Weaning

[Kafri]

Hi,

DS is 5 months and have been given the go ahead for early weaning from his consultant to help his reflux. I have to wean him dairy free. Now most of it is obvious - no yoghurt etc.

What's my best bet for dairy free breakfast - all of the boxes of baby porridge has milk powder listed on the ingredients.

Someone suggested weetabix but is that ok as that has sugar and salt listed in the ingredients?

Consultant referred me to dietician for advice and have an appointment for the 12 June so could do with a bit of advice before then.

Ta,

Hi Kafri,

I would check the labels for dairy, but my HV told me any breakfast cereals were fine as long as they didn't have honey or lots of sugar e.g. Coco Pops.

I started DS off with Weetabix and Ready Brek, I used to mix in some apple or pear purée too. He still eats Weetabix and Ready Brek, but he also enjoys Cheerios, Rice Krispies, Shreddies and he has the odd bowl of Fruit and Fibre (although DM said babies don't need as much fibre as adults so don't give Fruit and Fibre too often).

Have fun :-)

so if i make up some weetabix with DS's formula, that should be fine?

I'm weaning a dairy free refluxer too :) I've been doing it for 3 weeks now!

At the minute we aren't really doing meal times at proper meal times, they are just fitted around his bottles.

He usually has some food mid morning, around 10-11ish, and some in the evening between 4-5pm.

I'm not worrying about whether the foods are right for the time of day, more that he is getting a variety!

We have started on fruit and veg. He has a new one added every 3 days, in case of a reaction - so we know the culprit and can easily eliminate it from his diet.

Once he is 6 months, I am planning on a fruity porridge around breakfast time, if we have progressed that far. Just regular oats, with pureed fruit.

I wanted to do BLW, but he's not quite up to it yet, although he is offered finger foods, and will have a good suck on them if you hold them for him.

We have our dietican appointment on 31st May, when DS will be 27 weeks. Frustrating as I would have liked this before weaning began.

Is there anything else you want to know?

The November 2012 Postnatal club has lots of mummies going through the same thing. Myself and a few others have reflux babies, and babies with CMPI. Come and join in! We talk about weaning and sleep a lot!

Yes use his normal formula milk with the breakfast. I think the main thing with weaning is that the food is in addition to their bottles of milk at this stage. He will reduce the amount of milk he drinks as he eats more food, but take your cue from your DS, still offer as many bottles as you normally would.

My friends son was on dairy free formula and had dairy free weaning and now he's 16 months old he's had the ok to have dairy as it seems that he's outgrown the intolerance. From her experience it seems to be a lot of the ready made baby foods and puddings that contain dairy that you wouldn't expect, so always check the label!

Just regular porridge oats will be fine with a 6 month old. The really fine baby marketed stuff is from when people weaned at 3/4 months.

You could do porridge/ scrambled eggs/ fruit/ toast/ pancakes ( you can make and freeze dairy free ones, then just reheat as needed)

Actually now toddlers, but they have aways liked scrambled egg, beans ( make own from harriocit beans and a tomatoe sauce we keep frozen in small portions- salt free then) and mushrooms for breakfast

hmmm interesting, thanks all.

I was looking forward to weaning but i'm starting to realise that milk was/is soooo much easier lol.

Still, it's the next adventure...

thedetective will have a look for the November thread - hopefully see you there if I can find it (thick is my middle name)

you shoudnt give weetabix/porridge at 5 months as they contain gluten and that should be avoided until 6 months regardless of when you start weaning. You could give fruits/veg and baby rice plus any of the baby cereals that are milk free. There were lots without milk when I was weaning dd and ds - normally the ones you mixed with their usual milk rather than water

ah thank you ilovepowerhoop - duly noted.

Here you go Kafri!!

Porridge oats don't contain gluten so should be fine, always worth checking the label though.

there is a great likelihood of cross contamination between wheat and oats due to processing so it is normally advised to avoid them until 6 months as well. Some people who are coeliac react to oats too.

www.coeliac.org.uk/healthcare-professionals/diet-information/oats-in-the-gluten-free-diet