Can someone explain weaning like I’m 5?

[DinoNuggetsRUs]

This is my second child but I have no memories of anything over 12 months ago.
everything online is contradictory. my health visitor hasn’t rang me back. I know pouches = bad.

My DS was 6 months old on the 19th of May.
Yesterday I blended up some potatoes with formula and he loved it. I also gave him a potato wedge to mess with but it didn’t go near his mouth.
Today, I’ve smushed up a broccoli floret with some formula. He kinda liked it. But I’m not sure about some things so can someone help me out and answer a few questions for me?

How many meals should he be having a day at what ages? Eg, one meal at 6 months, two meals at 7 months?

Shall I keep blending things for him to try?

I know pouches are bad, but are jars just as bad if I’m in a fix?

Any general advice?

How many meals should he be having a day at what ages? Eg, one meal at 6 months, two meals at 7 months?

Until 1 year, most of a baby's nutrition should come from milk. The main focus of weaning at this point is experiential - getting them used to different flavours and textures and also the enjoyment of food.

You can gradually offer some solid food at every meal now - breakfast, lunch, tea / dinner, and just increase as they and their appetite grows.

People approach it differently - in the morning, I always found mine needed milk first, then breakfast e.g. porridge / fruit after. But for the other meals, I'd offer some solids first - mashed up veg or similar, then a milk feed as needed.

Shall I keep blending things for him to try?

Approaches differ - I never blended food. At 6 months they are able for chunky-ish food i.e. mashed up but not pureed. Do keep varying the food for him to try - I just took whatever we were having, if appropriate and gave it to the baby e.g. potato, green veg, and after 7 months, small amounts of cooked meat e.g. chicken. No salt (so you need to remember that in your cooking).

I know pouches are bad, but are jars just as bad if I’m in a fix?

I think it's fine to use pre-prepared food when you are stuck but limit it as much as possible. I don't eat processed food myself so it was easy just to provide the same food we were eating. But you will have times where you're under pressure and I wouldn't worry about it then!

We just gave our babies some food at the same time we were having meals, pretty much. We started cooking without salt (adding it later for ours) and chopping the food into baby-friendly shapes (e.g. batons of carrot instead of discs, so they could clutch it in their little fists and still have some sticking out to shove in their mouths), and then put some on the high chair tray. That way you don't have to think in terms of how many meals, they gradually start eating more as you go along. We would squash things like beans and chickpeas at first so they wouldn't choke, but never bothered to mash or puree anything otherwise. We cooked pasta a little softer than normal, and cut up noodles into more manageable sizes with a pair of scissors.

I think it depends on your baby and how well they take to weaning. Dc1 loved food and was on regular three meals and snacks at about 8 months.

DC2 isn’t interested as much and so I don’t put too much pressure and just give them what we eat. Most isn’t eaten.

I think pouches and jars are the same in terms of nutrition. Tbh I used them when we were out and about and there’s no harm in occasional use (my mum fed us Heinz baby jars regularly when we were babies). I think he yoghurt and fruit based ones are high in sugar.

Your baby seems to be enjoying meals so continue at their pace. I don’t think their is right and wrong as long as they are having their regular milk.

Yes you’re right it’s usually good offered once a day at 6 months, twice a day at 7 months moving to 3 times between 8 and 9 months taking baby’s lead on this one.

There are some good suggestions of first foods to try in this guide from the Caroline Walker Trust

Get on solid starts for specific advice, they are so helpful.

You don't have to start with finger foods but you do need to move to them pretty quickly.

Large, resistive foods alongside naturally mushy foods is good now I think. Banana, sweet potato etc alongside ribs, corn, chicken drumsticks.

What do you eat as a family? Adapt that.

Jump onto the first steps nutrition website and grab those free evidence based booklets. Lot soft clear information without bias.