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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

Original poster

Stage 2 weaning

16 replies

saby1974 · 11/12/2010 21:11

Hi all,

I am new to the mumsnet website and forums and have just joined up. I am looking forward to reading through and getting some helpful advice !

I need some help/suggestions on the next stage of my baby boys weaning "stage 2", well thats the heading the books I am reading refers to it as..

I am a bit overwhelmed by it all as from what I can see, I will need to be preparing 2 meals a day, and different meals each day of the week..

Any advice on what your strategies were would be really much appreciated.. Did you go down the freezing route ? or are there other ways that I am just not considering?!?

Thanks so much in advance :)

Sabine

OP posts:
stickersarecurrency · 11/12/2010 21:19

Oh goodness, that sounds complicated. I never pureed anything so I can't help much. If you search for baby led weaning on mumsnet or google you might find some of the info interesting.

Welcome, by the way :)

Habbibu · 11/12/2010 21:24

I'm not sure it needs to be so complicated. How old is your son? What is he eating at the moment?

Welcome to MN!

Jojay · 11/12/2010 21:30

Some of the books make what should be a fun and easy process seem like something that need planning with military precision.

It really, really doesn't. You'll get some excellent advice on here I'm sure. My advice to you would be to take it! Bin the books and have fun with it Grin

And do look up baby led weaning - I'm a complete convert Grin

StrikeUpTheBand · 11/12/2010 21:32

Another vote for baby-led weaning. I agree - nothing should be so complicated! Are you reading a certain baby and toddler meal planner by someone with the initials AK by any chance? If so you got further than I did Grin.

Seriously, even if you don't want to do baby-led weaning, there are lots of 'family foods' that your baby can share with you. You do not have to make them seperate food and freeze it in little pureed ice cubes. IMHO it's just madness! The aim, is it not, is to get them eating by 1 like a proper little person?

You can just make your own food without salt. If what you are eating is totally unsuitable then have a few standbys (maybe a few bowls of something that was suitable that you have clingwrapped and frozen)? Otherwise, take your own food, put suitable parts of it in a little bowl and leave it to cool in advance of the meal, and then bung it in front of them on their highchair tray (baby-led weaning). Alternatively, if you like spoonfeeding it, mash it up with a fork (or if meat etc run it through a garlic press/rotary grater if necessary) and feed it to them with a spoon.

Hope that helps Smile.

Original poster
saby1974 · 11/12/2010 21:47

wow! such quick replies!

You know, seeing your replies has already made me feel less stressed about the whole thing. I was trying to work out in my head how I would be able to cook and create all these different types of meals for each day of the week... And yes, your absolutely right, one of the books I had been reading was by "AK" :)

Thanks so much for your re-assurance and help..

Sabine

OP posts:
stickersarecurrency · 11/12/2010 22:00

This forum was set up by a MNer (and a mighty fine one at that Wink) and is full of interesting stuff.

StrikeUpTheBand · 11/12/2010 22:12

"And yes, your absolutely right, one of the books I had been reading was by "AK" "

I knew it!!! Smile That book made me feel like a failure as I just couldn't keep up with all the different purees. Then after 3 weeks my DS developed some hand-eye coordination (was premature so a little behind with that) and I decided to try the BLW instead.

A friend of mine who did not do BLW would cook the dinner and put some of it in a little tub for her baby to have the next day for lunch, and it worked well for her. She also had one of those 'wean machines' that you can get it Boots - it's yellow and you just put a bit of food in it that you are eating for your own meal and it extrudes it a bit like a large garlic press.

pommedeterre · 12/12/2010 08:15

I do spoon feeding with mashed food but also try to do a variety of BLW. I use AK's book because until 2 years ago heating up chips int he oven was likely to go wrong for me so I use her recipes for dh and myself as well. I cook an extra adult portion on an evening, feed dh and myself, make lunch for dd the next day and also put 3-4 extra portions in the freezer for her. I do this about 3 times a week so then on the days I cook something with too much salt for dd I still have homemade food for her the next day.
it works well for me.
Lunchtime is fine - it's teatime ideas I struggle with as little monster as firmly rejected both baked beans and scrambled egg.

pommedeterre · 12/12/2010 08:16

Sorry BLW = finger foods

jaggythistle · 12/12/2010 10:23

I got given the AK book as a present (from my MIL) we'd already started on our own so i didn't use the first tastes/puree bit.

The meal planners look mental! The recipes however, provided some inspiration for different meals for DS, they are all also pretty easy.

He can't always have exactly what we're having and also he might eat at a different time from us, so it's nice to have lots of little portions of frozen'ready meals' in the freezer when we're in a rush. I have a load of cheap small tubs for this, then just heat it up for him and add a bit of pasta/rice etc.

We also do our normal stuff e.g. bolognese, chilli, curry etc with less heat and without adding salt and put some portions aside for DS.

He has been mostly spoon fed, but eats finger foods every day too (bits of cheese/toast etc)

Tigresswoods · 12/12/2010 21:24

And if all else fails but some jars (they are not illegal) and use them when you run out of all inspiration.

Also good when you have not got time to put something together or let something defrost then cool down as your baby is crying for food.

jaggythistle · 13/12/2010 15:20

indeed, we found Ella's Kitchen / Plum baby type squeezy pouches were excellent for when we were out and about, or had zero time and a hungry baby. just chucked one in the change bag with a spoon and a bib.

BornToFolk · 13/12/2010 15:47

As well as freezing baby sized portions of our leftovers, I used to do a lot of batch cooking and freeze it. I still do some batch cooking as it's always useful to have things like cheese sauce and tomato sauce in the freezer as they can be used as the base of a lot of meals.

And remember, there's absolutely no harm in serving the same meal twice in one week! Some of these books make it seem like the parenting crime of the century but really, it does not matter at all.

babyrose · 15/12/2010 12:57

i use the ak books and i didnt follow it to exact put they are good to give you an idea of what you can make. buy bigger tubs and whenever you are making veg or fruit just blend them and freeze. i do on the odd occasion buy jars

Tigresswoods · 15/12/2010 21:25

Can't wait to wizz up the christmas dinner left overs, there will be loads!!! YAY!

missytequila · 16/12/2010 13:26

I am not following any books per say as I found them too regimented. I do however cook batches of baby food and freeze them in little containers. It seems like a lot, but once you get into it, it really is easy.

I take one hour each week and cook two big portions of say bolognese and chicken with lentils... them mush it up and put it into small containers... then all week you have dinners.

taking one sweet potato and steaming it and mushing it up with apples and cinnamon really only takes minutes and the cost is very low too. Or scrambling an egg... cooking your own food is really not hard and its cost effective... but then again I love to cook in general so its not so much a chore to me.

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