Ideas for baby's first meals/solids - help !!

[eepie]

Hi there, my DD has been having a few teaspoons here and there of veg and fruit purees - first of all I tried making my own but they were never smooth enough and my baby just let them fall out of her mouth - she didn't seem to like them...it seemed a lot of effort for not much actual success in the eating part !! So I tried smoother Ella's Kitchen organic ones which she LOVED - especially she likes the Bananas, Blueberries and Baby rice one ! And because she was hardly eating anything and just trying little tastes here and there, I thought it was ok to just buy a few different Ella's Kitchen pouches for her especially as we were travelling loads and visiting friends and family over Xmas but now we are back home and she properly wants lots of spoonfuls 3 x a day now - I feel guilty about giving her food I haven't made myself from a packet....(Maybe I am being too PFB about this??) But I feel like the Ella's Kitchen sachets are way nicer than anything I could make and much quicker/easier -- also feeling massively guilty about this too !! My DD doesn't consistently sleep for long stretches in the day yet and she is quite a high needs baby when awake - not one for being plopped in a baby chair or play pen or on the floor on her own with toys for any length of time, so I feel a bit overwhelmed at the thought of having to also make food for her, as well as lunch for myself and do the housework etc whilst she is sleeping. Obviously this must be possible though as I'm sure most other Mum's must manage this to some degree ?!
I feel a bit like I need inspiration or ideas for quick nutritious stuff to make for her as I don't want to always give her packaged food ! Please help and would like to hear other Mum's experiences of first weaning etc....Thanks !

How old is she?

Once they can sit up independently around6 months, you can give them a bit what you're having. Look at www.babyledweaning.com

I just gave batons of carrot, parsnip and sweet potato for first week or so (steamed enough to make them soft but firm enough for baby to grip in fist) , then added more fruit and veg week by week.

Jkt spud with beans and cheese is a fave in this house. (Microwave the spud) I also just tend to purée a portion of the previous nights meal.

Yes she can sit up well but needs a bit of support - she's almost 6 months. I did think initially that I wanted to try baby led weaning as I did it when I was nannying but I think with my own baby I am a bit more anxious about choking and I seem to have forgotten what to give her ! She has two bottom teeth now and she'd be able to nip little bits of carrots...etc and then she'd have lumps in her mouth....the one time she did get a lump of something in her mouth (my MIL gave her one of those dissolvable baby biscuits), she gagged and threw up all her milk....! But I suppose they need to get used to eating lumps?
I am keen to do some BLW but also spoon-feeding as well as I just know they'll be times when she's really hungry and I just need to get some food down her quick before we leave the house, or whilst out and about etc. When I did BLW whilst nannying, we stayed at the baby's house most of the time and very rarely did meals out. But for my child I need things to be a bit more flexible and not revolving around being at around home.

Meh I have no problem with puches/jars. I'm on DD3 and have gone through the home puree stage with DD1 and it's seemed to make no difference to eventual eating habits!

I'd advise using the pouches and when you can give baby some lumpier stuff to grab and try. They may gag because it's unusual but give stuff you are sure isn't a choking risk (those baby biscuits are for 7+ months! ) like pp said very steamed squishy veg, grains of rice, porridge etc.

Then as you and baby get more used to eating just start giving bits of your meals.

You'll kind of meander through weaning I find!

Gagging is part of learning to chew. The gag reflex is so much further forward in the baby's mouth that it will gag before choking.

If you do a mixture then maybe you wouldn't feel bad about giving pouches when out? There's lots of blw suitable snacks you can make though.

A few quick ideas that my 2 dds liked;
Porridge made with milk (reddybrek or real oats)
Scrambled eggs
Plain yoghurt (natural or Greek) with mashed up banana or avocado.
Baby Pasta with tomato (tinned or fresh tomatos cooked with garlic and olive oil) or mushroom (fry finely chopped mushrooms and garlic for a few minutes, add double cream) sauce.
Good starter finger foods are:

• Toast (plain, or with peanut butter or cream cheese)
• sticks of peeled cucumber, banana or avocado
• plain boiled pasta (they won't eat much but they'll love gumming it)
• cooked broccoli or asparagus (both mine went nuts for asparagus!).
• slices of ripe (ie not hard) peeled pear.
• sticks of cheese.
• finger sized cream cheese sandwiches

Avoid anything very hard like raw carrots, but equally, don't be afraid of giving your baby food with soft, chewable lumps. It's important that they are introduced to texture so you don't want to keep them on very smooth food over 6 months. I actually think the pouches are a bit too smooth for everyday use (although great for when you're busy or out and about). The main thing with weaning is don't be afraid- it's a myth that babies need very smooth, bland food. Before they're walking age, they're much more open to strong flavours so you can really have fun with their feeding. Blue cheese, garlic, curry, were all things my dds ate whilst weaning (not anymore, sadly, but that's another story!) Basically, anything you make for yourself, so long as it's low salt/sugar and can be puréed or eaten with fingers (and not full of small, hard things like whole nuts), is fine. And don't be put off if they won't eat something- I often find my dds will refuse something one day and gobble it down the next. Their appetites are pretty variable.

I didn't really use pouches unless out and about for the day but I agree. Baby preferred them. They work out expensive though, dont you find?

I didn't do blw as such but as soon as I felt the time was right I gave little first bites of fruit (kiwi) and baby loved self feeding. Pancakes, cheese etc.

I have the annabel books and liked the ideas and used them.

could you buy yourself a soup maker? all you have to do is put in uncooked veg, stock and water and turn on. less than hour later your soup is ready. i make up loads and freeze so i can defrost different flavours each day for dd.

sit there with dd and you'll be surprised how well they manage with lumps. my dd is nearly 7 months and she eats beautifully. loves crackers, carrots, roast pots, biscuits. raw carrots are good as she won't bite any off but will get used to feeling when having a cracker.

also offer water during finger food to help wash down. PM me if you want to chat about it. i am a teacher and a mommy and know the transition is difficult x

Don't forget that milk is still their main source of nutrition at this age - food is only complementary until much nearer to 12 months. So hunger should be sated by milk first rather than solid food. If you're in a hurry and you think she's hungry, then a quick breastfeed is going to be more suitable than spooning some fruit/veg puree in.

Also, I wasn't housebound when doing BLW with my DS, not even slightly. I would take easy things with me when out and about like bananas, batons of cheese, breadsticks, rice cakes, any other sliced fruit, vegetable muffins, any finger food really. Baby could sit in a high chair having a go with those whilst I was having lunch. I would get out of the house pretty much everyday and had no problems with it. Obviously I saved the really messy meals for at home rather than when out but that was not difficult.

I gave toast soldiers with marmite and melted cheese, banana, yoghurt, carrot sticks, broccoli trees (never forget an American lady leaning over when we were in Thailand with our 9mth old and saying "excuse me, is your baby eating broccoli??)
by about 9mths she was having noodles, salmon, olives, all sorts. The only thing I watched was eggs and tomatoes as she reacted to them and the salt content of food.
I rarely pureed anything

Thanks so much - great suggestions ! I feel a bit better / more confident about trying BLW now I think...I think my LO will enjoy it too... !

I always worried with giving packet food that it would encourage a sweet tooth. I'd give the spaggy bol ones when I had nothing else around. My DD is a great eater and always has been and Im sure it's because of the BLW. Good luck with it.