I'm rubbish at weaning... :-((

[flipflopson5thavenue]

DS is 7.5mo and we started weaning when he was 6 mo. We're doing BLW but we're not purists, so he's getting a bit of food from my finger (which he loves), giving him a loaded spoon (which sometimes makes its way into his mouth) and some of those puree pouches (on finger or spoon).

Mostly he ignores everything I put on his tray. He doesn't even play with it. Other days he has a good gnaw on whatever I put in front of him (cucumber, broccoli, mango etc, the usual) or pushes food around on his tray a little.

I know that BLW can be slow, and he's BF on demand so I know he's getting all the nutrition he needs. Some days I think he's feeding more often, but to be honest I have no idea if he's getting any hungrier yet. Maybe that is why he's not really showing any interest in solids food yet.

My problem is that I feel pretty disheartened about the whole thing. Gone are the days of swanning off for the day with my buggy, my baby and my boob. Now I have to try to fit in at least a couple of mealtimes for myself and DS each day (I used to eat on the hoof the first 6 months and never had real meal times), as well as naps, as well as trying to do something fun, or just get out of the house. He's only awake about 2.5hrs before he gets tired and I just feel overwhelmed at the thought of everything I need to cram into that time, and all the cleaning up afterwards.

I thought BLW would be fun. Instead I feel trapped and housebound :-( Doesn't help that we've just moved home and even if its only a few streets away from where we lived, its a little further away from the high street and the tube station, and what with the whole weaning rigmarole, leaving the house for the day just feels such an effort now...

Help me snap out of my weaning fugg!!

[Noodled]

Salt free rice cakes, a banana and more rice cakes ... run! That and a boob will get you through:)

[flipflopson5thavenue]

thanks. bought some unsalted rice cakes and he seemed to really like them :-) Off out for the day tomorrow then!

[ceeveebee]

I know exactly what you mean. From 3-6 months I thought I had everything sorted. Then suddenly I had to almost double the number of feeds/meals in a day and felt like I was constantly either feeding, cooking, cleaning up, and the worst thing is most of it ended up on the floor. And when people say 'feed them what you eat' well I used to have a cup a soup and a packet of quavers for lunch pretty often!

Anyway it does get easier and better. Its actually really fun to take your baby out for lunch and you will have the benefit of good weather coming up soon so you can go in your garden if you have one, or have picnics in the park, or sit at an outdoor table so the food throwing doesn't matter so much. My twins are 16 mo now and I took them to have fish, chips and mushy peas last weekend and they loved it!

[RichManPoorManBeggarmanThief]

well I used to have a cup a soup and a packet of quavers for lunch pretty often!

Ha ha- I hear ya. DD definitely cannot just pick off my plate, dairy allergy aside. I tend to do what Noodled suggests if I'm out and about, or take some cut fruit/ cold cooked vegetables (weird but she prefers them like this it seems).

[AndMiffyWentToSleep]

I remember how tough the early weaning days were - feeling like your whole day is either breastfeeding, preparing food, meal/snack times or clearing up.
It does get easier after a while.
And I've also found appetite varies meal to meal so I wouldn't worry too much.

[flipflopson5thavenue]

I see your cup a soup and packet of quavers and raise you a take away latte and a snickers :-)

Feeling more confident now. It took me weeks when DS was born to work out a system for leaving the house. Once I'd sorted that, everything was easier. It'll take a few weeks again to get back into a little routine/system with weaning, and am sure once we're there it'll be great fun.

I like the idea of fish and chips and mushy peas.
Thanks again everyone.

[slightlysoupstained]

Having similar probs, the only hot food I eat is usually after DS is in bed. Have been feeding him carroty wotsits (the Organix things) when out, but feels like I don't give him much variety or feed him often enough.

[RichManPoorManBeggarmanThief]

One of the bummers of BLW is that it is harder to feed them outside the house because of the mess. I am just not one of those people who can brazen out my baby flinging food around in a cafe and I hate it when the push chair is filled with half masticated banana and rice cake. I look at my friends with their Ella pouch and little spoon and think "Why am i doing this to myself?" especially as BLW DS (2.5) is still a really fussy eater. He eats fruit, veg and carbs okay but everything has to be really plain, and the only protein he'll eat is fish fingers, sausages and chicken nuggets.

Still, DD does seem to enjoy it and her fine motor skills are quite good (better than DS's were at the same age) so I'm hoping the flinging will be over in a few months.

[AGreenie]

There's some great recipes out there (try the blw cookbook or www.babyledweaning.com) I used to make a big batch of savoury muffins, freeze them then take one out on days we were going somewhere - made it much easier than preparing something every time.

[notnagging]

Ha baby led weaning!I gave up! Ds has the same food as us mashed up, whilst he's waiting he has a breadstick or banana to play with. He eats at 9.30, 12 & 5 & feeds inbetween if that helps. I feed him from a spoon & he shovels it in! Sometimes if he won't eat I'll give him his food with a bit of yoghurt on it to trick him works for me.

[HairyHandedTrucker]

Ikea sell little smocks with pouches. I have several of those. both DC wear them when we go out and I just let them get on with it. Bring baby wipes or whatever you use if you cloth diaper and just clean up the mess when you leave. oh and tip well