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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

starting weaning

21 replies

ratfly · 08/06/2007 23:26

I always said I would wait til 6 months to wean ds, but he is DEFINITELY interested in our food - he took a swipe at dh's baked beans the other day, and did the same with my weetabix today - he can sit supported, mouths everything he can, avidly watches us eat and has recently increased the amount of milk he takes in. So I think he is more or less ready.

He is nearly 5 months. Can I just mush up a banana / get cooked carrot sticks and let him get on with it (i.e. BLW), or do I need to wait til 6 months to do this?

OP posts:
CantSleepWontSleep · 08/06/2007 23:29

Well if the blw theory is right, then you could give him cooked carrot sticks and let him get on with it. If his body isn't mature enough to cope with it, then he shouldn't be able to pick it up, put it in his mouth and chew it.

Twinklemegan · 08/06/2007 23:32

Weeeell, some babies are in fact ready before 6 months - Wallace's for example swiped and ate a whole banana at, I think, around 5 months (?). I think I'd maybe have some suitable food near to him and see what he does with it. ie does he just chuck it around or does he actually put it in his mouth and eat it. I believe the theory is that if they are capable of eating for themselves, then their guts are probably ready for the food.

Other people know loads more about this though.

Original poster
ratfly · 10/06/2007 20:49

Ok, so we gave him mashed up banana and he looked blankly at it - I don't think he really realised he could pick up the mess in front of him. So we put some on a spoon and gave him the spoon - it went straight in the mouth (via the neck or ear sometimes, but it still got there in the end!).

And some definitely got in, as his poo was very 'interesting'!

So, where do I go from here? What other things can I give him? Should I persevere with purees, or can I go onto pasta, or cooked apple/pear? Should I avoid anything?

OP posts:
Aitch · 10/06/2007 22:03

do you want to persevere with purees? if he's able to feed himself with a spoon he's capable of self-feeding, so there's no reason to if you don't want to.
PS don't think dd could have picked up mashed banana. not sure i could either.

PutThatInYourPipeandSmokeIt · 10/06/2007 22:09

Well we started solids this w/e with our DD - we put the following down in front of her - half a banana that was part peeled, large chunks of watermelon, half a rice cake and a spoon with some avocado sitting on it. She helped herself to everything and I have no idea if any went in but she loved it! She sucked and sucked away and then bit bits off and some fell out and some she gagged on and possibly some went down....marvellous!

Aitch · 10/06/2007 22:10

ptiyp.

tribpot · 10/06/2007 22:12

I'm not fanatical about the 6 month thing (although my ds wasn't interested then or for months after) but I would definitely suggest holding out on wheat, e.g. pasta, until six months. I think if you wean before then it's basically fruit and veg that are recommended?

littlelapin · 10/06/2007 22:13

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Aitch · 10/06/2007 22:15

she means in a good way, not that i am some sort of militant, broccoli-touting madwoman. despite what you may have read...

littlelapin · 10/06/2007 22:20

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PutThatInYourPipeandSmokeIt · 10/06/2007 22:24

Ah yes but the most interesting this is that I overheard my very skeptical and negative DH on the phone to his mother saying 'yes watermelon is absolutely fine and if she doesn't like it she'll spit it out and you don't have to give purees you know. besides, she loved touching everything and squishing away. She's having fun learning about food'

My mum asked if I should really be giving her banana as it is so difficult to digest and I should be giving her baby rice to start with. It reminded me of one of my friends last week saying that she's really had to puree the mango/papaya mix she'd made really well for her DD because they weren't really ripe - I had to refrain from asking if she would feed herself unripe fruit as I didn't want to sound pompous.

Aitch · 10/06/2007 22:29

lol at 'didn't want to sound pompous'. you'll get accused of that Quite A Bit on here... in RL, people are much more delighted for you that you are getting your dinner hot, i've found.

littlelapin · 10/06/2007 22:48

This reply has been deleted

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Aitch · 10/06/2007 22:54

do you think my name is A Itch, rabbit?

littlelapin · 10/06/2007 22:56

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Aitch · 10/06/2007 23:14

i am quite geeky about the fry. own every single 'a bit of fry and laurie' on dvd. not that the beeb has released it, mind.

Aitch · 10/06/2007 23:15

he was on i'm sorry i haven't a clue today, pmsl.

Original poster
ratfly · 11/06/2007 08:51

thanks everyone
Aitch (or A itch if you prefer lol): So if i don't do purees what should I do? Sorry for being so thick, but hes nearly 5 months, so unsure how to do any blw with him.
[thick emoticon]

OP posts:
littlelapin · 11/06/2007 08:57

This reply has been deleted

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Aitch · 11/06/2007 13:02

look at 'finger foods month one', on the blog. that's roughly what i gave dd. like tribpot says, steer clear of gluten until he's six months. just see how you get on, lots of lovely fruit about at the moment, peaches, apricots etc. it was around this time last year that i started giving solids to dd and it's been a really unstressy pleasure.

Aitch · 11/06/2007 13:02

btw, ratfly what a gloriously revolting name.

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