Weaning help.

[Stayjoward]

I have twin girls who are a few days off 7 months old, I started weaning them at 6 months and I’m already at the end of my tether with it.

I try them with solids an hour after their bottle at lunchtime and they don’t like ANYTHING. I’ve tried every veg, every fruit, porridge, pouches and I can’t get them to take more than a mouthful and even that is hard work, they refuse to open their mouths and anything that goes in pretty much comes out.
I’ve tried them with fingers food, one will feed herself the Ellas puff crisp things but that’s the only thing she will put in her mouth, the other doesn’t attempt to put any food in her mouth.
I’ve tried filling the spoon and letting them put that in their mouth themselves but they don’t want to do that either.

Any suggestions? Anyone else have the same thing? It takes me longer to get them both strapped in their chairs and food ready than it does it feed them, then it all goes in the bin anyway.

Try giving them food before milk, even if only a little bit. It will soon build up and they'll like it eventually.

I suspect they’re probably not hungry enough. An hour after bottle (while the advice given by most hcps) is like you being expected to eat another full meal an hr after your lunch/dinner. So maybe try giving before you give a bottle instead?

My DD (now 2.5) barely ate a thing til she was well over 1, she just wasn’t interested and it became a bit of a battleground. It wasn’t fun for either of us so I would def advise you don’t push it, they’ll get there in the end. I say this as someone who received this advice 1000 times and hated it, but they were right!!

I don't have much advice but just wanted to say that like pp my DD really wasn't interested in solids until she was a year old. she would take porridge in the morning but that was really it. She was a small baby (9th centile) and wasn't that interested in milk either. Once she reached a year she was on three meals a day and got interested in food

They're only 7 months old.
My lo didn't start eating properly till 12/13 months. Weaned at 10 months.

How long do they go between bottles? With ds he’d only really be bothered about trying something half way between feeds. Straight after would’ve been a riot. Like pp said eating a second meal when you’re already full.

Food before one is for fun.. try to stick with that, it’s not essential, they’re not starving or they’d let you know.

Also what about dipping the puff for the one who’ll take them.. sounds mad but if it lets her taste something new why not.

Offer food before milk x

If you have the time or inclination to read, ‘my child won’t eat’ by someone Gonzales is a great book, written by a paediatrician, helps you understand how this is all so normal, and not worry. They are getting nutrition from milk. The saying ‘food before 1 is just for fun’ is helpful. Just now it’s all trial and exposure to the idea. Just keep trying them - don’t even try on days when you feel at the end of your tether - try as much as you can to relax and it will be fine.

Definitely try food before milk. It makes no sense really for them to want to eat so soon after an normal "meal" of a bottle.

My DS is 8 months and is on 3 meals a day plus a snack plus 2 bottles. HV was out last week and was delighted with him..he took to solids like a champ and was only on purees for the first week or so. Now just eats our dinner mashed or chopped a bit. I started weaning him at 5 months due to reflux though so hes been at it a bit longer!

It'll all fall into place. Offer them some baby porridge mixed with their formula milk, sweet potato also went down well here. Put finger foods in front of them but dont stress too much if they only squish it between their fingers. Or try giving half their normal bottle and then some food?

Thanks guys feel much better now. I’ll try them with a bit of food before their bottle, I’ve tried leaving it later but then it gets too close to nap time and doesn’t end well.

It doesn’t help I follow Instagram weaning accounts and everyone’s babies seem to be eating loads and mine aren’t. Social media is the devil!

I had this for two months and it's only just starting to improve. Try leaving it two hours it between milk and food. And ask someone else to feed them when possible - my LO took food much better from anyone except me!