Ask HiPP Organic’s expert about weaning - £150 voucher to be won! NOW CLOSED

[JustineBMumsnet]

Having a baby can often be challenging, and weaning your baby is one of many confusing but rewarding parenting milestones. HiPP Organic would like you to ask their expert, Helen Gardiner - your questions about weaning.

Some more information on Helen below:

“Helen is a registered nutritionist and dietician who has worked with HiPP for nearly 19 years advising on a wide range of issues related to infant and child nutrition. She provides support and advice to parents, carers and other healthcare professionals through HiPP customer services and their social media and websites.”

So, ask Helen your questions about weaning by posting them below by 13th November. We’ll then choose 20 questions for her to answer and post her responses as soon as possible. All who leave a question below (regardless of whether it’s chosen or not) will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £150 Love2Shop voucher.

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!

MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs apply

My 21 month old daughter doesent eat a lot. Any tips on getting her to eat.

Do you think what you eat in pregnancy affects how well they wean?

What's your opinion on baby led weaning?

Do you have any tips on getting relatives to take allergies seriously? My lo is allergic to cow's milk and eggs (so far, hopefully no more!). They cause serious gastric issues, rashes, vomiting etc, but many relatives have the attitude that 'there weren't allergies in my day's or 'a little bit won't hurt'. Am I fighting a losing battle or is there a way for them to take notice? Because of their attitude I am reluctant to leave LO with them.

Are vitamins recommended during weaning?

How can I avoid my baby developing a sweet tooth?

I have similar issues to Katniss above. My question is now I have cut out dairy from my DD (11 months) diet she is much more settled at night. What foods could I be giving her instead to make sure she gets a balanced diet?

Koalalab I was told by dietician to give 500ml of alternative milk or formula (alpro growing up is best, but if can't tolerate soya, use oatly barista)- do NOT go for organic alternatives as they need to be fortified with calcium and organic are not. There's lots of alternatives such as Koko yoghurt, violife cheese which are fortified with calcium too, and make sure you're giving a multivitamin which includes vit D to ensure optimum absorption of calcium. Hope that helps!

Your GP should refer to dietician if you ask.

Thanks Katniss . She still breastfeeds and I make breakfast with oatly and I've just discovered the Koko yoghurts. I'll have a look for violife too.

With my older children I pureed everything..... want to give baby led weaning a go this time. What is the best food to start on?

What foods should be avoided until 12 months? I keep getting conflicting advice

I have an almost nine month old who is still gagging and seemingly choking on stage two foods.
We also offer finger foods after having two previously children who did baby led weaning with no concern. Sometimes she manages maize snacks but anything of a non melting consistency still causes her to gag. What can we do?

Jennylane I hope your question gets answered as we have the same issue here with my 9 month old dd.* She still gags a lot on foods, even puréed stuff. We just have to be very careful but it’s scary. She’s also not really that keen on eating. She will take a few teaspoons of something but I’m not sure if this is a normal.*

Sorry not sure why some of my post ended up in bold.

I'm currently weaning my little boy from breast milk onto formula, but find the guidance on the back of the Hipp formula box confusing. He is 5 months old, but weighs 10kg having been EBF up until now. Where do I even start figuring out how much formula to give him??

Is hipp supplemented with iodine? Because a organic milk lacks iodine and it is super important for brain development

My 7.5 month old is eating 3 meals a day - we started weaning at 6 months exactly and are doing a mix of finger food and spoon feeding normal family foods (mash, porridge, cottage pie etc). He has cut down on breastfeeding. I'm worried we have gone too quickly and he is eating too much? Is this possible?

What do you think about the confusion with the word weaning meaning introducing solid food versus stopping breastfeeding. Do you think it hinders longer term breastfeeding?

What is classed as a portion of fruit/veg for a baby? And should a vitamin supplement be given daily?
Thanks

When should children be given nuts? The advice seems to change a lot!

When should you introduce foods likely to cause allergies, e.g. peanuts?

My son has an allergy to milk or lactose, yet to be confirmed by paediatrician. He's started weaning, enjoying fruit and vegetable puree but struggling to find cereals that he can have. Any suggestions?

if i'm making my own foods, what should i put in and what should i avoid

how can you make gravy that isnt incredibly salty

I've read about giving pureed veg for first foods and then slowly introducing fruits, as they claim is been show that babies introduced to foods in this way have a wider variety diet when older.
Would you support this style of weaning, and if not what, would you recommend any 'order'? Many thanks