Where to start?

[chocsaucestrawb]

Any tips for first weaning?

Little one is 12 weeks so still have a few weeks left before we start. Thinking around 20 weeks but will see how she goes and if she's ready.

We are under a paediatrician as little one has been quite unsettled - she's been sicky and possibly reflux so they said maybe look at weaning earlier. I weaned my first from 17 weeks under doctors advice but that was 11 years ago and have forgotten what I did!!! And things change. I've heard baby rice is lent necessary???

Anyway, tips and wheee to start and when did people start?

Thank you lovely mumsnetters x

Before anyone comes on the say it and get all judgemental, the standard advice is to start at 6 months.

HOWEVER, there are medical reasons to start earlier.

We were also under medical guidance with weaning my first and were told to do it at 4 months. The guidance we got was this;

Start with breakfast as you're always at home. We started with baby rice with his special formula. This was advised due to his allergies and baby rice has no allergens. If that isn't your issue you might start with baby porridge. It's also a familiar taste and if you're starting early that could be good.

Then we did tea as again you're always at home. We used pouches because 1) if it's before 6 months you have to purée and 2) we needed to know how many calories he was getting and this was a easier way to measure.

Finally we introduced lunch so we put off food outside the home. He was 6 months by this point so did more finger foods like sandwiches then, but also pouches for the calorie issue.

I hope that helps

@Twizbe very helpful thank you 😊

Unless advised by your doctor, please wait till your baby is showing all signs of readiness.

This may be before or after they hit 6 months.

I strongly recommend @solidstarts on Instagram. They also have a website.

They encourage BLW and have a TONNE of free resources to help you.

I started with soft foods like a banana, avocado, roasted vegetables that she could pick up and also soft so they melt in the mouth.

I then built it up to things like pancakes, toast and so on.

If you're scared of choking, you could offer purées or yoghurt and encourage your child to hold the spoon themselves. You can preload the spoon and then give it to them in their hand for them to feed themselves.

BLW is a mess to begin with but soooo worth it. DD is 18 months now and eats virtually everything. She can feed herself (very cleanly) with a spoon or fork that I don't even need to use a bib anymore (most of the time).

Oh and whether you BLW or traditionally wean it makes zero difference long term.

They all go through a fussy phase around 1-2 years where they only eat beige food lol.

I did 1 of each and apart from my DS' caution around new foods (understandable given he has a food allergy) they eat as well as each other.

That's not necessarily true.

If babies are still on only purées at 8/9 months, they are much more likely to become picky eaters and also develop multiple food allergies.

Blw vs traditional becomes the breast vs bottle of older babies.

It makes no difference.

OP as you're under medical guidance for weaning do speak to them as well. We saw a few allergy specialists with both my kids. Weaning method was never mentioned as a possible trigger for them.

I would also recommend solid starts but BLW won't be right if your LO is so small so I also suggest the book "how to wean your baby" which is a combo approach

Just popped on to see how you're getting on now @chocsaucestrawb?

We weaned DC1 early on the advice of HCPs fir very similar reasons but his turned out to be a missed Tongue Tie.

Have a look at these symptoms and see if what you're experiencing sounds similar