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Weaning

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

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Original poster

Is this enough food for my 6month DD

14 replies

TOOTER · 25/02/2006 12:59

Am probably being totally nuerotic but after reading every available weaning book looking for answers am now worried my six and half month DD is not eating enough. I started weaning her 7 weeks ago on the advice of my health visitor as her weight had dipped slightly. But I dont feel I am progressing. This is my average day
7am Wake
7.30 Milk 5-8oz. She is not interested in breakfast even if I offer it an hour later. Have also tried before with slight improvement but then refuses to take much milk
9am Nap 45 mins
11.30 or as close sometimes earlier if she doesnt have much breakfast 6spoonfulls of vege puree followed by 3-4oz milk
Noon Nap
2.30-3pm Milk 5oz
5.30 Rice and fruit made up with 3oz milk she does gobble this and wonder if its because she hasnt eaten enough throughout the day
6.15 Bath
6.30 Milk 7/8oz
7pm Bed
Does this routine seem ok? Has anyone got any routine ideas baring in mind her sleeps are quite fixed ( I have Gina Ford to thank or not thank for that!! )Could the big tea and milk be spoiling her morning appetite? She has started to wake in the night but not out of hunger think its teeth. The only meal she seems to enjoy is teatime and bed milk. Am I worrying unneccessarily, its just that all the books suggest alot more and all my friends babies are tucking in its hard not to compare.

OP posts:

mummytosteven · 25/02/2006 13:02

amount wise that amount of solids sounds absolutely fine to me. DS wasn't on 3 solid meals a day till about 8 or 9 months. I think the milk sounds a bit on the low side to me - would she take another bottle of milk at some point. I've never really done routines much, so can't really advise much as to routine, sounds sensible enough to me. i'm not entirely convinced by your HV's advice re:weight, as you're substituting fruit or veg for milk, and milk has more calories!

bundle · 25/02/2006 13:02

I'd do the breakfast before the milk, but my dd's are 5 and nearly 3 so my memory could be failing me!

chocolateshoes · 25/02/2006 13:19

I was advised to try to bulk food out more. Could you add some mashed pasta, rice or potato? Also couscous is easy to add to a veggie puree. My DS dropped but picked up once I introduced protein. Lentils are really good, or grated cheese (if you're not avoiding dairy).

Good luck!

wools · 25/02/2006 14:44

Hi Tooter,
I think your routine sounds absoultely fine. She is definately getting enough milk and she is having 2 meals a day. Don't worry too much about breakfast - you could maybe just give her a rusk or small pieces of toast here to nibble instead. My DS is 1 month older than yours and eats a very similar amount although he is hopeless at taking his milk and I struggle to get the minimum amount down him. He is healthy and alert and I'm not going to stress about him. I would keep doing what you're doing.

QE2 · 25/02/2006 14:48

I think at that age her diet seems fine to me. Agree with chocolateshoes that you could perhaps bulk her puree out with lentils or beans. Have you tried offering something different for breakfast? - mine loved ready brek mixed with their milk.

chocolateshoes · 25/02/2006 18:06

Was also wondering if she might respond better to some finger foods. Toast soldiers, bread sticks, steamed carrot sticks, rice cakes.....

Original poster

TOOTER · 25/02/2006 19:04

Hi wools
I think you have the right idea not to get too stressed about it. My DD is very happy and contented too. Have you tried petit filous yogs they have 5 or 7oz of milk in them? I agree with you mummytosteven, I think I was ill advised by health visitor too wish I had gone on my own instincts maybe she would have responded better when she was ready. Am definately going to try bulking out her food and trying finger food. Was anyone else nervous when offering real food, am worried her little tummy may not be ready for cheese or pasta its such a leap from puree slop or am I just reluctant to let my LO grow up!!!!

OP posts:

chocolateshoes · 25/02/2006 19:29

if you've got Anabel Karmel's book I can recommend her 'Lovely Lentils' as a first 'real food'. my DS also loves Corn Chowder from GF's bk of weaning. If you haven't got it let me know & I'll write you the recipe.

Nat777 · 26/02/2006 10:59

My DD is 6.5 months old and I started weaning her quite early, at around 4.5-5 months old. Since she has been 6 months old, she has been eating with us and loves fingers foods alot more than being fed by the spoon.

She has toast or cereal for breakie and then eats with us for lunch and dinner. It is very messy and she doesnt get much down, but I feel at this stage that it is about learning new tastes and skills and she gets what she needs from her milk.

I really wouldnt worry to much but would def recommend trying finger foods.

Holymoly321 · 26/02/2006 19:28

Nat 77 - DS is 23 weeks and today I gave him some baby rice at lunch for the first time- he didn't really like it - cried so I just gave him the rest of his milk instead. I made up some sweet potato puree (had bought them for me and DH but we ended up not eating them so I pureed them so as not to waste them - froze the cubes) but gave DS a tiny taste at tea time as I'd just cooked it - he didn't complain as much! However, I'm keen to start him on the finger foods because I just feel it's more fun for him, plus it's making him develop his own motor and social skills rather than me just spooning stuff down him. How long should I wait before starting him on the finger foods and what are good finger foods to start him on?

Original poster

TOOTER · 26/02/2006 20:03

Am going to be brave and try some finger foods tommorow!! Thanks for the offer of recipes chocolate shoes, I have both the books and know them inside out!!! Did you follow any of the routines at all eg Gina Ford and if so what did you think?

OP posts:

chocolateshoes · 26/02/2006 20:29

Am risking life & limb on here but admit that I'm following Gina's routines & I followed her initially with weaning when introducing foods but now do a mixture of recipes from her book, Anabel Karmel & also some recipes from Mnetters. I have found that the GF routines have worked brilliantly with my DS & he is a totally contented baby. By the way, the only thing my DS has clearly hated was the spotty couscous, but he seems to like couscous mixed in with veg. He also loves Anabel's minestrone.

Be prepared for lots of mess with finger foods! Have your camera at the ready!

forevermore · 26/02/2006 21:50

i have the same routine and strggle to get her to finish bottles. how much milk is in the danone baby yogurts? chose these as a snacl at lunchtime since told made with follow on milk???

chocolateshoes · 27/02/2006 12:40

I don't know what's in the Danone yogurts. I just buy big pots of Greek yogurt & add gruit to them. have you tried adding some formula to mashed potato, avocado, banana...or making rice pudding with formula? I'm BFing so don't really know how much DS has, but try to use quite a bit of milk & cheese in his foods.

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