Weaning

[Aleshia31]

Hi all !!

So my dd is only 4 months and I don't plan on starting to wean yet but looking for some advice on the lead up. I'd like to start in the morning with baby porridge / weetabix with her formula .. does she then drink the rest of the bottle ??
Also then when do you start introducing other foods .. like allow her to get used to breakfast then say a week or so later begin lunch ?
I know she will probably drop bottles but did you guys feed at bottle time orrrr your own dinner time
Any advice welcome

Personally, I wouldn’t bother with baby porridge. It’s quite expensive and completely unnecessary. If you do want to start with breakfast, weetabix or readybrek is fine. You could also try giving her a banana. You can split them into three, lengthways from the top, which will make them easier to hold.

Natural yoghurt is good too and how about toast and butter?

As long as she can sit and pick up food and put it in her mouth, she’s fine to try most things, you don’t have to limit it to spoonfed foods

As for the milk, I’d just keep giving her regular bottles until she’s around 7 months. She should then hopefully start to decrease her milk intake by herself. The idea is that between 7 and 9 months they should have around 600ml a day of first stage formula, going down to 400ml between 10 and 12 months. Once they reach 1 this goes down to 300 ml a day and you can swap to full fat cow’s milk.

There’s is some really good information on Weaning from Mumsnet and there’s also a Weaning chat section where you can talk to other MNers going through this crazy process

The NHS guidelines are pretty good and this guide from The Caroline Walker Trust even gives portion sizes, recipes and meal suggestions.

Thanks so much :)
So with ready break ect would you use the milk from her morning bottle to ensure she is still getting the intake she needs ?
As she's only 4 months she's not really holding anything yet but I know that will come :)! It's crazy I actually work in a nursery but it's completely different when it's your own ! Haha xx

At first, I'd give her the usual bottle then give breakfast about an hour later.

There's no need to go to the trouble and expense of using formula in the porridge either, full fat cows milk is fine in cooking and food from 6 months