To not wean on single vegetables only?

[Napqueen1234]

Hello,

Am weaning DC2 and I distinctly remember with DC1 getting stressed when they didn’t take to it at all. That is until I started giving different flavours, more variety, finger food etc. DC2 now 6 months and has had veg as purée and finger food but also porridge, dippy egg with toast, eggy bread, sticks of cheese, yogurt etc. Is that ok? HV today said we really ought to start with just veg but DC2 is loving everything including veg. I’m not giving anything sweet really or biscuits etc obviously.

For those who did that what other things could I give? Either purée or finger foods I’m doing both.

Thanks!

Sounds absolutely fine to me.

That's fine OP, as long as you watch salt levels (and honey etc and other foods you cannot have before 1) then it's all good. I did purees with finger foods to start with, so although not BLW, I did find there were some useful ideas on BLW groups. It was also useful to learn a bit about first aid and the difference between choking and gagging etc, but I'm sure you know that from your first anyhow.

HV's talk shit.

There was a trend for doing single veg one at time for a short while when people were being obsessive about allergies, I subsequently read something saying that that approach did not allow a great enough variety of tastes to be introduced to babies during the initial window when they will basically try anything (they get pickier after age 1). Its also a throwback to the days of weaning early, when babies guts are barely ready for solids and too much meat/carb between 4-6m is likely to give them constipation/tummyache.

I never did it. DD is v small for age and under dietician so we went straight in with higher calorie/more nutrient dense foods:

• dairy
• meat
• eggs
• beans/pulses

I think its absolutely fine.

I followed the single vegetable thing (and didn't even do that properly as I didn't start with the bitter green veg and didn't repeat the same food however many days running like you're supposed to) with DD 1 for about three weeks before deciding enough was enough and giving her lamb casserole!

I was cautious introducing common allergens (dairy, egg, celery etc.) and did tend to introduce them with foods she'd had before rather than presenting two new foods together just because allergies run in the genes in our family.

DD is a fabulous eater. There is literally nothing she won't eat.

If I have another child they'll just be eating whatever components are suitable from the meal the rest of us are having. I will not be steaming and pureeing single veg separately. Life is too short!

We mainly did BLW with DS. He just got little bits of anything we had. Some of his favourites included eggs, pickles and smoked salmon (he didn't get loads because of the salt but he would have eaten those all day, had we let him). He also loved strawberries, cherries and apples and quite enjoys a curry with rice. Not keen on vegetables in general but he eats well and always has.

My DD (3rd child) is 7 months and she just has what her brothers have for each meal (within reason). So if they have lasagne, she has some blitzed up and some in chunks.
Today we had vegetable soup for lunch so she had that with bread and rice cakes.

All 3 of my kids had different 'advice' when it came to weaning. 2012 they said just purée what you're having. 2014 it was baby led all in. 2020 I'm following DD's lead and doing a mix of both.

The single taste thing harks back to the days when weaning at 4 months was common. At 6 months you can be much more adventurous and offer more flavours and textures much faster

I didn't know this was a thing . Always just gave both of mine whatever we were having and they happily ate everything. DS2 still eats everything while DS1 has become fairly picky, but I think that has more to do with SPD/ ASD than what he was weaned on. I think it's one of those things it's really not worth stressing too much about unless you have a DC who needs a special diet for some reason.

I did single veg BUT DD has a cow milk allergy so I have to be careful with her and was advised to by her doctor. but prior to that a HV advised me to just give her whatever I’m having! Different health professionals give different advice, sounds to me like it’s going well so far and you’re doing a great job!

Echoing others, I did pure BLW too. Just gave DD some of what DS Had (as long as it was low salt) and bits of my own food too.

I think it sounds ok as long as baby is not choking on the finger food, although health advice where I live is definitely no runny egg until two or three years. That’s because if it does have bacteria it can be very harmful to children. So I would give scrambled eggs or homemade custard instead. And watch the salt levels of everything

We started with individual veggies and he hated it. However when we gave up and started him on whatever we were having he loved it and we haven't looked back. I'd do exactly as you are doing.

As with all parenting issues. What works for one, may or may not work for another. Dd1 and Ds were both weaned with single veg first, moving on to little meals I’d specially prepared for them. Dd preferred finger foods, so moved on to them relatively quickly, but Ds was lazy and liked to be fed for a long time.

When dd2 came along, we just gave her what we were having. She is by far the fussiest of the 3!
Do what works for you and your family and keep your fingers crossed for a non fussy child is my best advice! If they are happy eating what you have, either puréed, mashed or as finger food, go with that. If you want to make them lovingly prepared meals and freeze them, that’s fine too.

Sticks of cooked carrot, broccoli, cauliflower. Cut up strawberries and bits of bananas (sticks not rounds), cut up grapes, raspberries, blueberries.

Even little foods, like peas and sweet corn, if you put them on the high chair tray, your child will develop the skills needed to pick them up and put them in their mouth.

I did the single veg thing with DS, and he loved it and still eats very well now at 4 yo. But while it worked well for him, I just don't think I will have the time to prepare a different meal for DD when she turns 6 months soon, on top of everything else! I think she'll end up having bits of what we're having (within reason, not too much salt, etc). I bought the Joe Wicks book which encourages the single veg programme, but I have a feeling it'll end up just looking nice on the shelf, bless him 😬

I think the key is to not introduce too many sweet foods to begin with, isn't it, so they get a good taste for savoury and veg? And just to enjoy it and let them have fun exploring a variety of food.

My daughter is 6 months and we're now into week 3 of weaning and she won't touch a thing.

Started off with veg purée and finger foods. At this point I'd be happy if she took a bite of my takeaway pizza 😆

Oh my point is, I'm giving her everything and everything now. Porridge, bit of toast, strawberry, broccoli, a bit of my yogurt, anything (within reason) in the vein hope that shell just have a try!

Try to introduce all possible allergens as soon as possible to reduce the risk of them developing an allergy.

We didn't do the single food thing. Just went strait into it with anything we were having she had on her tray to eat/play with. DD was slow going with it compared to her big sis. And was more 8 months till she was confident but shell eat a good range of stuff.

It's messy but soup with bread is a fave.
Also cheese on toast, cream cheese and crackers, pitta pizzas, tortilla roll ups, anything with pasta, beef stew, chicken casserole, fish pie, curry, salmon, cottage pie, sausage casserole

Hellolittlebaby, please don’t worry. It took my daughter til almost 1 to actually eat proper amounts rather than just wave food around and occasionally put some in her mouth. The first couple of months she had days where nothing went in!

I think it’s fine! But I wouldn’t do what I did with DD2 which was give her a plate of loads and loads of different things all at once as when she had an allergic reaction it was hard to work out if it was the egg or wheat or cows milk or peaches or strawberries or cucumbers. (In the end it was sesame!) I think two or three new things at a time is great though.

I think you should carry on as you are op, it sounds like DC likes a lot of different things, which is good.

I started my DC on single veg because it was the easiest option, my DH and I eat a lot of veg with meals anyway so I just put it aside for DC, I started adding things like grated cheese, sweet potato fries, scramble or hard boiled eggs, tomato pasta etc. Fruits a couple of weeks later. DC likes everything except melon!

2012 they said just purée what you're having

I had my kids in 2012 and had the same advice. We were like, we have twins, we eat prick and dings out of Tescos, I don't think we should be giving them that?

The only thing I really took on was to get them into broccoli and cauliflower early on. And give them peas. Not for the nutritional value, just because peas are endlessly entertaining when you're 7 months old (and helps with the thumb and finger grip too!)

I think the single item purées are useful if you suspect allergies.

My kids are older and the advice was to eat what we were. They are stuff like spaghetti Bol, curries, fish pie etc We were told to avoid honey and cook low salt meals

Its fine and I'm very jealous!
I did single veg with DS1 as allergies run in the family, it took ages before he could eat a proper meal, and he still came out in random rashes, got to start again with 5m old DS2 at the end of the month.