First time mum, weaning help

[Babydust250888]

Hi guys

I'm looking for some advice, I'm a first time mum with a nearly 5 month old baby. I've had so many people tell me off for not weaning her yet, but I refuse to until she's atleast 5.5 months if not 6 months.

I'm really confused about what to feed her, how many times a day and how many bottles alongside it. I formula feed.
I've seen so MANY blw videos where the child eats better than me if I say so! Others are pureed. What do I go with? Do I puree them or give mashed.

Any advice would be beneficial. Thanks

[Rowen32]

Honestly, do what you want to do. It can take a couple of months for them to really get going with it and to start drop milk feeds, up until one their main source of nutrition still needs to be milk so just do what comes easiest and most natural to you, if you're eating something let then taste it. I got so stressed with first baby and there was no need at all xx

[QueenLagertha]

I used Annabel Karmel book. It's called something like what to feed, when to feed your baby. Used it a bit this time around but haven't had the same time to make all the lovely recipes. DS mostly gets what we're having minus the salt, mashed plus finger foods.

The book explains how to start and gives sample menus and schedules. How to serve finger foods safely. Pick it up on eBay or Amazon second hand.

[PritiPatelsMaker]

That was exactly my experience @Ifiwasabird

DC1 loved being spoon fed. The next one wouldn't have a spoon anywhere near them so BLW it was!

[Ifiwasabird]

I really struggled with weaning my eldest but I bought the Ella's kitchen book and it gave a guide of what food to do each day and I followed that to get my confidence up (it's stuff you make at home you don't have to buy Ella's kitchen stuff). As for baby led or puree, once you start you'll see what your baby likes. Some hate being spoon fed, some don't want to pick things up themselves at first. I'd say give both a try and see what suits you both.

[PritiPatelsMaker]

You've had some great advice on here already @Babydust250888

I just wanted to add that you can find some great suggestions for first foods to try in this guide from the Caroline Walker Trust.

[FlounderingFruitcake]

Since the current advice is around 6 months, planning on 5.5-6 months is perfect. They should have good head control, be able to sit up in their highchair and have lost the tongue thrust reflex. If you’re not dead set on a particular weaning method then I’d do a bit of both and offer finger foods alongside traditional purées. Your baby might decide for you, both of mine were great eaters but one wouldn’t feed herself until she was almost 1 and the other was the exact opposite and had to do it all himself! Just no whole nuts and honey before 1 and as little salt as poss. I found it easiest to start with breakfast since we were always at home and they’d typically have porridge, weetabix, scrambled eggs, fingers of toast etc about an hour after their first bottle.

[purplemama1990]

The normal advice is to wean around 6 months, but every baby is different. You should really wait for the signs that they are ready: they have good support of their head and can sit well in a highchair. Weaning early isn't good for them, so if she isn't ready at 5 months I would definitely wait. Most babies aren't ready until closer to 6 months, so I don't understand why people are telling you off.

As for BLW vs pureed / mashed, do whatever you are comfortable with and whatever they are interested in. I would suggest going for a combination of both if you aren't comfortable with full on BLW.

I would start with one meal per day, at a time when they are most relaxed, not tired, not too hungry but too full from a bottle. You can give them puree, and also some finger foods to let them feed themselves too. Also, don't worry if they aren't really eating much, that's very normal. Once they are used to the one meal per day, introduce a second meal, once they are good with that, then introduce the third meal. No snacks needed before 12 months usually.

Other good advice is to try to eat with your baby. Sit down together and eat, so they can see you eating and enjoying the good and they will try to copy you.

Weaning is really stressful for first time mums, I know I was super stressed with it with my first and felt like I had no idea what I was doing! Even with watching videos and reading all the advice, it's hard to know what you're doing. Just keep offering them a variety of foods and let them get to know it and taste it, and don't worry about how much they are eating.