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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Weaning - 25 weeks. AIBU to continue?

33 replies

throwcushions · 14/03/2018 12:37

Baby is 25 weeks and a few days old - i.e. very nearly six months. After a long time waiting I decided to start off with a bit of weaning once per day, as she is sitting unaided for a minute or so (tripod sit), has grabbed my food a couple of times and seemed to have lost the strong tongue thrust reflex. So far I've tried baby rice with EBM and a couple of veg purees. Each time she has not been very interested and has scraped her tongue along her top lip to push most of the food off (though a bit of it must have gone down as I saw it in her nappy, yum!). I'm a bit disheartened and not sure what to do.

I'm getting comments from family either that I shouldn't have waited so long to wean or that she still has the tongue thrust reflex and so is not ready. I doubt that because I can now feed her Calpol and vitamin D drops quite easily whereas before she would push it out and it was difficult to get her to swallow.

She shows no interest in finger foods on her high chair though she has grabbed the spoon and put it in her mouth a few times. I wanted to do a mix of BLW and purees and my current thinking is to continue with the veg purees and offering finger foods but skip baby rice as she didn't like it and there's no reason to get her used to it. I am quite keen to get started now because I'm going back to work soon and everyone else I know has weaned early with great success - leading me to be secretly a bit concerned that she might become a fussy eater because I waited until I saw the signs around 6 months, though I know and understand why the NHS recommends that.

On the other hand, I want food to be a positive thing and I don't want to keep giving it to her if she isn't ready as it might upset her. Has anyone been in a similar position with weaning? Is it just a case of persevering and involving her at our mealtimes as we are now or should I stop and wait some more? Or perhaps the food is too bland?! I'm pretty confused as to the best course of action. Also what time is best - I've been giving it straight after her first nap so about 1.5 hours after her first milk feed.

OP posts:
Littlecaf · 14/03/2018 12:44

You’re over thinking it. You’re doing absolutely fine and exactly what many other parents do! Keep going, she’ll get it. Enjoy it! It’s a learning experience for her too.

TheCatFromOuterSpace · 14/03/2018 12:44

I would just stick a few bits of whatever you are eating on a tray in front of her and let her get on with it. If she picks it up and eats it then she is ready, if not then she isn't ready and will be fine with just milk for a few more weeks.

Have you ever tried baby rice? I wouldn't eat it either Grin

pigsDOfly · 14/03/2018 12:46

Don't be influenced by her reactions to the new foods and flavours. Babies can pull the oddest faces when given new texture and flavours, it doesn't mean they like or dislike them, it just a new experience for them that they have to get used to and it can take a while.

Try giving her a variety of different foods to hold and nibble on and continue with the puree if that's what you want to do. Don't be put off if she spits it out. It doesn't mean she doesn't want it. At this stage most of the food ends up anywhere other than in the baby.

QueenAravisOfArchenland · 14/03/2018 12:46

You're overthinking it. She just wasn't much interested. Which is fine.

Offer her a bit of what you're having or maybe a small amount of puree once or twice a day. She'll eat when she's interested. Lots of babies are barely interested at 6mo but almost all of them are eating meals by a year.

ethelfleda · 14/03/2018 12:47

I would carry on and just take it slowly. She may only play with the food for weeks before she figures it all out for herself. You're doing fine.

Notso · 14/03/2018 12:47

I'd wait a little longer. Two of mine were not interested until 7-8 months. DC1 was weaned at 16 months which was within the guidelines then, the HV really forced it and it was a miserable experience. I was determined with the other three to wait until they were ready, not the HV, my Mum, my Dad or even me.

There is no need for baby rice IMO or very runny purees if you wait a little longer. DC3 wouldn't be spoon fed so just ate cut up food from day one, BLW.
The other two did traditional weaning skipping the runny purée and going onto roughly chopped or mashed food along with plenty of finger food.

LaurieMarlow · 14/03/2018 12:47

Keep going, don't stress it. She'll get it eventually.

All babies are different. My friend's DD didn't really take to food until about a year. At 3, she's a great eater now.

Original poster
throwcushions · 14/03/2018 12:48

TheCat yes I do a great dramatic impression of enjoying a spoonful of whatever I am giving her. It was quite hard to maintain a smile with the baby rice!!

OP posts:
PinkyBlunder · 14/03/2018 12:54

Don’t stress about it. They’re not actually expected to ‘eat’ until they’re around 12 months. That really annoying phrase - food is fun before 1. Or something equally as irritating like that.

Just keep throwing a few bits and bobs her way. Purées abs the like confused me so I just put some whatever I was eating on her tray. She mostly lobbed it at me at first but over time more and more went in (and came out Envy

userabcname · 14/03/2018 13:08

Yeah don't worry - it's a very stop/start process. DS is 9 months and still goes through phases where he isn't remotely intetested in solids for a few days and just wants milk and other days where he eats everything in sight! I would just keep up a routine of offering food even if your DD doesn't want it. It's good to establish the meal times I think and let them watch you eat so they figure out how it all works!

SumAndSubstance · 14/03/2018 13:12

Yes, keep going! She'll be getting the idea in her own way. Try some different things too - we weaned DS1 initially on baby rice mixed with his milk, all went well. DS2 sobbed uncontrollably when presented with baby rice. I thought he wasn't ready for weaning, but when we offered him other stuff, it turned out he just wasn't feeling the baby rice!

WhoUpsetTheEquilibrium · 14/03/2018 13:16

I mean do what you want, but just so you know, ‘25 weeks’ is basically 5 months old.

pigsDOfly · 14/03/2018 13:31

Baby rice is vile stuff. Wallpaper paste anyone?

Original poster
throwcushions · 14/03/2018 13:36

‘25 weeks’ is basically 5 months old.

She's three days off six months old...Confused

OP posts:
Worlds0kayestmum · 14/03/2018 13:36

My DS wasnt interested in weaning to begin with. I stopped after a few days because he was getting upset and tried again a few weeks later and he was much happier and ready the second time around. He's premature though and we were told to start weaning at 6 months when developmentally he was only 4 months. When he reached the corrected age of 6 months (actual age 8 months), he was far more interested

Purplelion · 14/03/2018 13:38

You can’t do purees and BLW, you either do BLW or weaning. Purées and finger foods is just weaning. BLW is finger foods and loaded spoons etc from 6 months with baby only feeding themselves.

Original poster
throwcushions · 14/03/2018 13:52

Purple - how quickly do babies take to loaded spoons? She's put it in her mouth by herself three times (once each time I tried) and while she didn't really eat she did look happier than when I was trying. Maybe that will suit her better.

OP posts:
Cutesbabasmummy · 14/03/2018 13:54

Purplelion really?!! I think we all know what the OP meant!!

Camomila · 14/03/2018 14:02

throw the first thing DS ever ate was mashed sweet potato off a loaded spoon. I put some sweet potato chunks on his highchair tray but they kept disintegrating when he picked them up. The loaded spoon went straight from the high chair into his mouth. I think at the beginning soft/slippery foods can be tricky especially if they want to put it in their mouth but keep smooshing them.

GnusSitOnCanoes · 14/03/2018 14:10

It's a process - it takes ages for some kids to come around to solids. But do ditch the baby rice: it's a shit first food.

MorningsEleven · 14/03/2018 14:12

One of the first things DS ate was a stolen chocolate brownie. I was very relaxed (slightly neglected second child) and just let him get on at his own pace. He'll try pretty much anything. PFB, who I stressed over and did everything in the books for eats beige. So my advice would be to relax.

Honestlyofficer · 14/03/2018 14:23

Have you actually tried the food you are giving her? My oldest spat out the baby rice and I could feel the panic rising.. then I tasted it. It was like wallpaper paste..bleurgh. Added fruit puree and he hoovered it. I agree with the PP who say don't go with completely smooth too. I had one friend who's baby refused texture until about 5 because she was so good at lump removal.

Purplelion · 14/03/2018 14:43

She is now 9 months and will use a spoon occasionally. But 95% of food she eats with her hands!
Honestly just give her whatever you’re eating, baby food tastes vile!

PinkyBlunder · 14/03/2018 15:01

Or Purplelion we could just call it ‘feeding your child’ and be done with the bullshit labels which just stress confused parents even more

LaurieMarlow · 14/03/2018 15:20

Or Purplelion we could just call it ‘feeding your child’ and be done with the bullshit labels which just stress confused parents even more

Yes please.

While the most of the principles of BLW are sound the 'you're doing it wrong if you don't abide by spurious rules' brigade are very tedious.

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