Finding this whole weaning business very frustrating....

[helips]

I really didn't think weaning would be so difficult! My ds is 9 months now and at first he wouldn't take anything off a spoon so I started doing baby led weaning. However I found this very messy and worried that not enough food was going in. Luckily, he then started eating the odd bit of puree so I combine the two. All going well until I try to introduce meat, he will eat fish but absolutely refuses any chicken/red meat purees and has a look on his face of disgust. AAARRRGHH! I am finding this so frustrating and he seems to be getting fussier by the day, also think he is getting a sweet tooth! Anyone else finding weaning a nightmare and is it normal for babies to dislike meat? Will it grow on him or will he end up a veggy (hope not, me and dh are meat lovers!!)

Im also finding it quite difficult, dd is almost 8 months and she will usually only eat off the spoon if if is mixed with pear purée. We too are doing a little bit of BLW and home made purée things, Im getting a bit stuck for ideas of finger foods. Crumpets are her fave at the mo.

I tried her with a bit of tuna the other day but she wasnt having any of it. She does like chicken casserole though. Ive got used to seeing a large splash mat on the floor and having to clean the high chair and mat after every meal. What fun, I keep telling my self that food is fun until they are 1!

"Food is fun until they're one, but Mummy's brain has gone insane" - that's my mantra

It's a nightmare, driving me up the bl00dy wall - I didn't think that there would be one thing more that DS could be difficult at but, hey ho, it would appear that I am wrong. I've been there done that with DD (now 5) and I was really intending to be relaxed about it this time round, and to enjoy it all but that's not to be! For me, it's partly that I've spent the time making the food which is then refused, partly that meal-refusal messes up the routine I am trying to introduce, partly the mess to clear up in an already-hectic lifestyle and partly the fact that I keep foolishly hoping that he will sleep through the night if I can get some calories into him!

Anyway helips, to answer your question about meat, I think it's very common. Meat is quite tricky to chew (hence them preferring fish) and they will get the hang of it eventually - the trick is not driving yourself nuts until they do : I'm also worried about DS developing a sweet tooth fruit or yoghurt is all he will willingly eat.

Tinkjon, totally agree about the whole making up the food only for it to be refused, very frustrating! I'm trying not to take it to heart but its annoying when you spend ages making purees only for them to end up in the bin. Last night I steamed some veg for ds to feed himself but he then proceeded to just throw over me rather than eat, which he found hysterical! However, he eat his grated pear with gusto, hence me worrying about the sweet tooth!

I have pureed meat with other things so don't think he has a problem chewing because he only has to swallow it! Just think he doesn't like the taste. I'm trying not to let myself get to wound up but it is hard, especially when my other friends babies seem to eat so well