To give a pouch of baby food

[weaningtime]

Just that really. Shamelessly need validation. I am absolutely sweltering in this heatwave with a Velcro baby who only wants to contact nap. DD is nearly 8 months and I’ve watched the panorama on shop bought baby food so not fed her any shop bought jars or meal pouches. I try and be conscious with her food, she has a healthy homemade porridge for breakfast every day with nut butters, seeds and fresh fruit and then usually a BLW style tea or a recipe we’ve followed from a baby cookbook. She usually really enjoys her food. We are getting takeaway, so can’t share that. Last night I cooked a vegetable and cheese pasta for her and she had two mouthfuls and wasn’t bothered, probably the heat I’m guessing. I’m putting so much pressure on myself and have run out of ideas for tonight and food shop doesn’t come till tomorrow.

Would it be that bad nutritionally to just buy and give her a pouch tonight? I have seen people compare it to junk food and fast food so feel like I’m not doing good enough and not prioritising her if I default to that. Is it ok or any other food ideas that are very minimal prep?

I do hope so.

Still don't see that it's better or worse. Having something that isn't chewable for one meal isn't a big deal.

Oh OP, I think it's really important to give yourself a break sometimes. Sometimes you need a takeaway and that's ok! Sometimes you need a break from cooking, and that's ok too. Give her the pouch! Health doesn't just come in the form of what food you eat, it's a balance between both physical and mental health, and you also have to keep your sanity and you also need to recognise that sometimes you have to prioritise yourself too. Nobody is a good mum when they are burnt out and exhausted. All these home made, home cooked things are great. But you're trying to do it all, you'll get exhausted.
As long as she eats healthily 80% of the time, you've nothing to worry about with her having the occasional UPF. A bit of ice cream now and again.

Convenience can also be healthy for your mental health, and life only gets busier - especially if you plan to have any more children. Give some convenience food and don't beat yourself up one bit!

All this. Don't waste any time worrying about stuff like this..

My comment wasn't really about if it was better or worse it was actually just about what OP might already have in her cupboards instead of going out to buy a pouch.

Surely you can throw something together, some fingers of toast with a nut butter, cucumber sticks, bit of fruit, yogurt, crackers and cheese or even just another breakfast?

It really won’t do any harm OP, even if you gave one a bit more regularly than this one off occasion.

Also, if there’s anyone in your life (including on social media) making you feel like a bad mother for doing this, my unsolicited advice is to see and/or listen to them far less. I no longer see a pretty judgemental no bottles/formula/dummy/sugar/UPF/screens/birthday cake/Easter egg mum acquaintance (can’t really call them a friend) and my life is much happier and calmer for it.

Loads of the pouches don’t have any UPF anyway! There were only some with them so just avoid them and crack on.
Download the yuka app (free) and scan them in. It will tell you if there are any UPF ad what the risk is of those particular ones- backed by actual science not just anti mum fear mongering (which seems to be the trend currently)! Then you can decide @weaningtime which ones to use. The Ella’s kitchen ones are generally UPF free and organic, but even the basic pouches for young ages were ok from memory.

How dare you suggest a quick and simple alternative to a baby pouch!?

(Joking, in case anyone takes offence. DD had pouches, home cooked meals from scratch and things like beans!)

“realise this is probably silly and that I’ll look back and think how PFB of me”

got it one! Signed a mum of two who drove herself mad with the first baby and whose second baby has the occasional ready meal/pouch and yes… - chips/noodles off my takeaway plate 🤣

also fyi if you don’t want to give a pouch Annabel Karmel and Mumsnet/iceland make baby ready meals that are not too processed/full of junk. Things like pasta/curry. They’re quite handy to keep in the freezer if you’re having a takeaway

My first did BLW and I had a checklist and tried to give her a huge (and expensive!) range of plants each week. 🙈

She’s still as fussy as all her toddler friends and now says “Yuck” about foods she absolutely loved. You’d never tell the difference!

I won’t be beating myself up about it all with my second…

Think of it as her takeaway night. Not great daily but ok every now and then.

Don’t beat yourself up. Velcro baby in this heat must be crazy hard!

…or she can just give the baby a pouch tonight

@Mummytotheboy

I'm like you OP and give DD 9mo everything fresh and mostly homemade. I batch cook and have a freezer stash for when I feel like this. Or she gets toast (which she loves) with peanut butter, cream cheese or whatever we have in. Or leftover porridge that she didn't touch from breakfast. Almost anything really, babies aren't bothered and probably won't eat half of it! But if you want to buy a pouch, just do it, no one's going to care. They're extremely popular after all.

There’s lots on the market so just chose one with healthy ingredients. Don’t be hard on yourself - it’s not as though you’re giving your baby McDonalds!

Hey, my little boy is 18 months now and I had to reply as used to beat myself up so much about this! Looking back I wish I had taken the pressure off - as long as you are exposing your baby to a wide variety of fresh food it will be fine. I try and apply a 80:20 approach to feeding now - 80% of the time is healthy, home cooked food and then 20% is convenience. I think around 9 months I was finding prepping food three times a day to have most of it refused or thrown on the floor quite soul destroying so I started giving a pouch once or twice a week!