advise please weaning at 19 weeks

[lindsayryan]

Hi everyone,

I started to wean my baby last week...7 days ago been giving him pureed apple and pear with baby rice at dinner time, he loves it then last night he had carrot and potato mixed with baby milk...also loved it. Only gave him a couple spoon fulls but he still wants more so last night and night before he had 2 ice cubes(and still wanted more), just wondering when should start giving him twice a day....is it better to give 2 smaller amounts? He has been totally fine with what i have been giving him no constipation or bad tummy at all.

please dont comment if you are going to have a go, i know my baby and know he needs food, thankyou x

 

[ellie27]

I started on one small amount and increased that amount to about 30g, then introduced a 2nd meal and done the same. I increased both meals to around 90g before I introduced a 3rd meal at around 9months. I think its best to have 2 good sized meals before starting a 3rd.

Just keep an eye on LO's milk intake - if its dropping then cut back on the solids.

 

[Lara310809]

Perhaps your HV or doctor is better equipped to answer the question of when to move to two meals and the amounts he should have in a sitting. I don't know about 4m babies, but at 6m they recommend around 2 ice cubes of puree.

My LO was udnerweight, so I was advised to wean her at 5m and only a small amount until she got used to it. THen I was encouraged to give her as much as she wanted, because she needed the calories. For your LO it might be different, i.e. if he's overweight, perhaps he should be sticking to a smaller portion size; I'm not sure.

As for when to move up to 2 meals, I was told that if my LO was managing happily on one meal, and she seemed interested in food at other times of day, then to move up to 2 meals. Again, I was encouraged to move up quicker than other babies, because she needed the boost. I think the standard is a 2 week wait though; weeks 1 and 2 you start with one meal, weeks 3 and 4 you go up to 2 meals, weeks 5 and 6 you go up to three meals. But there are plenty of babies still not up to 3 meals by this time, and it all depends on when your LO is ready.

My LO has been weaning since 5m (for 3.5m), and she has been known to have 3 meals a day, but I normally only get around to giving her 2 (bad mummy ), but if I give her less food, I know she will drink more milk, so I'm not too worried.

 

[lindsayryan]

Thanks for replys, have already spoken to the health visitor who advised me to wean if he carried on with the signs he was showing and regarding the 2 portions she just said when they are wanting more than around 8 spoon fulls switch to 2 meals, he is not over weight on the 71st line i think it is so maybe a little bigger than the 'average'. Just thought someone may have experience from 4 and half months, he has got injections again tomorrow so will speak to her again x

 

[mummy2jack]

hi lyndsayryan.
Our boys are very close in age and i have just started weaning. With reagrds to portion sizes and being overweight etc....i breastfeed so was told bf babies dont get overweight cos they only feed how much they wanna feed. When its coming to the weaning, my lo can't get enough!! He is still having all his usual bf's plus he's had rice and banana for breakfast, 1/2 packet of smoothy stuff at lunch and finished the puree off this evening!! Seriously if i had more, i reckon he'd eat it! Ami gonna make him ill or overweight? Would he not stop eating if he is full? I reckon if i only gave him 2 ice cubes of puree he'd fall out with me!!

 

[aliss]

Have you ever read Annabel Karmel's Guide to Starting Solids? She has full schedules & meal plans laid out for various ages (17 weeks-6 months, 6-9 months, 9-12 months, etc). Would be a good thing to look at. I'm doing BLW so I don't know an answer but I think it's a great guide to read.

 

[mummy2jack]

Have you ever read Annabel Karmel's Guide to Starting Solids? She has full schedules & meal plans laid out for various ages (17 weeks-6 months, 6-9 months, 9-12 months, etc). Would be a good thing to look at. I'm doing BLW so I don't know an answer but I think it's a great guide to read.

Thanks for that, i haven't read it but i will have a look. Up until Fri, i fully intended to do BLW at 6 months, hope it goes well for you. i was adamant with everyone, even got face on with a relative cos she gave him some custard off a spoon- never once imagined i'd be weaning at just gone 4 months but he quite obviously wanted/needed it!i have had to eat a bit of humble pie with relative lol. I am gonna try introduce a few finger foods too so maybe do a bit of both traditional and baby led? I dont know yet...i'm sure lo will let me know tho!! xx

 

[mummy2jack]

Just found this website - its very interesting xx

https://www.annabelkarmel.com/nutrition/babies-6-months/best-first-foods

 

[aliss]

Well, you can always make the switch! We did TW originally (as LO had a bit of banana spoonfed for reflux) and then made the switch at 6 months. He preferred BLW. You can always go to BLW if you want. It may take time for baby to show interest but after a few weeks they really get into it. Just do what is right for you !

 

[mummy2jack]

thanks honey, i think he his ahead for his time, he already picks his toys up and puts them in his mouth and the way he is wolfing the puree down i reckon it wont take him long to work out that if i pick piece of broccoli up instead of a toy.....yum yum just a bit scared bout the whole gagging thing at the moment so dont know if i dare try it just yet lol xx

 

[aliss]

thanks honey, i think he his ahead for his time, he already picks his toys up and puts them in his mouth and the way he is wolfing the puree down i reckon it wont take him long to work out that if i pick piece of broccoli up instead of a toy.....yum yum just a bit scared bout the whole gagging thing at the moment so dont know if i dare try it just yet lol xx

It's really not so bad at all!!! Mine has gagged about 2x this month!

 

[mummy2jack]

aww bless him, he is gorgeous xx
any tips on what to do if lo does gag and do you think i'm pushing it at 4 months x

 

[aliss]

Thank you! Gagging is not scary at all really, it's a good thing that they are learning how to gauge the food pieces/chewing/swallowing. I recommend reading the baby-led weaning book by Gil Rapley, I think it talks about ages. I'm not sure what the deal is for less than 6 months because we started at almost 7 months.

 

[lindsayryan]

hi lyndsayryan.
Our boys are very close in age and i have just started weaning. With reagrds to portion sizes and being overweight etc....i breastfeed so was told bf babies dont get overweight cos they only feed how much they wanna feed. When its coming to the weaning, my lo can't get enough!! He is still having all his usual bf's plus he's had rice and banana for breakfast, 1/2 packet of smoothy stuff at lunch and finished the puree off this evening!! Seriously if i had more, i reckon he'd eat it! Ami gonna make him ill or overweight? Would he not stop eating if he is full? I reckon if i only gave him 2 ice cubes of puree he'd fall out with me!!

Thankyou, i wont be scared to try him with a little more then, will speak to HV tomorrow again anyway....he has 3 cubes tonight and still wanted more....I breastfed until 10 weeks then had to stop needed to sleep! Now he drinks the recommended formula for his age and is defo not overweight just a little chubby ha ha. Let me know how you get on with the feeding....u'll have to send me a food diary everyday! x

 

[mummy2jack]

i'm up for that!! xxwould be nice to have someone to chat to who going thru the same thing xx thank you xx my lo weighed 16.8 last week so i think he's in the 75th thingy! so dont think he's overweight, like you say a bit chubby and he's got big chunky legs and cheeks but he's all in proportion lol. let me know what yor HV says hun xx