Nom nom nom - BF weaning advice needed - Nom nom nom

[Sherlock]

Nom nom nom nom nom is about the only sound to be heard the past couple of days in our house.

Why? Because of this.....

Yes, the boy has started weaning. Two weeks earlier than the six months but I realised the other day he was really wanting food and to get stuck in and also he is just growing so much and is hungry. Getting to bang on six months was more a thing for me and my personal milestone count. He has been looking longingly at our food for a while and also now tries to grab our food when we eat. And its a different kind of grab to other non food things. He gets what its about. I realised that I needed to get over myself there and let him loose with a spoon and to get messy.

So how did it go? Brilliantly I was all set for him spitting it back out or not being sure what to do with it but lo, within a few mouthfuls he was grabbing the spoon well and aiming for his mouth and by the end of the first feed was sucking it off the spoon and swallowing it Second feed did more of the same, but was really yelling and leaning forward wanting more *now*, third he was really holding the spoon and was determind to do it himself..... and so we progressed.

So far I've stuck to baby rice (bleh) mixed with my breastmilk but I am having a hard time expressing more than a couple of ounces off. The first feed I did one spoon baby rice to 10 spoons milk. Second feed I did plus half that again and he demolished it. Third feed the same. Wolfed it down. So this pretty much uses up all my milk. He had 2 less boob feeds today. Had baby rice at 9.30am and 5.30pm. He did get offered the boob but wasn't interested on those two occasions.

Anyone offer any advice on how quickly I can up his food stuff and how quickly we could progress to three meals a day? I don't want to rush him but seeing how he has been the past two days I can tell he is loving it and just wants more. I don't plan any finger foods just yet, but have some carrot, pear and apple to cook and puree down a bit. Also a banana to mush in with baby rice.

Would I be rushing him to start with one of those tomorrow tea time? The carrot instead of baby rice? Or better to stick to baby rice for evenings and give carrot earlier. I don't want to put him on three meals a day too soon and thought I'd be building up to it gradually. I'd hoped to do breakfast and tea time with puree and stick to the boob for the rest for now. But am open to suggestions if there would be a better way to go about this.

Any tips for the coming couple of weeks before he starts into finger foods. He sucks his rice off the spoon so well already and swallows it well so am sure he'd take to other foods well. I am giving him a spoon and also holding one myself. TBH he is happy to hold the same spoon as me and he more or less puts it in his mouth. I just hold on to the end so the spoon doesn't keep going flying. But he gets messy and fingers in the bowl and so on. But he isn't interested in his fingers to taste or put the rice in his mouth. He knows the spoon is where its at Bit like his mother, he appears to be a real foodie

Some more pics of Galen having his first nom

All dressed up and ready for my first Nom!

Incoming spoon for my first mouthful of Nom

Nom nom nom nom nom

The noms are good

 

[pilkers]

Awwww, he looks like he's loving it

I can't offer any advice on the BF'ing but as for the food I'd steam and puree the carrot and add it to the baby rice for the next couple of days...then I'd give him just carrot puree and slowly move onto different foods with about 3-4 days between each change.

You can use the water from the steamer/pan to mix with the baby rice instead of using BM. Or you could do half and half so that your boobies don't get too full and sore!

 

[Sherlock]

Thanks pilkers

I'll give him rice in the morning and mix in carrot for the evening tomorrow and see how we go. If it means I don't need to express more milk off it should be easier. I have plenty but it doesn't express off so well anymore. Mixing with the veg water sounds like a plan.

I'll make sure I keep offering him my boob as well but if he's not interested in it I won't worry overly. He always lets me know when he's hungry

I'm unsure about how quickly to move forward because I was planning on BLW from 6 months so starting a couple of weeks earlier with puree has thrown me a bit. And Galen seems so keen so I want to keep up with him if I can.

 

[maybebaby]

Aw he looks like he's enjoying himself!

I did mainly BLW with Austin, but started at 5 months and he was absolutely fine even at that age so if you wanted to crack on with the finger foods there's no reason not to. I never did baby rice and only pureed veg etc for dinner (which he fed himself using a rice cake!) for a month or so. He did have the baby cereals for breakfast but didn't like being fed so would take the spoon off me at the first opportunity!

It sounds like your doing fine. Good luck!

 

[lfc_sarah]

I dont have advice because i havent started weaning yet but what cute pics!!!!!!!

 

[mrs_tommo22]

Yes, the boy has started weaning. Two weeks earlier than the six months but I realised the other day he was really wanting food and to get stuck in and also he is just growing so much and is hungry. Getting to bang on six months was more a thing for me and my personal milestone count. He has been looking longingly at our food for a while and also now tries to grab our food when we eat. And its a different kind of grab to other non food things. He gets what its about. I realised that I needed to get over myself there and let him loose with a spoon and to get messy.

Weaning is a fun and messy business! And galen looks like hes having a awesome time!

Anyone offer any advice on how quickly I can up his food stuff and how quickly we could progress to three meals a day? I don't want to rush him but seeing how he has been the past two days I can tell he is loving it and just wants more. I don't plan any finger foods just yet, but have some carrot, pear and apple to cook and puree down a bit. Also a banana to mush in with baby rice.

Depends entirely on him really sherry, take his lead and see how he goes. I got my DD on 3 meals a day including milk within a month easily. It was easy, no stress, i took her lead at all times. Amazing though how much milk she could still drink during the day! The meals sound very nice as well.

Would I be rushing him to start with one of those tomorrow tea time? The carrot instead of baby rice? Or better to stick to baby rice for evenings and give carrot earlier. I don't want to put him on three meals a day too soon and thought I'd be building up to it gradually. I'd hoped to do breakfast and tea time with puree and stick to the boob for the rest for now. But am open to suggestions if there would be a better way to go about this.

Noi dont see why not, keep to the single tastes for now, he will soon tell you what he likes and dislikes, this also a good way to determine allergies to anything as well. I think breakfast sounds great and he will probably want boobie as well as my DD always had a bottle as well afterwards. I think carrot is a great taste, sweet potatoe, parsnips are also fab for weaning, butterscotch.......sorry i am going on and you know already, im just going by what i used to do back in the day!

Any tips for the coming couple of weeks before he starts into finger foods. He sucks his rice off the spoon so well already and swallows it well so am sure he'd take to other foods well. I am giving him a spoon and also holding one myself. TBH he is happy to hold the same spoon as me and he more or less puts it in his mouth. I just hold on to the end so the spoon doesn't keep going flying. But he gets messy and fingers in the bowl and so on. But he isn't interested in his fingers to taste or put the rice in his mouth. He knows the spoon is where its at Bit like his mother, he appears to be a real foodie

One word - GANET!!! Enjoy every moment, this is the part when they really start to grow up!

 

[BabyMagic]

Well done Galen

We have started with solids too and LO loves it! We are doing mainly BLW and so far she has loved to feed herself banana, broccoli (which I first overcooked - a very messy sight!) and carrot. I haven't really stuck to the rule of having to give the same food for three days as LO eat pretty much what I eat (meaning that I eat pretty healthily now too!). If there is any leftovers I have actually brieflly run the food in a blender so that I can freeze it.

Good luck - feeding is soooo much fun.

 

[poppy160]

Awww so cute!

 

[cloud9]

i weaned with veg not baby rice as Dylan had a milk intolereance and baby rice has normal milkin aswell.
i weaned with a first spoons full one meal a day for abotu 4 days then i think i increased weekly
be careful not to go to fast ..babies do need time to get used to food in there tummy. if i increased Dylans too much he got a poorly tum tum.
the cutest pic by the way

 

[ASD123456]

No weaning advice but just wanted to say that Galen is so yummy!

 

[Bee]

Carrot is a good one to start with and sweet potato. Finlay LOVES butternut squash

I try as many veg and fruit as I can think of and we do a mix of BLW and purees. Finlay prefers lumpy bit and struggle with smooth things for some reason.

Personally I'd skip the baby rice and move onto baby porridge. HIPP organic do great ones. The banana one gets demolished quickly

We still do bfast and dinner, need to move onto lunch soon and I introcuded a little bit of ready brek at his last bottle last night to see how he goes.

Have fun!

PS I've got that bid for Finlay too

 

[andreag]

Have you considered BLW? As he can manage the spoon he will have no problems and that way you can let him lead the way

 

[Sherlock]

Have you considered BLW? As he can manage the spoon he will have no problems and that way you can let him lead the way

That is/was my plan but he isn't 6 months yet and so I am being cautious and just starting off with a few simple things. We've still another 2 weeks till 6 months and I wasn't sure about him having foods he'd need to chew a bit and so on just yet. If he carries on doing so well in the next few days I'll move over to a few more finger foods. Also once we reach 6 months and he can have gluten etc I'll be happier to let him tuck into our food more.

 

[jennifer1981]

Sorry no advice as no where near weaning yet. Just wanted to say Galen is so cute !

 

[Sherlock]

Had carrot for tea tonight. Seemed to like it. Kept grabbing the spoon and shovelling it into his mouth. Wasn't sure of the taste to start but didn't spit it back out. Within a few mouthfuls had decided it was a hit and finished the tub!

Am going shopping in town tomorrow so will try to find some organic baby porridge. I'd defo prefer that over the rice. Alas here in craptown smallville I looked in 5 stores and none of them had anything close to that. I know Sainsbury in town does the stuff though.

Going to go the BLW route as much as we can within the next week or two. Just seeing how we go for the first bit and if that is ok then wahey

And thanks for all the cute and yummy comments. He is a real sweetie and loves smiling for the camera

 

[beanie]

Me personally,I would go BLW, I know you want to wait till 6 months but if your baby is developmentally ready he can't eat. Giving purees is going against the BLW ideal (only they put things in their mouth) but I also appreciate that some people aren't entirely comfy with giving finger foods first so prefer going down the puree route. Either way do what you feel happiest with. He certainly is a cutie.

 

[daftscotslass]

Had carrot for tea tonight. Seemed to like it. Kept grabbing the spoon and shovelling it into his mouth. Wasn't sure of the taste to start but didn't spit it back out. Within a few mouthfuls had decided it was a hit and finished the tub!

Am going shopping in town tomorrow so will try to find some organic baby porridge. I'd defo prefer that over the rice. Alas here in craptown smallville I looked in 5 stores and none of them had anything close to that. I know Sainsbury in town does the stuff though.

Going to go the BLW route as much as we can within the next week or two. Just seeing how we go for the first bit and if that is ok then wahey

And thanks for all the cute and yummy comments. He is a real sweetie and loves smiling for the camera

Just a wee note to say beware the porridges! Some of them are loaded with sugar. If I remember right the Organix one and the Heinz Organic (not the regular Heinz) don't have any added sugar. We tend to give Becky porridge with a bit of pureed fruit for brekkie and it's demolished!

Gorgeous piccies, I'm loving his hair!

 

[Sherlock]

Me personally,I would go BLW, I know you want to wait till 6 months but if your baby is developmentally ready he can't eat. Giving purees is going against the BLW ideal (only they put things in their mouth) but I also appreciate that some people aren't entirely comfy with giving finger foods first so prefer going down the puree route. Either way do what you feel happiest with. He certainly is a cutie.

Did you mean if he is developmentally ready he can eat? If so then ok my mind is made up and its carrot sticks tomorrow for us and him. He is a bright little boy and I am sure he'll take to it. He was trying to chew tonight on the spoon and chewed the carrot off of it.

I just asked over in the BLW blog thread if I could go with sticks of food already or to wait till 6 months. I wanted the advice of Mums already doing BLW because I am starting a bit sooner than planned, hence my being cautious.

 

[Sherlock]

Just a wee note to say beware the porridges! Some of them are loaded with sugar. If I remember right the Organix one and the Heinz Organic (not the regular Heinz) don't have any added sugar. We tend to give Becky porridge with a bit of pureed fruit for brekkie and it's demolished!

Gorgeous piccies, I'm loving his hair!

That's why I didn't buy any here in craptown. All loaded with sugar and stuff. I'll find one with nothing in it tomorrow for sure.

And thanks. His hair is always a real talking point with people. He was born with it and amazingly hasn't lost it. A few thinner patches thanks to cradle cap and where he sleeps on it but for the most part its pretty thick. And more new growth coming in also. Its about 2.5-3 inches in places now

 

[valentine]

He's gorgeous Sherlock, such a clever wee thing. My DD hasn't really grasped holding the spoon yet (she's nearly 15 months) and feeds herself everything with her hands. Yoghurt is interesting!

Anyway, just posting to say, I REALLY recommend PLUM baby porridge. There's a plain one suitable from 4 months or a flavoured one suitable from 7 months (but I used it from 6 months). Its in big Asdas, Tescos and Boots (purple pack) and is quite expensive but wonderful. We do as dsl and serve with pureed fruit most mornings. I have quite a complicated way of getting this down DD as she won't let me spoon feed her and as she won't spoon fed herself!

Valentine Xxx