Weaning 8 month old twins and feel like I'm failing

[ceebs13]

Hoping someone may be able to help - I'm attempting to wean my twins who are now 8 months old.
I started weaning at about 5 months, but wasn't too concerned about the amount I was getting into them.
Following lots of other 'mums advice' I'm now doubting myself that I'm doing it right, and subsequently worrying about the amount of milk and food they're taking.
I'm now attempting the following pattern, but they're just not happy:
7.45 (or when waking) 100ml milk then breakfast -ready brek or weetabix
8.45 100ml milk
12.00 100ml milk
12.30 lunch - 4 annabel karmen cubes between the 2 of them and a little star yogurt each
13.30 100ml milk
17.00 100ml milk
17.30 dinner - 4 annabel karmen cubes between the 2 of them and either a jelly/yoghurt/fruit puree each
19.30 200ml milk
Thing is not taking all the milk and food and as soon as in the highchair crying, sure the tommee tippee bibs got something to do with it as seem so hard!
Up until now things have been going so smoothly with them, they're both such lovely little bundles seeing them like this is awful!
Pls pls if anyone can help pls reply!
Thanks

Oh, poor love. Firstly, don't worry about "failing" - you're raising twins, and you love them to bits - that's about as good as it gets, frankly. World Health Organisation recommends milk as the main source of nutrition until they're one, so your policy of not worrying is a good one! I can't advise on the purees/cubes front, as I did baby led weaning, but I'm sure someone else will help with that. Have you tried finger foods? NHS guidelines recommend offering them from 6 months onwards, and you may find that they find mealtimes more fun if they're playing with/experimenting with finger foods. Perhaps ditch the high chairs at lunch, and picnic on the floor with steamed veg sticks, toast and soft ripe fruit, such as pears and peaches? It is a messy business with one, so with twins it'll probably be hilariously so, but it may destress all three of you...

Good luck!

yes i'd look into blw. try babyledweaning.com it's taken the stress out of weaning for lots of mums.

Hi!
Thank you both - funny you should mention BLW, one of my friends is doing this and I think that was due to Mumsnet! I would have considered this, but know it can be very time consuming, and sadly this is the one thing that money can't buy!
I'm going to make more of an effort with the finger food and see if that makes any difference.
Thanks again
Cathy

I agree with habbibu's comments about raising twins and loving them - i think that is success!

If you are really concerned about food I would give them finger foods just chop up a bit of everything and put it in front of them leave them with it for about 30mins feed them bits here and there obviously watch they don't choke and just let them enjoy touching, smelling and tasting the food.

Things like pasta, fruit, veg, cheese, bread and butter etc

They will be fine don't listen to those who are adding pressure bet they havent tried to raise twins!

Cathy, I'd honestly say that BLW is less time consuming - make a meal for all of you, plonk it in front of them, eat yours and watch! I'm in awe of you spoonfeeding twins, to be honest - I'm such a lazy arse I couldn't even spoonfeed one!

you get on and eat while they eat. when do you manage to eat? when they nap? much easier to make them a sandwich the same as yourself than to whizz up annabel karmel cubes.

i'm just generally in awe of people with twins who manage to get out of the house, so i very much doubt you are failing at anything. i don't know anything about the ice cube stuff, having done BLW myself, but certainly letting them have their wicked way with some finger food might occupy them a bit. you don't need to go full-on BLW (although if you decide to, take it slowly) but finger food is quite a laugh.
i think it can take more time in the beginning, in the sense that they like to play with their food and show no interest in stopping, but on the other hand you can eat your own meal and footer around the kitchen. i was told by a mother with twins that the best piece of weaning advice she got was to call 'time' after 20 mins, she said that kept her sane. she wasn't doiing BLW though. here are some pics of two gorgeous twins from my blog who seem to be enjoying themselves. good luck.

Had to reply as your post could have been written by me a year ago! My twins ate around this amount at 8 months and drank a lot less milk - I worried constantly that they weren't getting enough.

Is it their weight you're worried about or that they aren't enjoying the food? If it's weight then get them weighed regularly and if they aren't growing on a consistent line ask your GP for advice. My girls see a pediatric nutritionist who has given me some useful food ideas to bump up the calories.

If it's the eating experience then perhaps try changing the environment - sometimes this works wonders. If you think the bibs are annoying them then switch to something else. Mine wear these which they get on well with.

I also started mine on finger food around this time and it really helped, especially with lumps. Watching me eat also helps - if I eat my lunch or tea with them they eat a lot more.

Hang in there - it will improve. If it's any consolation mine didn't eat a proper meal until around 14 months and are stil not huge eaters (or huge babies!)