Weaning, BF, teething and working - a long rant . . .

[loz]

So. . . . I went back to work 2 weeks ago part-time which has been quite good apart from Emms stopped sleeping through the night that week as she started teething!!! I was starting to go a bit stir-crazy so was glad to have a few days to myself a week. BUT am sick of people saying - 'you came back early didnt you'. Bah none of their business - how rude! I am seriously hacked off with my manager as well who omitted to tell me that I would accumulate lots of holiday days while still on maternity leave which I could have added to the end of mat leave, and saved money on childminder and been with Emms at home a bit longer.

I was a bit worried about my milk supply, but it has been ok - I am still BF when I am at home with Emms and in the morning and evenings when I am working.

Question - if you are BF - how do you know when to add in water, juice as well as BF? I havent wanted to so that I can keep up my milk supply and I know that breast milk is more watery than formula anyway. Do I need to be asking the childminder to give her water as well? Emms wont drink much formula at the childminders anyway and I'd rather she drank the formula if she wont drink much than water. Not sure what to do?

Re weaning - I am seriously getting a bit stressed about what to do now that Emms is 6 months. She has been on 2 meals a day, having veggies at lunchtime and either banana, apple or baby rice for dinner. This week I have introduced baby porridge for breakfast as well. But am not sure what to do re adding in meat and dairy. People say to puree what you have for tea, but I am a veggie and my OH doesnt like fish, so we end up eating veggie half the time and my OH has chicken or sausage a few times a week. He does have tuna from a can sometimes on a baked potato or in a sandwich. What should I be doing for Emms now?

I have borrowed the Annabel Karmel book but to be honest all the fancy recipes have just got me more stressed! They seem so involved and it seems a bit ridiculous to be cooking things for the baby that I dont even have for myself exept v rarely like butternut squash!! I'm not being funny but who has time to do things like that! I am really knackered most of the time and am quite happy to make purees etc within limits but it surely doesnt need to be as complicated as it seems!!

Please help!!!! Any simple ideas?

 

[AnnaR2B]

The jars aren't bad? I use them a lot, purely because Ted won't eat my cooking!
Also i would be sooooo pissed if my boss hadn't told me about the hols too!!!

 

[Nicky_Jones]

I was told by the HV to give them water with food once you have started weaning.

You do know you have a legal right to a place and time to express milk at work as you are a nursing mum don't you? I understand if you rather not but don't let work stop you.

I returned to work when Ellie was 5months, this was because we got 4months paid but I started maternity leave when I was just under 38weeks, and she was a week overdue, and we couldn't afford to not be paid for more than a few weeks, I used a lot of my leave to get that far as well. Though it is worth having the leave for when she can't go to childminder due to being ill, and she is likely to pick up stuff from the other kids (at least Ellie did once she started nursery).

 

[kalia]

We're not weaning yet so I've not to try cooking for her but I wonder if you'd find helpful recipes in the baby weaning and recipe sticky.

 

[Zodiac]

I offer my LO sips of water from a cup every hour or so. He doesn't drink much at a time, but probably half a beaker over the course of a day.

Re food - I'd just cook/steam etc. up a bunch of different veggies & freeze individually in cubes. Then to offer a variety of tastes/flavours mix n match them when you take them out to defrost. That way you're not spending forever in the kitchen mixing up loads of different dishes.

 

[loz]

I offer my LO sips of water from a cup every hour or so. He doesn't drink much at a time, but probably half a beaker over the course of a day.

Re food - I'd just cook/steam etc. up a bunch of different veggies & freeze individually in cubes. Then to offer a variety of tastes/flavours mix n match them when you take them out to defrost. That way you're not spending forever in the kitchen mixing up loads of different dishes.

Does you LO also drink milk from a bottle - I was wondering whether it would confuse Emms by giving her a bottle of milk and then a beaker of water?

Also how do you add in meat and fish - do you blend in the cooked meat/fish to the veggies you have already done? Do you use cheese?