Weaning, any books ?

[FetenFirstTimeMum]

My DD is only 04m now and certainly not showing any signs that she is ready for weaning but I am trying to get geared up :)

A friend of fine recommends Gina ford method. Someone else swears by Annabel karmel's baby and toddler meal planner...

I am at loss! does anyone care to share their personal experience? Any other books you tried and worked for Your little one.
I need something like "weaning for dummies" with clear instructions on when, how and how much.

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MNHQ

The MN weaning guide is a good place to start. I used AK but only for ideas and simple recipes. Just be prepared to clean your kitchen floor several times a day! Oh and invest in a hand held vacuum cleaner!!

Not everyone is keen but if you fancy baby-led weaning, The Baby-led Weaning Cookbook (Gill Rapley) is quite good with lots of very simple recipes.

I was going to suggest the Gill Rapley book too.

I'm currently weaning DD in roughly BLW approaches, and weaned DS the purée way as that was recommended at the time. I'm finding it much easier this time as we've just adapted our family meals.

If you have a look at the Gill Rapley book (she also does a fuller BLW book which outlines the approach in more detail, but without recipes), and also a Gina Ford type book you'll get a feel for which approach would suit you I think the latter suits people who need structure and a plan to follow.

Also, be prepared for your baby to decide on an entirely different approach to the one you have chosen

Book wise, I found weaning made easy by Rana Conway really useful and sensible - I read BLW and annabel karmel books first and found the two approaches so conflicting and confusing, this was the only book I found that really talked about how to combine ideas from both approaches. I really liked it.

I second the Rana Conway book.

Thanks!
[AnythingNotEverything], from what age your DD started to have a taste of the family meal?

I like the idea that Gina Ford gives a clear plan. A nice starting point I thought. The reviews from amazon said that she doesn't provide a back up plan if LO is not keen on her strict routine :(

Off to amazon.co.uk to get a handheld vacuum and look up those books

OP - We started with finger foods made from fruit and veg from 22 weeks (after she stole some food and managed really well with it!) - roasted sweet potato, well steamed carrots, broccoli etc.

From 26 weeks we experimented with the main allergens (milk, egg, wheat), and from then she's had bits of our food. She's nearly 29 weeks and this week she's had pasta, bits of chicken, and a really chunky veg chilli. Sometimes we have to mash her portion with a fork but I haven't blended anything.

I think a mixed approach is best. Bit of real dinner, bit of smooth stuff (no need to slave away pureeing. DD has 2-3 pouches a week while we're out for lunch and Hipp do yoghurt sized fruit purees I mix with natural yogurt - but only because it was important to me that she could both use a spoon and be spoon fed too.

The NHS starting solids info is very good and foods to avoid is useful too.

Lots of recipes on MN and on the BLW site.

Can see that someone has already pointed you in the direction of the MN weaning info, don't forget MN weaning talk too

Walou, thank you guys for sharing your experience :)

MiaowTheCat, I didn't know that we can borrow these books from the library. I am definitely going to check in my local one.

JileedJohnsJulie, the threads are a good idea to help kill my daemons. I failed to find the weaning talk yesterday when I looked. In my defence, it was late and my brain was half switch off :)

Would recommend the library as well, then you can dip in and out of different books. If you are going down the puree route, a book with puree recipes is a bit of a waste to buy, they spend so little time at the puree stage.

Another one recommending the library. If you can't see the one you want on the shelves you might be able to order it in

I agree with the library our small local library has a good range of weaning books. I bought the Baby Led weaning book in the end as I kept re loaning it from the library. I also wasn't a strict blw/puree I did whatever seemed appropriate from what we were eating, but I found some lovely recipies on the book for the four of us to eat.

With dd I started off with Gina Ford because I did her general routine, so it made sense, but quickly moved on to Annabel Karmel because the recipes are a bit more interesting.

When the time came with ds, I waited till six months then just let him have a stab at whatever we were having - BLW, in a nutshell. So much easier than all that purée faffing.

However I do understand the fear factor with the first child; I felt more in control following a weaning plan then so purées suited me. But really, they are just not necessary if you wait till six months.

If you do go down the purée route though, be sure to introduce finger foods as early as possible. If you leave it too long it can be difficult to persuade them to have anything remotely lumpy.

I had AK and a veggie one, as we're bringing up DD as veggie, both were pretty helpful. I started BLW but switched after about a month and found traditional weaning far less hassle, for me at that time.

www.amazon.co.uk/Complementary-Feeding-Nutrition-Culture-Politics/dp/1905177429
A thought provoking read on infant nutrition. Great book which completely reassured me that my children did not need baby cereal and that my DD just wanting to eat fruit, veg and meat mainly was infact what she needed!

I guess it's going to be a matter of trial and error. Like everything so far.

RhubarbGarden, thanks for the tip on introducing the finger food early :)

SaveTheMockingBird, this book has amazing reviews on amazon. I have recently started questing our (DH and myself) food choices. Busy + lazy means we don't always go for the healthy option. Having the baby makes me want to be a better role model (first time mum syndrome); including food and exercise). I'll def give this book a go :)