To feel overwhelmed with weaning?

[Mississippilessly]

DS is 6 months. I've just started weaning him. We give him 2 meals a day, one BLW and one mashed.

I'm so stressed by it. He is teething and doesn't like being put down. I dont feel I have the time to prepare food for him and clean up. Often he manages a few nins in his high chair then cries and ive gone to loads of effort.
I'm stressed about his iron levels. We think he might have a gluten or egg intolerance. I've found a gluten and egg free bread which he has enjoyed but I've just seen it's got honey in it. I've got the Annabel Karmel book in front of me and it says he should be on 3 meals a day - the planner includes has several components to each meal. How can I possibly prepare all of that?
He doesn't sleep well at night so I'm getting very little sleep.
I'm tired and teary and exhausted.
Please help.

It really does feel overwhelming at first but I'm 2 months in and we're on 3 meals a day and it's honestly fine now we're in the swing of it.

If baby is still having their usual milk (at least 20oz a day) then they are getting all the iron & vitamins they need so don't stress too much here.

A few resources that helped me:
Baby led weaning cookbook app
NHS Start4Life website - www.nhs.uk/start4life/weaning/recipes-and-meal-ideas/

I have the Annabelle Karmel book too but it's mainly purées and that's not how I wanted to wean.

Typical meals/foods DD has enjoyed since 6 months (bearing in mind we're vegetarian):

• Omelette
• Scrambled egg & toast
• Weetabix & banana
• Brocolli & Spinach egg & cheese muffins
• Lentil & bean cottage pie
• Wraps spread with cream cheese or peanut butter
• Pitta bread & hummus

Obviously all in addition to plenty of fruits, veg, cheese & yoghurt.

From 6-12 months food is just for fun. Your baby should be experimenting with tastes and textures. At 6 months most calories should be from milk.

Don’t worry about 3 meals a day, don’t worry about how much (if anything!) your baby eats, don’t worry about allergies (you will get all sorts of weird nappies and grumbling tummies during weaning because your baby has an immature gut and has never had to digest solids before) and don’t feel under pressure to give perfect home made meals and purées. Buy pouches and jars - they will save your sanity. For BLW just give bits and pieces from your own plate (so long as they don’t contain salt or added sugar). Give fresh fruit - no prep involved.

You’re tired and weaning can be as much or as little work as you want. Go easy on yourself. You’re doing fine.

Give him what ever you are having as much as possible, just add your salt after (if eg cooking past/rice/potatoes).

Weetabix and porridge are good for iron, as well as lentils/beans/pulses.

www.nhs.uk/start4life/weaning/?gclid=CjwKCAjwvuzkBRAhEiwA9E3FUipwYzPTQeq5Lts3Nk6s8uCGSvPlj1bC9y7XaDe_CJINMpN9N5nd0RoCIOUQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

He has filled 9 nappies today. Poo is green and slimy just like it was with gluten/egg
He screamed for 2 hrs trying to poo before bed. DH and I have just had a screaming row because he keeps telling me to leave him to cry.

I've got nothing left to give.

Make life easy by using pouches and jars! Also offer easy quick food like greek yoghurt, mashed soft fruit and veg, weetabix, eggs etc then give some of your meals if suitable when u have time. Also dont feel guilty if you're not up to 3 meals a day its still early. My GP said that milk should be the main source of nutrition for at least the first year.I do think giving pouches also lets babies try a wider variety of foods and flavours without having to cook up loads of varied meals during the week. All babies are different but i know one mum who was fixated with blw all fresh organic foods and her child is now the fussiest eater. Everyone told me that babies sleep better when weaned but it didnt make any difference to my babys sleep and again my GP said its a fallacy that weaned babies sleep better.

Also my baby took a while to figure out how to digest food at first...we had grunting,straining,weird poo etc...but if ur worried u shud obs contact hv or gp!

I'm in a similar boat. I'll do a proper reply tomorrow but you’re doing great and that Annabel Karmel book is a load of bllcks. A lot of the info is very out of date. Have a look and see if you you have an NHS weaning course in your area.

I hear you OP. We’re weaning at the moment and I ended up throwing an almost untouched bowl of mashed carrots in the kitchen sink with so much vigour that the contents sprayed up the walls this afternoon after DS wouldn’t stop screaming in the high chair.

He didn’t see my moment of rage as he was in the dining room, but I’m finding that just when I think we’re making progress, it all goes back to square one.

we've only been going 3 weeks. So far he has tried orange, apple, pineapple, blueberries, raspberries, spinach, tomato, potato, sweet potato (mashed and fingers), peppers, courgette, peas, avocado, carrots, broccoli, cucumber, chicken, beef, tuna, spaghetti bolognese, fish pie, toast, pasta, porridge, Greek yoghurt, cheese.

Wowsas OP your are going big guns! My lo is the same age and we’ve been weaning for a month and he mostly just has porridge, mini wheats, pear, mango, melon, tried strawberries once but gave him eczema, peach, banana, pasta and buttered toast.... we’ve been doing BLW which I did with DD and at 4 she’s still a pretty good eater (apart from meat). DS is definitely eating bits as his poos changed but I couldn’t tell you how much and I just BF him on demand and don’t worry about it....

Buy the baby led weaning book and don’t stress, you’re doing grand.

Just read your last post. Please don’t leave your baby to cry. Your DH is being a dick. Your baby sounds like he has an upset tummy so probably in pain. At this age they’re going through so many milestones so fast: sitting, crawling, cruising, walking, babbling, weaning, teething..... it’s entirely normal for them to be unsettled and want cuddles /breastfeeds/reassurance

Ask your DH if he was ill and upset would he want you to say “tough” and walk out the room??

Start with just lunch, aiming to eat only 1-2 tablespoons of food. Introduce breakfast in a few weeks when lunch is working well and dinner later still. I don't think we hit 3 meals every day until 8 months.

Keep meals very very simple for now and linked to what you're eating. Steamed slices of sweet potato with chicken grilled in lemon juice and spinach, avocado on toast, warm squashed berries in a fruity yoghurt, weetabix with cooled stewed pears mixed in etc. Keep textures slightly smooth at the start even with baby led weaning; you can't go from milk to raw carrot with no teeth, but some baby gums can chew through a strip of chicken. Once your baby is eating enough in a range of foods you can combine them e.g. Lasagne slice, cheese & veg omelette, creamed veg on toast, etc. Don't do complex baby recipes, just do your own recipes with minimal salt and light spice flavouring only; no honey nor shellfish nor mouldy cheese. Think about what you like to eat and then make a version that can work for a baby e.g. pancake made without sugar but fruit instead. Babies only need a tiny amount of solids to begin with and massively reduce how much they eat when they get a cold, so don't stress nor expect much if yours has one. The baby doesn't need much right now, just a vit d serving and some new flavours. Try to add a snall new thing every few days and just look for reactions; a grilled slice of aubergine, porridge, crumpet. If that goes on the floor then give a bit more, when that's on the floor laugh, eat your own meal and then naptime / playtime.

What makes you think there are allergy issues?

Sorry, I missed that you answered abour gluten and egg. Ask your GP / nurse for a nutritionist / paediatrician referral, they can help with what to do around checking for allergies and special diets.