Weaning - help me!

[moomin35]

My baby is 6 months old and we're in our fourth week of weaning (we've had a few days off). I've been making purées ie single fruit or veg. I have all the books and don't want to buy anymore but am still not sure what I should be doing or feeding at this stage? LO can't get to grips with a beaker filled with water or milk yet but is this normal? Feeding only lasts a max of 5-10 minutes before inevitable grumpiness and crying

[JuniperTisane]

First of all, relax. Its not about nutrition at this age, its much much less stressful if you stop worrying about what baby is eating, as milk should be the main form of nutrition for some time to come, and just have baby sitting with you when you have something to eat.

At 6 months you can start putting a couple of pieces of food - broccoli, carrot, chicken strip, banana etc - on the highchair tray and leave them to copy you, or not, or throw the food, gum it, spit it out, eat it occasionally. Make the food big enough to hold in a fist with a bit sticking out the top and let baby have fun.

If you are spooning food then offer the spoon, let baby decide if they want it in their mouth or not, be led by baby.

When they've had enough its fine. Just leave them to play until you've finished.

Oh, and it can sometimes take til between 9 and 10 months old to get the hang of it. As long as they still have milk there is no problem at all.

[moomin35]

Thank you, he likes to hold his own spoon but this stops me getting any food in his mouth and I'm also concerned he'll ram it down his throat :-(
And I'm worried about giving him finger foods incase he chokes ..

[Littlef00t]

Google choking vs gagging and you tube how to deal with choking so you're less worried, and go ahead with finger foods.

I preload a spoon with yoghurt and hand to dd, she has got pretty accurate.

[moomin35]

How much at each sitting should they have? I have no idea if I'm over feeding or under feeding ?

[moomin35]

I've read that by 7 months old which we will be shortly they should be on 3 meals a day, we're no where near that, I'm struggling with one a day

[JuniperTisane]

For many babies its much nearer 9-10 months that they reach 3 meals a day. DS1 was like that and one day at 9.5 months he just sort of 'got it' and went from virtually nothing eaten (but lots thrown/smeared/dropped) to clearing his plate. DS2 on the other hand stole a breadstick from my plate at 23 weeks old and never looked back greedy piggy.

Its all normal, honestly. Early weaners, late weaners, anything before a year old. The best thing you can do is offer food, not force anything in and when he's finished he's finished. Sitting at the table watching and copying you is the best way for him to learn.