Weaning 6 months - Please help

[Sarah1417]

Hi all,

I just feel like I need advise. I have spoken to my HV but she seemed to ramble through so much stuff and it's all so conflicting.

My little boy is 6 months next Monday. I want to start weaning him as he is ready and always hungry. He currently feeds every 3 hours (always has) and has 7oz bottles. He feeds 6 times a day with the last feed being a dream feed at 10pm.

I have so many questions but I don't know where where start.

Should I drop the dream feed at 10pm when we wean?

I will be starting on breakfast and dinner as advised. Is it correct to give little man his bottle at 7am as usual then follow up with a few spoon fulls of breakfast around 1 hour later?

I also want to introduce simple veggies. I have pre frozen lots of different types in small ice cubes. I would like to give him this around team time. Is 4pm the right time?

I don't think I struggled so much with my first little one. But I was told so often I did it wrong that now I'm worried I will mess up.

Will his feeds spread out a little bit now as well? By this point my other little boy was on 4 hour feeds but this little guy loves a 3 hour bottle.

Please help I feel like I'm going around in circles :(

Hi! My DS just started weaning last month when he turned 6 months. I started on 1 'meal' a day (more like a taste) and he's only just starting to have food twice a day now, he sometimes is spoon fed (Eg Weetabix, yoghurt, mash) but he prefers to feed himself with toast/crumpets/baby crisps/soft steamed carrots etc his favourite so far has been avocado mashed with banana or cream cheese. Sometimes I spread it on toast sometimes I spoon feed it.
I think 1 hour after his bottle is a good idea, don't worry if he only has 1 or two spoonfuls at first (if that!) He'll soon get the hang of it. I wouldn't worry about having 2 meals yet , can if you want but some days if it's too hard to fit in second due to late nap etc that's okay too :)
I would carry on with same number of bottles initially as the tiny amount of food he'll be eating won't be filling him it's more to have him practice eating and chewing, my DS is still having as much milk as before

Also ignore anyone who tells you you're doing it wrong- they're the ones who are wrong! That's so unhelpful and disheartening

@SpacePug thank you so much for the reply. I asked my health visitor about finger foods and she out right said no. She said he is too little.

With my first 4 years ago we started on porridge. We did that for 2 or so weeks the introduced a tea of simple veggies, then increased that in size and by 7 months we started on fingers food.

We always kept breakfast in the same place but added in things like well cooked carrots and pasta and let him feed himself. We started on purees for a month to get him used to opening his mouth and then we did combined with some spoon fed meals and some fingers foods where he would feed himself.

I was told so often this was wrong but he has such a good appetite and loves all food now, so I don't know how I could have done it so wrong but people just say stuff that brings you down you know?

Easier said than done but try not to stress. There's so much advice out the but you know baby best.
I started with lunch then added in tea then breakfast just because that suited me at the time at 6, 7 and 8 months.
Baby can have soft finger food to try straight away, if you choose to give it.
I've done a mix of purées and finger food and have a happy little 1 year old who will give any food a try. You've got this mama x

I wouldnt drop any feeds yet as it'll just be tiny tastes at the mo x

He's not too small for finger foods.

Give him so w of your breakfast, be that a small bit of your toast, or a spoon of your plain porridge, eggs etc. See how he goes.

That's what I did. Gave DD"breakfast" and she ate a little bit, then followed with milk. Then after a week or two, i introduced 'dinner', and again just gave a few things off my plate.

A d it just went from there really.

Benefit of this approach is, no need to specially make extra food for baby. And it makes you make good choices...ie can't be having Coco Pops for breakfast 🤣🤣

Agree, don't drop feeds yet.

Also agree with soft finger foods, if he wants to try. Neither of mine would do it this young.

I personally did porridge for first week, then started veg purees the next week, trying a new one every few days. Turns out my DS hates the texture of porridge and mashed veg, still does to this day! But my DD loved purees, especially spinach or squash or sweet potato puree. Can't get her to eat any of those now. Odd isnt it.

@Sarah1417 Hi! We started weaning my daughter at around 5 months. I followed all of the books about pureeing veg etc, doing finger foods and she wasn't really a fan. I was stressed but somebody recommended just blending/mashing what we eat. I was a bit at first but once we tried it, it was the best thing we ever did. Its so much easier and my daughter absolutely loves her food now!