Struggling and feeling down.

[PumpkinPie2013]

Just feel so rubbish about this weaning thing

My ds is just 6 months old. He started having purees at 5.5 months (please don't flame me it was recommended by a hcp).

Anyway, he loves his food, happily accepts a spoon and eats all his purees no problem.

My issue is lumps/finger foods.

I have a terrible fear of him choking so don't want to do fully blw.

I have given him pieces of toast and baby wafers when my dh is around and he happily chews away on them. He does sometimes get bigger lumps off but seems to gag/spit them out.

I spoke to the hv who said there's nothing wrong with giving aspoon but try to introduce lumpier foods and finger foods.

So I bought a hipp organic 7+ mths jar as it had small lumps in which I thought I'd feel ok with but ds just gags/spits out/gets upset

Honestly, I don't know what to do thinking of one of the following options:

1. Give ready brek and toast for breakfast instead of current puree as dh is around at this time. Then do puree when dh is out.

1. As one but rather than jars blend some of our food and gradually make them thicker/lumpier. Keep doing finger foods when dh is around.

Also I'm puzzled about using things we have e.g. mashed potato if it has butter in or things like tinned soup due to salt?

In an ideal world I'd make everything from scratch but just don't have time.

Advice gratefully received.

I don't think you need to rush into lumpier food or even finger foods yet - he is only just 6m old! There is a reason why those jars say 7m+ as generally babies are better able to cope with lumps then. Perhaps stick with purees for a few weeks and then gradually introduce more texture by mixing a puree with eg grated apple, mashed veg and progress from there. As for foods like mashed potato, I make potato for us all, then just take a bit aside for DD and mash with a little whole milk and unsalted butter separately for her. Tinned soup likely too salty for a baby plus hard to feed them it! You could make your own thicker version by boiling/steaming veg and blending, perhaps adding milk or formula to thin it - altho I do appreciate the lack of time thing! Have you tried him on porridge? Thats a good bfast with some purees fruit and introduces texture if you get a more multigrain one, without lumps.

DS is 9 months and has only just been getting to grips with lumpier food. He will gnaw on finger foods but does still bite off too much and gag a bit, but am assured that's normal really freaks DH out though. I'm obviously keen to get him on proper solids but that's just my impatience, there's definitely no rush at 6 months!

Thank you both for your advice

I think I will stick with purees and some finger foods for the next few weeks. Going to try the ready brek for breakfast as it's textured but not too lumpy.

I did give him an Ella biscuit today and he got quite a big piece off but coughed it back up no problem which reassured me a bit.

I saved him some veg and potatoes today to puree tomorrow so hopefully that will work

He does love his food so going to try and relax a bit

Both mine went through a gagging phase briefly before getting to grips with lumps. It's not choking (which is silent) it's just the way that they sort things out in their mouths.

My dd didn't really get into food until 8 and a half months anyway. I would keep offering all sorts - toast, cooked veg, rice cakes - and eventually they'll get it.

You shouldn't give your son processed food with salt in. But just give plainer food like canned tomatoes instead of soup. Mashed potato with butter is fine, they should have a higher fat diet.

You will get there Pumpkin - I bet you will see real changes in him over the next few weeks/months - I really feel my DD has 'grown up' a lot since 6m (now 9m). I too got stressed over weaning (posted a few weeks ago about an eating strike we had!) so I know its a really emotive subject esp for mums!

I moved to mashing veg and potato so there's no real lumps but it's not a real puree which worked well as the next step.
Also very soft boiled carrots to hold and bite so even if he took to much it dissolved in his mouth.

Both at around 6.5 months