apple sauce).*

Oh please, don't spout utter crap.

DS has pouches 90% of the time prior to 1 year old.

He mows eats me out of house and home with 'real food'

Your words could do a new mum harm. So maybe think, and possibly engage your brain, before you speak?

LeGrandBleu described an approach to not only weaning, but to teaching kids how to eat well in general.
Everything she is saying is backed up by decades and decades of scientific research.



New mums should relax and remember that as long as their baby is happy and well, wetting enough nappies and gaining some weight they are doing just fine.

[whoareyouIwonder]

@TRus

I'd love to see the decades of scientific research that specifically says a baby who is fed on pouches will not eat or enjoy 'real' food

[whoareyouIwonder]

[quote LeGrandBleu]www.karger.com/Article/FullText/507840[/quote]
Your link is talking about school ages children, and pre-schoolers who eat breads/noodles/fizzy drinks.

I don't think it's entirely relevant.

But please, do keep trying.

[TheFormerPorpentinaScamander]

I had the opposite experience to @ariettesmall. DS had 90% home cooked real food. He's now the fussiest 16 year old known to man

OP what you are doing sounds perfect. A good variety of food. Mine only ate 1 'meal' at that age too.

[newmum234]

Thanks for the advice. I’m just not sure where to go from here! Do I keep trying him on single vegetables and fruits, or progress to proper meals?

[SqidgeBum]

Sounds exactly like what I did. I did mostly purees for about 2 weeks but then realised my DD liked solid food more so I ditched the purees. I then just made my way through whatever veg I could get my hands on, then fruit, then she just had whatever I happened to be having for lunch (all unprocessed stuff obviously) and then I started her on dinner at about 7.5 months. She always ate mini versions cut into smaller finger size bits of whatever we were eating. Now at just turning 2, she ate spicy thai fish cakes, sweet potato fries, rice and peas with sweet chilli dip for dinner last night. She is the least fussy eater I know.


There is (or at least shouldn't be) rules with how to wean. You do whatever you feel like doing. Main thing is variety, so keep offering things even if they make faces at them because faces dont mean they dislike the food, it just tasted new, and safety so cut things into bits they can pick up and munch or mash it up with some texture for a spoon. For ideas you can follow wean in 15 or what mummy makes on instagram. I found them very useful.

Good luck!

[KitKatastrophe]

@Nix2020

Best advice on weaning is to follow your gut and go from there. Weaning doesn't need to be COMPLICATED, your letting them try new foods and textures and that sounds good to me.

You sound like your doing fab.

I agree with this. I agonized over it all with DD1 and it was stressful. With DD2 I've just let her try lots of different things and not stressed about how much she eats or anything and it's been much better

[TRus]

[quote ariettesmall]@TRus

I'd love to see the decades of scientific research that specifically says a baby who is fed on pouches will not eat or enjoy 'real' food [/quote]
It's not about "a pouch" specifically, it's about a relatively narrow window of opportunity to introduce textures and flavours before being a picky eater stage kicks in.
Look at your next comment, primary school age children who are sent to school with their own packed lunches as they wouldn't touch what school canteen serves - where do they come from?
To me, it's just setting yourself up for an inconvenience and cooking up substitute meals all the time or worrying about their health.

[whoareyouIwonder]

@TRus

You're making very weird causations

And lots of incorrect judgements.

But carry on looking now and viewing negatively things that actually, have no impact.

Bizarre way of thinking.

[ShinyGreenElephant]

After the first couple of weeks I just started giving my DDs whatever the rest of us were having, served in an appropriate way (in terms of cutting, salt content etc). DD1 is and always has been an amazing eater, DD2 has started being fussy the last month or so which were hoping is a phase. I wasn't fanatical about baby led weaning - I occasionally spoon feed even now for convenience (the nearly 2yo not the 11yo!) but I did find it sooooo much less of a faff letting her eat what were eating rather than pureeing or spending a fortune on pouches

[BakedBeeeen]

You sound like you are doing really well OP. I would start gradually combining flavours etc and increasing his tastes and adding more protein. Eg a few different kinds of veg with grated cheese mixed in. Or yogurt with fruit purée. Then you can progress to a bit of meat / either purée with veg/tomato or cut into pieces Eg. Chicken to feed himself. Then you can progress to simple meals ie shepherds pie perhaps, or pasta with cheese and tomato, or fish pie.(Batch cooking can be easier for this) You already said he had had toast and egg which is great. I would also start to add breakfast and then tea, starting with v small amounts. I found weaning stressful because I wanted someone to tell me what to do, but if your baby is happy with how things are going, just go with it! And also as a PP has said, don’t worry if they don’t eat much/ any.

[Rubyroost]

@Trus @ultragrandbleu not backed by research. Pouchws are not the ultra proceswed food that you refer to. The pair of you are spouting nonsense and not helpful for mums who choose to use pouches often for a small amount of time until baby gets used to other foods.

[whoareyouIwonder]

[quote Rubyroost]**@Trus* @ultragrandbleu* not backed by research. Pouchws are not the ultra proceswed food that you refer to. The pair of you are spouting nonsense and not helpful for mums who choose to use pouches often for a small amount of time until baby gets used to other foods.[/quote]
Thank you

[newmum234]

@BakedBeeeen thank you, that’s helpful.

DS seems to enjoy grabbing finger food or using the spoon himself, although 95% of his food at seems to end up on the floor. I’m hoping that’ll start decreasing soon as he gets more interested in swallowing?