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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

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Original poster

weaning help wih twins

20 replies

nimbs · 07/05/2009 20:16

Hopefully one of you lovely MN's can help me. Our twins are now 6 months old, and we've just started weaning.

We have two older children who were weaned at 17 weeks & 21 weeks - as was the advice then - both were weaned on baby rice/purees - quite slowly, ie. carrot for a couple of days/banana for a couple of days -you get the picture. Even ticked the smiley faces in the AK book!! Must have had a lot more time then.

Anyway as the twins are a lot older though I'm mum to four am finding it very confusing - doesn't take much nowadays! i was thinking of doing a combination of BLW and spoon fed weaning.

DD2 - seems to have 'got' food quite quickly - munched on bits of banana & also had some spoon fed mashed banana - she is sitting up/grabbing stuff etc. Question is how quickly do we move on to other stuff - ie pasta/bread/meat etc?

DD3 - is not at all interested in food - now am worried that as her iron/vit stores are running out how long do I wait until she is ready iyswim?

Aaggh - weaning is such a minefield and I would appreciate any help/advice.

Thanks

OP posts:

smallchange · 07/05/2009 20:20

One of the benefits of waiting until 6 months is that you can introduce the other stuff whenever you like. Ds had pasta/bread/meat within a week of starting weaning.

The iron stores thing: they start to decrease at 6 months but don't run out straight away so I wouldn't worry too much as long as she's still getting plenty milk.

accessorizequeen · 07/05/2009 20:26

Hullo nimbs My dt's are over 7 months, I started when they were 28 weeks so only been going a month now.

I'm doing all blw (and I also have 2 older dc's whom I fed purees) and it's fab! Also find that dd is really keen on anything and won't take a spoonful from me at all but ds3 not that bothered although he does like his meat! I'll just tell you what I was told about weaning them at 6 months because it seems to be working for me. I reckon any combination of whatever suits you and works is fine but will say that not having to make purees at all for 2 babies is wonderful. They're really enjoying family meals as they are starting to eat whatever we are (like a roast on sunday, they had everything the older dc's did). But because I started off with BLW they won't take a spoon now. Fair enough, I guess.

At 6 months, iron does start to run out but problem only for bf babies (dd is, ds3 isn't) as formula has added iron. Suggestion I had was to give dd vitamin drops or ensure she was having iron-rich food every day.

Also told that because they're starting at 6 months, you can move a lot faster introducing things except if there are allergies to worry about. My two have had wheat already although I waited a few weeks, lamb and chicken etc. But the first few weeks I just did mainly roast veg sticks, fruits and cereal.

There was a posting about the same issue i.e. one twin not interested on the BLW forum and the answers were v.helpful. Shall find the link if and when I have a moment as I need to have another look. I suspect ds3 is not v.well which is why he's not bothered right now and I haven't pushed it with him.

Weaning this time round has actually been really great, I'm enjoying it far more and so are they!

Original poster

nimbs · 07/05/2009 20:35

thank you so much for the info and advice both of you - will have a google for the blw forum too.

OP posts:

Original poster

nimbs · 09/05/2009 20:08

Just to update you both - both girls are now 'getting' food - DD2 tucks in with gusto - have just been handing her banana as it seems to be too squishy for her to hold herself - if she does she squishes it and it flies off! also loved her carrot sticks

DD3 started with broccoli tonight - and actually gummed it herself - some must have gone in as evidence in the nappy later

So it looks like BLW is the way forward thanks for all your help

OP posts:

smallchange · 09/05/2009 20:11

Great stuff

Have you been here: www.babyledweaning.com? Lots of great recipes and people to ask for advice/share stories with.

accessorizequeen · 09/05/2009 21:10

that's great nimbs! Hope you enjoy it, I get a real kick out of my two eating every new thing & seeing how they manage it (tonight, baby courgettes). I thought I might try mashed banana on toast (read about that idea elsewhere) to save on the mess!

MerryMarigold · 13/05/2009 17:50

Hi, am trying here too and not succeeding. Please keep me updated. Nimbs, what did you do to help them 'get it'?

Original poster

nimbs · 13/05/2009 21:11

HI Smallchange - thanks for that website - some great info there!

Accessorizequeen - am really looking forward to the new things too - quite exciting now

Hi MM - I didn't really do anything to help them - sorry - they seem to have just decided themselves that food is ok!

I have decided to do a mix of BLW and trad iyswim - basically am offering chunks of fruit/veg for them to hold and munch/squelch between their fingers and also have a bowl of mashed apple/banana for them as well - quite often with DD2 she likes me to load up the spoon and she's trying herself.

DD3 likes me to do it for her, though she does like her vegetable 'chips'!

Am hoping to start with other stuff this week - ie wheat/meat will let you know how this goes

OP posts:

accessorizequeen · 13/05/2009 21:13

all sounds good nimbs
merry, have mailed you!

anjlix · 18/05/2009 21:06

This is it. I will start in 2 weeks for my twins with baby rice and pear/apple puree. I am not too keen on BLW alone esp for the first month but will see how it goes after that. I do want mine to eat a variety of veggies. Some one told me to go light on fruit so they dont develop a sweet tooth.

accessorizequeen · 19/05/2009 21:30

good luck anjlix
I'm getting a little bit stuck at the moment as their appetites can't keep up with their co-ordination and lack of teeth A bit of spoon feeding going on, but I have to be so sneaky with dd, she will not have it! I love the fact that they've no problem with rougher textures of anything, lumps not an issue! But using porridge (with double cream, mmmm) as a way to fill them up in the evening. As soon as I hand a spoon to either of them, it's licked clean

anjlix · 20/05/2009 09:14

Sounds like you are doing well AQ. Weaning for me is looking forward to sleeping through the night. Mine still feed at 4a/5a. I am really hoping that will be gone by 7-8months. But I have to be careful since my girls take less milk than most babies of the same weight. If I increase solids too quickly then will cut back even more. That wont be good since most of nutrition still comes from milk and not pear puree.

anjlix · 22/05/2009 11:41

Just an update. DTs had day 1 of baby rice. They are over 24 weeks now. Seem to manage 2 tsp each. I think they would have had more but I didn't want them to cut dowm milk too much just yet. They loved it. I have pureed at least 10 things so will feed them that once rice starts to go down well. I don't think I can do BLW just yet. Things won't end up in their mouths

accessorizequeen · 22/05/2009 22:54

Good for you, anjlix, whatever's going to work for you and them is great imo. I must admit though, I think with purees that my dt's would actually be eating more. They just kind of suck on the food at the moment (no teeth yet). the only real food that gets in seems to be porridge which I hand them spoons of. I am starting to think maybe I'm giving them too much as they're not having as much milk as they should - prob. about timing though which as you know I'm rubbish about (other thread!)
I got the BLW book in the post today, looking forward to reading it this weekend, really interesting.

anjlix · 24/05/2009 12:47

AQ keep us posted on BLW. I would be interested in knowing how yours respond. Tried some home made pear puree at lunch time. I don't think they liked it (perhaps too tart?). But they were hungry enough to have a cube or so. Apples are probably out of question. The only other fruit I have is peach or may be I should try riper pears. I hate seeing my pear puree go waste, I think I might mix some with baby rice and formula to make the tartness a bit less. Any other ideas? Banana is out since my there is banana allergy in my family.

Mine are definitely ready for weaning. The were starving lunatics by 5.30p when I normally feed them after 6p. Also guzzled 8 oz in 10mins and still woke up twice in the night looking for food. They had started to do one feed in the night.

accessorizequeen · 27/05/2009 21:53

anjlix, how're things progressing? You could try veg rather than fruit - do you have butternut squash or sweet potato? good starter foods as v.sweet (esp if roasted mmmmm). DT's having a LOT at the moment, I'm kind of shuddering at the amount of waste and mess right now, but they're enjoying themselves so much (very vocal about it too). The book is extremely interesting, lots of stuff I didn't know, hadn't thought of and helpful tips for BLW plus lovely pics of babies eating amazing things like avocado sandwiches and lamb chops!

Original poster

nimbs · 30/05/2009 20:46

Hi to you both Weaning going well here but we are now doing a mix of both BLW and purees - DD2's appetite was getting huge and the purees seem to help fill her tummy a little bit before she can explore the other bits on her tray!

DD3 is really enjoying her food too - AQ sweet potato is actually her favourite, though she is a real carnivore - loved my beefburger of our bbq the other day - lol

nice to see how all our little ones are getting on

OP posts:

anjlix · 01/06/2009 19:41

AQ not much progress. They are off solids at the moment due to some throat infection. They were refusing bottles and we ended up in A&E since GP was closed. On anti biotics now. Once they recover I would try again. Right now dh (he has been off since Thu) and I are just trying to keep them hydrated. I have sweet potato in the freezer. I think I might start again in a week or so and see how things progress. They dont sit well in their high chairs yet so wondering if it is too early.

accessorizequeen · 01/06/2009 21:44

Poor little mites, anjlix
I didn't even start my two until they were 6 1/2 months and certainly hear of people who wait later. I took my time about getting them on 3 meals a day, as I did with the other dc's as well really. Too much work for one thing! I don't think dd & ds3 were sitting that well until 7 months and still slump now and again.

Nimbs, my two loved beef stir fry on the weekend too + the noodles were a real hit - they managed to grab big bundles and such the sauce off them. I can see real differences now between them and their approach, dd is mechanically better but ds is so enthusiastic for everything. I think it's so cute when they're hunting in the chairs/bibs for extra morsels!

anjlix · 07/06/2009 10:14

Mine are back on solids now. So far they have tasted carrot and pear puree. They seem to like more and do not like being interrupted between a meal so cute.

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