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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

Where do we start with weaning??

21 replies

Tiddler · 02/01/2007 13:16

Hi all, DD is three and half months old and not quite ready to be weaned just yet, but i want to get ahead so i know just what to do etc etc.. any tips or advice greatly appreciated. x

OP posts:

MrsBadger · 02/01/2007 13:25

If you want to do it the easy way (and don't we all...) you can wait till she's about 6mo, sitting up by herself and picking things up - this means you can start straight in with finger foods (basically bits of what you're eating) and bypass purees and spoons completely. No need to start any earlier (so long as there's no other serious issues).

This is (poncily IMO) referred to as 'baby-led weaning' but really it's just letting them get on with it themselves.

Aitch has written a fab blog on it here ...

bottleblonde · 02/01/2007 13:37

I found Annabel Karmels Baby and toddler meal planner really helpful. I have begun weaning my DS is at just over 4 months but each baby is different. Just go with your instincts. You will know when the time is right.

DizzyBint · 02/01/2007 13:38

LIZS · 02/01/2007 13:45

The WHO recommendation is that babies can be satisfed nutritionally by milk - breast or formula - until 6 months. Earlier weaning may cause allergies and long term digestive problems as the gut is immature.

Having said that I've used Annabel Karmel's recipes and suggetsions on and off until mine reached school age.

AitchTwoOhOhSeven · 02/01/2007 13:47

(pmsl @ dizzy)

MrsBadger · 02/01/2007 13:52

(pmsl at dizzy also)

Original poster

Tiddler · 03/01/2007 17:54

coolio i will give it a try then, as i said dd not ready just yet but won't be long. thanks for the advice.

OP posts:

Twinklemegan · 03/01/2007 23:50

I found a particular book very helpful. I've been introducing foods in the order suggested and so far he's taken everything happily. I have found purees absolutely fine so far - I don't shovel it down him though, I let him play with it and make up his own mind. Very messy, but good fun! It really isn't much work if you make up large batches. So far I've got frozen batches of pear, apple, carrot, sweet potato and courgette. If you want to get ahead you could maybe start making up some purees a couple of weeks before you plan to start weaning? BTW, make sure you're prepared for the instantly stained clothes and get a large supply of bleach!

hunkermunker · 04/01/2007 00:15

Leave it as long as possible. There is no hurry to get them eating food.

6 months is plenty early enough - and if you leave it that long, they can feed themselves. Marvellous!

IamBlossom · 04/01/2007 08:26

wot's with the sigh? Bit patronising and unhelpful perchance?

bottleblonde · 04/01/2007 08:46

And good luck! These are exciting times for you and your baby

MrsBadger · 04/01/2007 08:48

(The sigh was presumambly because the advantages of leaving weaning till 6mo are regularly posted about and discussed in huge detail, and still people haven't got the message and are advising other people to 'trust their instincts' rather than the evidence-based guidelines. Kellymom has good references to the data and the WHO recommendations.)

DetentionGrrrl · 04/01/2007 09:33

It is possible that Tiddler is new / hasn't seen those threads, so perhaps something more helpful than 'sigh' might have been called for. (or just not posting in the thread maybe)

MrsBadger · 04/01/2007 09:43

I think the sigh was regarding bottleblonde's post, not Tiddler's - at least that was how I interpreted it.

DetentionGrrrl · 04/01/2007 09:44

ah. apologies if that was the case.

DizzyBint · 04/01/2007 14:00

ahem.

sigh was in response to 'go with your instincts, you know when the time is right'

am sure some of you will remember the huge long thread about weaning early, perhaps a week ago.

i shall try very hard not to sigh in future, well, not out loud anyway.

AitchTwoOhOhSeven · 04/01/2007 20:25

it's a fair point, detentiongrrl... apols and hope my schoolgirlish sniggering didn't put Tiddler off posting again.
that 'go with your instincts' business does crack me right up, though.

Original poster

Tiddler · 17/01/2007 16:40

Hello again all.. no the sign didn't put me off at all, just not had much time to reply as you can imagine with 4month old love her!! I laughed to.
Had Mother in law round today and she's convinced i should be giving mashed bananna or something at this stage, but at end of day im her mother and i know full well she is not ready, some days she doesn't want much milk other days it's drained and tomorrow she has her next lot of injections so she will prob go right off it all together i would imagine . Im going to start getting prepared in next wk or so to try her with perhaps bit of baby rice of something but i have to admitt you do feel pushed into weaning them early especially by bloody family wish they would just keep there snout's out!! x

OP posts:

DizzyBint · 17/01/2007 17:09

good for you tiddler. sorry about the sigh, it was not directed at you. quite the opposite. it is hard trying to do what you know is right in the face of others trying to rush you and push you along, especially when it's people who mean well and think they know best.

Original poster

Tiddler · 18/01/2007 15:33

No worries dizzybint ...hi ladies... um little one tried to steal my breakfast this morning believe it or not, so i tried her with a little rice which she loved so we are now weaning. only thing is can anyone give me some idea of there rountine as i haven't a clue with regards how much milk and rice as she taking it from a spoon, also when do i introduce fruits and with the apple puree are they normal apples cooked/stewed or???? sorry for all the questions.

OP posts:

mabel1973 · 18/01/2007 16:06

sorry to hijack, but could anyone point me in the direction of the weaning thread that dizzybint mentioned?
I'd just like to have a read through.
My Ds2 is 18 weeks, he was a 10lb baby and is now 17lb, bf, I know he's not ready for weaning, he is just waking earlier and earlier in the morning and it knackering me out. I am determined to keep him on milk as long as poss, but realistically don't know how i can manage it also. Thought a read through that thread might help me to stick with it.

Sorry again for hijack

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