I hate weaning

[Giltedged]

Just a bit of a moan - life always seems to get harder after this point.

I find it so stressful. Neither of mine have been interested in food so then don’t know if I should encourage or not. Then no idea what to do with milk. The vague hope sleep might improve and of course it doesn’t.

No real point to this post but I hated it with DS and am similarly hating it with DD!

[HappyAsASandboy]

Are you still breastfeeding? If so, give them food at mealtimes but don't stress about whether they eat it or just play with it. They'll breastfeed later and take what they need :)

I have no experience with formula feeding, but I would imagine it could be the same? Offer them food, and then afterwards offer them formula and they'll drink what they want to drink?

I always start from the position that a [happy] child won't willingly starve themselves. Offer food and milk and they'll eat what they want to eat. As long as you're offering healthy food, they should be able to eat as much or as little as they want to.

[Giltedged]

Thanks. She’s combi fed but just doesn’t seem remotely interested in solids. She just throws them on the floor or spits them back out again. She is just over six months but I am contemplating just trying again in a month or so.

[CadyEastman]

How many times a day are you offering?

At 6 months I'd just look on it as a tile for her to play with food. It really doesn't matter if she eats it yet or not

[Giltedged]

Thanks. It’s strange as it’s as if she knows it is food, she doesn’t engage with it - just drops it if you try to get her to play with it. But she just bits out attempts to spoon feed! Part of me thinks it’s pointless and to try again in a few weeks.

[CadyEastman]

Ho about offering good once a day, say at lunch when you have yours and not really bothering if they eat or not?

[Giltedged]

That’s what I’ve been trying to do but she just spits it out. Not sure if she isn’t really ready - I don’t want to annoy her and put her off but I’m also aware it has to be done.

[chickpea1982]

Go easy on yourself. It sounds like the reason you "hate" it is because you are expecting more of your baby than they are able to give at the moment. There's nothing you can do about that, except (as you say) having a breather and trying again later. Maybe just switch to giving the baby the occasional thing to chew on such as a banana or a carrot as a plaything, and try to stop worrying about whether they are eating it or not - see it as an experiment, without any pressure for them to actually eat anything. They will be fine with milk, or almost entirely milk, for quite a while yet.

[Giltedged]

Thanks - she just throws everything on the floor at the moment! I wasn’t expecting full meals but I did think she’d taste food a bit. Her brother was the same but he started nursery at 8.5 months and that did the trick - she isn’t starting until she’s nearly one and for only two days so can’t rely on that this tijme!

[CadyEastman]

My second didn't get that food was interesting or could fill her up for quite a while.

Really, try not to stress about it. They won't be 15 and still throwing food on the floor

[Giltedged]

Aww thank you. I keep giving myself a bit of a shake - DS was terrible and is a great eater now. She did eat a tiny amount of porridge this morning but she definitely wanted to be in control of the spoon so I am considering the baby led approach. I’m just wondering how it works if she literally just throws everything on the floor - do you offer the spoon at all? DS is having some scrambled egg for lunch so wonder if she’d like that?

[HappyAsASandboy]

Doddle cutlery is great for them to get used to spoons/forks.

I would just provide the food when you're eating. You eat your food and leave her to eat her food. Like you would anyone else. As long as it's not thin soup she will get it in her mouth if she wants to, or just play with it, or throw it on the floor.

I personally had no patience with throwing it on the floor. I got a nice big high chair tray to help, but if my babies were deliberately throwing it on the floor I'd presume they were finished, say that out out loud and then move the plate away.