Going to start weaning this weekend, can anyone give me some tips please?

[SpinyNorman]

We are going to do purees along with finger foods, and i was wondering if its ok to give her finger-foods straight away?

Is it safe to give her slices of apple, pear or banana? Am worried about choking.Also don't really like the look of baby-rice, what did you give your LO for breakfast?

Thanks for your help, DD if PFB and i have no idea what i'm doing.

Is your dd 6 months? If so, finger foods are fine - recommended by NHS. I wouldn't give apple slices at this age - breaks off too easily and is a choking hazard.

Ripe pear and banana fine, roasted and steamed veg sticks also good, as is steamed broccoli.

Learn what to do if your child chokes, and also what the difference is between choking and gagging. Chances are she will gag - it's noisy, and the food gets pushed out. Sometimes the gagging can cause them to vomit - think about the reflex if you push your fingers down your mouth too far! - try to remain calm, quick clean up, all cheerful and carry on with the meal.

No law says you have to do baby rice - porridge is fine, and I expect you'll get plenty of finger food/spoon food suggestions.

And try to have fun - it's a whole new world of sensation for your little one!

hi, it depends on your dd's age - if she's over 6mts then she's more than capable for finger food. the first food my dd actually ate was steamed brocolli trees and 3mths on they are still a fave. i wouldnt give apple tho - risk of choking. you could try slices of toast as well. for breakfast she will often ave a slice of toast and a banana.

generally, its better to give bigger pieces of food than smaller - so half an apple, a whole banana, a quarter of a pear. That way they scrape off bits, rather than risking breaking a lump off.

Wheatabix is good spoon food

You don't need to puree right down at 6 months either - just mashed smooth is fine

And the NHS weaning leaflet is very good

If you follow cmot's weetabix idea (though neenz will insist you use oatbix) DO clean it up before it sets like cement. Once dry it is the hardest substance known to man.

And agree with big chunks idea.

Slices of banana are very slippy to hold so break off chunks to cut down on the slime-factor.

Agree re: avoiding apple for a while as it's hard. Ds was a pear fiend and I gave it to him in quarters as the skin side was easier to hold but the flesh easier to eat (obv). Very ripe is good.

thanks for replying

She is 6mo next week, didn't realise the purees don't need to be totally smooth.
Would Weetabix with formula milk be ok for breakfast (mashed up a bit)?
Should i start with one meal a day or offer her something at breakfast, lunch and dinner?

Sorry for all the questions

Umm. Play it by ear a bit - try just one meal to start off with, and see how she takes to it. If you have allergies in the family you may want to take introducing new foods gently - we didn't, so can't advise in any more detail! If you scan both the BLW and puree general threads you'll get lots of good ideas.

Weetabix (or Oatibix) with cows milk will be fine - just let it go soggy.

You could do one spoon meal a day and give finger foods at the others initially - I don't think theres any actual reason for not. My DS demanded something at each meal time once he realised about eating

i thought you weren't supposed to give cows milk til 12mo?

Cow's milk is not supposed to be the main drink until after 1 year but it's fine to use in cooking, on cereal etc.

Readybrek is another good breakfast. DS also really liked those Plum Baby porridges and mueslis but they are hideously expensive!

Don't worry if your LO doesn't eat much at first, just keep offering different things and don't stress. Enjoy it!

I just mashed food with a potato masher, they always had lumps and it never bothered them. Fruit eg plums, pears, prunes, mango mixed with baby rice to thicken them were always good for breakfast or you can give porridge or Oatibix after 6mo.

WRT finger food my two like toast and rice cakes with soft cheese or hummus on. They were the first things they went for. I have never had a problem with gagging/choking, giving them finger food teaches them how to deal with food without choking so it is better to give it them sooner rather than later IMO. It is actually very difficult to get food lodged in the throat - we have evolved that way over millions of years!!

Hope the weaning goes well, don't worry too much, it will probably be a disaster most days at first so don;t fret about it

I used Annabell Karmel as a useful guide, but a fork to mush not a blender as lumps are fine. Most babies have an ace gag reflex!
Little bits to start and don't stress, if refused try again and if refused again leave it.
Let them play with a spoon or finger food. Mealtimes should be fun and enjoyable. Let the baby watch you eat and give bits off your plate e.g. mash, veg.

Thanks so much for your help, am really looking forward to it now

Potato masher sounds like a good idea neenztwinz,that means i don't have to find space for a blender in my tiny kitchen

Handy hints -
get at least four bibs which have long sleeves
don't expect them to eat much (I was paranoid when DD1 didn't really eat much for about 6 weeks DD2 just was left to get on with it and ate like a horse - both survived)
expect a big mess with the finger food (but they love it)
if doing carrot sticks etc do more than you need and store spare in fridge for next day
remember camera for PFB first meal moment

PS My DD1 turned up her nose at all my lovingly prepared organic purees only to scoff a large chunk of 'contains E... and can cause allergic reactions' crappy cheese as donated by her little cousin. Purees went in soup at that point and I stopped worrying so much!

I have a top tip about banana. If you cut it into big chunks, then push gently at the outside of each chunk, it divides neatly into three handy thin chunks, just right for babies to hold without slipping.

I would second the bibs with long sleeves and my top tip is mix your single purees (eg broccoli, parsnip, sweet potato, apple) with milk and baby rice and they are sure to be a hit! I started out with just one food a day at lunch (11am ish) to check for reactions and then after a couple of weeks you can start mixing stuff together and add tea (5pm ish) if you want.

Is this the most civilised weaning thread ever?

Was just going to pop in and say that we didnt do wheaty stuff that early as it can be a bit difficult to digest - or oats in fact - thats the only reason for the baby rice but other people dont really think anything of it.

I wouldnt give it first though - I would do pear or carrots or broc - in whatever form (mashed or steamed finger food)

we've recently started with dd2.

so far her absolute fave is toast fingers spread with full fat philly - can't scoff it down fast enough!!

She tried a bit of mashed up banana last night, only a spoonfull though, she didn't seem to like it too much. Am off to Ikea today to buy an Antilop highchair as i've seen them recommended so many times on here

yep antilop are the bees knees - make sure you pick up the straps as well though...

Mine always got a bit bunged up by banana at the beginning btw

The favourite baby breakfast at Wellie Towers has always been porridge.

Take a scoop of rolled oats, add double the quantity of water, into the microwave for 2 mins. Then while it's piping hot you grate a bit of apple or pear in.

The heat of the porridge cooks the fruit a bit and sweetens it, and the fruit cools the porridge, so you have less banging on the table and shouting. (Or is it just mine who do this as soon as they realise food is on the way)

Oh, and this is eaten as a finger food, so your sparkly new Antilop will very quickly acquire an interestingly pebble-dashed look.

readybrek good and fortified with vits and a big hit with DS.
Was a bit clueless when I started with DS so used the menu guide in Annable Karmel for the first couple of weeks and then made it up as we went along.
Best advice is not to stress ! and accept that quite a lot of your lovingly prepared and tasty morsels will end up on the walls, carpet, in hair, spat out, refused as well as enjoyed, smiled at etc
I let DS try anything he likes the look of ( within reason) and that seems to work in terms of introducing new tastes.
most of all - enjoy thsi next phase

note to self to check spelling before posting !