Weaning

I started at 4 months, I used the Ella’s kitchen purple book and started with first tastes. Baby porridge and baby rice has no nutritional value it’s used for just sort of filling them up.. so in your case may work. It made my little one sick unfortunately but he’s been fine on all the veg. At first he hardly opened his mouth it took about 10 days to get the action right and for him to realise what was going on. He’s now obsessed, we are just about to move to fruits and he will have finished that by 6 months and then I’m starting combinations, dairy and grains and pulses.. meat and fish will be 7 months. You are gonna get a LOT of people have a go at you for starting early on here.. I just do what’s best for my little boy x

@Elena this is helpful thank you! Yes starting early is controversial but our parents started a lot earlier. I may start the porridge to fill her up and then perhaps introduce some pouches. I’ll look at the Ella’s kitchen book you’ve said too. So you just started with veg around 4 months. Perhaps I’ll do a few weeks on porridge then try a veg lunch/dinner before her bottle. Did you still offer his usual bottles too? Sorry for all the questions 🙈

@Rebekah I have a big baby and he’s been grabbing my food for ages.. just one veg every 2 days basically, boil or steam it add in the milk blend it and it needs to be the consistency of double cream so very runny, now he’s got the hang of swallowing I’ve made it thicker. I give it to him around 2-4pm after his second nap with about an oz or 2 of water and then he tends to have his bottle maybe 45 mins later. You don’t cut out any bottles for a long time and they will basically tell you when they are ready for this I.e stopping finishing them refusing them etc x

Personally I won’t be starting at 4 months for a few reasons. Firstly because my baby is not confidently able to stay in a sitting position and hold her head up and it’s a choking risk to start before they can do this and secondly she doesn’t biologically need more than what she gets from my milk at this age so I would prefer to wait until she is older and more developed. That being said, you know your baby best and if you think she’s showing the signs of readiness etc then it’s your call :)! Not sure if you have been advised to get her calories up? Assuming possibly not as they normally give a high calorie formula for this rather than suggesting solids. But if she’s growing on/close to her percentile but just isn’t as fussed for lots of milk I would say the milk she’s taking is doing a fab job and she’s a happy and full little girlie and possibly doesn’t need more calories? But again you know your baby the best! X

I am considering early weening, this is due to feeding difficulties and low weight gain. I am taking her for oral assessment on Monday but will seek advice to start a bit earlier