Nervous about weaning!

[Full of hope!]

Hello everyone

I just wondered if the way i'm feeling about weaning Jacob is normal! He is not ready to be weaned yet (I don't want to start him until he is ready, give him chance to develop properly) but I know that it wont be that far away.

I feel so nervous about the whole thing I haven't got a clue how to go about it at the moment and I don't really want to use a lot of jars etc but i'm not a great cook! I'd love to make him homemade meals when he is ready but i've no idea what he could have! Am I just stupid or what?!

Did anyone else feel like this before weaning? Does anyone have any advice?

 

[Squiglet]

me.. I've just started introducing solids.. lil miss is older and the way she has taken her food today... you'd think I starve her She may have just been ready...

I have always made my food fresh with Tia and am doing the same with lil miss... lots of food has hidden sugars and chemical stabilisers in order to increase shelf life... and while most babies are fine and dandy on them... lil miss seems to struggle with just formula so I want to make sure there are no issues...

I am no cook (as in I don't if I can help it)... I either steam or boil a variety of fruit and veg to within an inch of its life add some of the water used... then I have a hand blender and moosh it till its smooth adding more water if necessary... pour it into ice cube trays and freeze.... or as banana and avocado can't be frozen, I make that up fresh with boob milk... apple, pear, potato, butternut squash, banana, avocado are best first foods...

Its going to be more difficult this time round as I don't have an enormous freezer like I did in the UK... I could easily do 3 months worth back then...

 

[andreag]

I did babyled weaning and found it worked really well. I waiting until she was just under 6 months, so she had the ability to chew and swallow. I did give her steamed carrott and cucumber sticks beforehand to practice chewing, but she didn't swallow until she was ready. Early meals tended to consist of things like breadsticks (dead easy to make, and I only has to do it once - I made tons and froze them) tomatoes/pepper/cucumber or any other veg, cheese and meat, cut into finger sized pieces. She also had yogurt and milky puddings - rice pudding again is really easy - just mix the rice and milk with nutmeg or cinnamen and put in the oven for a couple of hours. As she developed her pincer grip, she was able to pick up more food and she could eat much more.

Once babies are over 6 months, they can eat pretty much anything (check with your HV what is currently on the banned list - I can only think of honey but I'm sure there are some other things), but you need to watch the amount of sugar and salt. I never add salt to food, but it is naturaly in things like cheese. C generally eats what we eat, and I've never had to give her anything out of a jar. Good standbys are pasta (boil, toss in a bit of milk or cream and some cheese/meat, or boil in a tin of tomatoes and basil for a quick tomato sauce), omlette or scambled eggs. If I make spag bol, or lasagne, or something like that, I make a couple of spares for the freezer in case what we are eating isn't suitable.

I think it is very natural to worry about weaning, and I would definalty recommend BLW, but it doesn't suit everyone. Just remember that they do start slowly, so you will have time to adapt as you go along.
All the best

 

[Becky&Willow]

i was mega scared about weaning willow as like you said i am not a great cook either and i was worried about what if she choked but after a little while i wondered what i was so worried about and now she will scoff allsorts and i dont even think twice about it

 

[happy-chick]

I was exactly the same but now we've started weaning ive realised its easy peasy! We just get a load of fruit & veggies, boil em then blend em with the hand blender and put them in ice cube trays in the freezer.

Im sure if you ask your HV someone will come out and explain anything your worried about?

 

[mayday]

Don't feed him solids just yet then, if you don't feel he is ready! 3 months is a long time in his little life, and in 3 months time he may give you signs he is much more ready. My baby started grabbing for food of my plate at 5 and a half months. Now at 10 months she just eats whatever we are eating. We have cut out salt in our cooking, but that is the only concession.

 

[OopsyDaisy]

I was nervous too.
I would recommend getting Annabel Karmel's New Complete Baby and Toddler Meal Planner book
It was a great help as she suggests what to give as first foods, gives suggested timetables and lots of recipes for advanced stages.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Annabel-Karmels ... 956&sr=8-1

 

[valentine]

Hi Michelle,

I definitely think everyone feels like this - you are not alone! Its a big responsibility!

I got a lot of help from reading threads on here on baby led weaning (BLW) and just talking to Mummy friends. I didn't like many of the weaning books, a bit too prescriptive - I followed DD's lead and just did trial and error, its fun!

Valentine Xxx

 

[Full of hope!]

Thank you so much for all your replies I'm glad i'm not the only one who feels this way about it all!

It's good to hear everyone's experiences and I guess what Andreag said is right... he will start off slowly and I will adapt as we go along I think I was thinking about it on too large a scale, everything at once!

Jo, i'll give my HV a ring to see if anyone can come and see me just to discuss it, good idea... thanks

Thanks again ladies

 

[Full of hope!]

Don't feed him solids just yet then, if you don't feel he is ready! 3 months is a long time in his little life, and in 3 months time he may give you signs he is much more ready.

Mayday I actually said this in my first post.... "He is not ready to be weaned yet (I don't want to start him until he is ready, give him chance to develop properly) but I know that it wont be that far away"

So I wont be starting weaning until HE is ready. However at 14 weeks old he weighs 15lb 4oz so he's a big lad He is still being satisfied with his milk feeds at the moment but you know what babies are like, their demands change from week to week! I don't think he will be satisfied just on milk feeds until he is 6 months to be honest, i'll eat my hat if he does We'll see

 

[KJ]

How come you can't freeze banana or avocado? Are there any other foods you can't freeze?

I make all Asher's food fresh and freeze most of his meals. They usually have a variety of things in them and I didn't think there was anything that you can't freeze.

What are the reasons? Is it dangerous?

K.x