I can't do it!

[DolceBella]

I don't know what's wrong with me! My DH wants me to start weaning Bella, but I'm so resistant. We've been exclusively breastfeeding for 6 months, and I've enjoyed every minute of it. Maybe I'm just worried she won't want to nurse much anymore and I'll miss it too much. She's sooo interested in food though. Anyone else feel this way??

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

I wasn't able to BF but I can see why you'd feel that way! I'm finding weaning a bit scary and feel like she's growing up so fast! Have you thought about doing BLW? That way, she'll start solids very slowly and she'll cut down on BF much more gradually

 

[Lu28]

That's totally understandable hon If it makes things easier, Aisling has been weaned for about 7 weeks now, we started on purees and moved on to BLW and she's yet to drop a bf. So it definitely doesn't mean an end to your bfing journey

 

[DolceBella]

I have thought about BLW, but I'm finding the whole weaning process a bit scary and overwhelming. (I'm constantly thinking what should she eat.. how much, when, at what age can she eat certain things????) Breastfeeding is just so easy.

 

[Lu28]

At 6 months they can eat pretty much anything except nuts because of the choking hazard. All meats need to be very well cooked etc. Honestly I think BLW is one of the most stress free ways of weaning, especially if you have been bfing. Up until now, you've trusted Bella to take as much milk as she wants and to assess her own appetite. BLW is a natural follow on from that. You just offer the food and it's up to her what, if anything, she eats. You don't need to worry if she doesn't eat anything for weeks because she can quite happily thrive on milk until she's a year old, food at this stage is just about exploring and learning.

Pop on to the BLW thread if you're interested in seeing how it's going for some of us at the moment, we're all in the early stages

 

[Faerie]

I felt exactly the same way! My DH was really pressuring me to start weaning at one point (think the pressure was actually coming from MIL).
Sofia is really enjoying her food (we're also doing BLW) but still has all her daytime milk feeds, although I have noticed she seems to be taking less and she's dropping night feeds.. suppose it had to happen at some point.

 

[sublime_ivy]

I blw too, dex actually doesnt really eat yet. He did at first but he now shows no interest. He does with my food but as soon as he actually gets it he doesn't want it. It's funny all the signs of weaning were there, he was grabbing food opn our plate, waking up more in the night, chewing etc but when it comes down to it he doesn't want to eat. Don't get stressed about it all if you don't want to wean you don't have too, some people wait 9 months before they start. You just have to make sure your lo's iron levels are ok.

I reckon by the sounds of it, you would greatly benefit from BLW and maybe you could do some research into it and buy the bab yled weaning book, also know as the bible.

X

 

[princess_bump]

honey i felt exactly the same! i couldn't bf, but we were doing so great with the bottle and i was so worried about changing! finally at 6.5 we started. i didn't do blw, we started with baby rice, once a day for a few weeks, and then moved to puréed carrot from there i just cooked everything for her. once you get going it is not as worrying as thinking about it. i think read everything you can and decide what route is good for you, and just try. you don't have to stick with one, you could mix blw with purée's if you wanted or just do blw if thats what you feel comfortable with.

i think for my next baby i would do a mixture if i'm honest, of puree's and finger food.

well done for reaching 6months with bf xx

 

[faille]

Just make sure that whatever you do, you're comfortable with, otherwise LO will pick up on it and think theres something to be anxious and nervous about.

BLW is good if you don't want to cut down on milk just yet (we've been doing it for aprox a month and Violet still hasn't cut down on milk at all).

But the other thing to consider is with BLW, you've got to trust them and stay relaxed and not interfere. If they start gagging you've just got to let them take care of it - if you're not entirely comfortable with weaning anyway then seeing this could make you panic and therefore LO thinks gagging is something to panic about so they do too etc etc.

If you wanted to try BLW then I'd honesty say research it a bit first and be completely comfortable with not only the thought of weaning but everything involved (whatever route you decide on) x

 

[Kayleigh09]

I was unable to breastfeed when my daughter was first born and was pumping in the end, it was so so hard for me to make the decision to stop pumping as i was so tired and depressed with doing it. It was a really heartbreaking decision to make and it took me a good few days agonizing over what to do and i wasnt even properly breastfeeding so i can imagine how you must feel. I expect your partner would like to take a larger role in the feeding department, my partner does all but 2 of the feeds over the weekend as he barely see's summer over the weekdays so thats his time and also he does her bedtime feed. He loves this because its time for just them, just like breastfeeding is for you.

It will be hard for you to quit as that is just you and hers time and noone can take it away or copy that but what you need to think about it all the new experiences you'll have together with food, weaning is such a fun time for both mum and baby, i loved starting weaning, watching the funny faces summer pulled especially with the little fruit puddings i bought her as they were quite tart for her lol. You'll find something else you can enjoy just you two with the weaning and noone can take that away but this is a stage that needs to be started soon, she's very interested in food and will love being weaned.

Give it a go and enjoy it!!

 

[happy&healthy]

I really struggled with weaning. Bfing was easy. Trying to think how I would feed solids was not. I started with one meal a day. I did this for about 3 weeks. Then two meals for 3 weeks and now we are onto three meals. I do a mix of finger foods and cereals.