Beanie Boy will be 17 weeks old next Tuesday and for the last couple of weeks, I’ve been contemplating starting weaning with him?
Is now the right time for weaning?
One minute I think I need to get started, the next I’m telling myself that I should wait until he is 6 months old as per the Government recommendations. Whenever we’re eating as a family, he looks like he wants to jump right out of his seat and grab whatever food we have, so he’s definitely showing an interest in food.
I have been exclusively breastfeeding him since birth and this is going well but I’m starting to feel like he needs more, he’s gone from sleeping through the night for weeks to now waking 2 or 3 times a night.
Will weaning help reflux?
Of course, there is the other thing which I’m hoping weaning him will help – his reflux! He’s not being as sick as he was before but he is still being quite sick after feeds so perhaps if he has something a little bit more substantial it might sit better in his tummy?
Will it be different this time?
When Little Bean was a baby I followed every “rule” to a “T” and I didn’t offer her baby rice until she was 6 months as per the Health Visitors advice of when to start weaning. I had a terrible journey through weaning and beyond (still struggling now). I would be lying if I said I don’t have fears about having the same issues with Beanie Boy. I wonder if my problems with Little Bean not accepting solids and new tastes were because I had waited too long?
I can honestly say I have totally lost my confidence in this area of bringing up baby and the closer we are getting to weaning the more anxious I am becoming. What do I need to start him on, how much, how often, when do I need to introduce new foods, flavours and textures. All these questions are spinning round and round in my head – I just don’t know which way to go and could really do with as much advice as you parents out there can afford me. To make matters worse, the story in the news today is that we should be weaning our little ones at four months to prevent food allergies, resistance to food etc etc. But when I saw my Health Visitor earlier, I asked her what I should be doing and she said that despite what they say in the news, they haven’t been told anything official so just ignore the news and stick to exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months. Talk about confusing!
What would you do?
I started weaning C at around 12 weeks. Similar to how Lynda (above) describes, with baby rice mixed with milk, then slowly increasing to other flavours and textures. When C was very little he used to love different fruit purees (including Mango!), which he doesn’t eat now at 2 1/2 years!?! He used to eat lots of various vegetable purees too.
I will definitely try the same regime again when (hopefully) bsby number 2 comes along. C is a good eater now, has a good range of food and even surprises me with some of the things he eats – for example, minced pies this Christmas. Which won’t even touch my lips!
It will be daunting for you. As you say you stuck to the “rules” but I’m sure it won’t hurt to try some baby rice in the next couple of weeks just to see how he goes.
Hope that helps a little, but most of all, do what feels right for you and your baby.x
I’ve started!!! I decided to have a go with it today so he’s had baby rice mixed with expressed milk twice. I don’t think he’s totally convinced by it but he does open his mouth MOST of the time as the spoon approaches. I will persevere and see how it goes.
Have no fear I shall be bending your ear when you visit xx
Hiya, did you see today’s news about when to start weaning? I blogged about it at mellowmummy.co.uk – new report suggests that actually its fine to start weaning at 4 months if thats what is right for your baby – in fact it can be healthier than waiting.
In the end, you have to relax and trust your instincts. All your children will be different and be ready for it at different times. Be confident in your own mummying ability – if you think it is time to try, then do it… maybe you’ll be right, maybe you’ll be wrong but in the end you’ll get there.
I didn’t actually see it in the news but Hubby told me about it because she had been seriously considering starting. I think the problem is that I’ve lost confidence in my mummying ability with regards to food as it has always been such a battle ground. I did try him with rice and expressed milk today, I don’t think he was overly convinced by it but he did keep opening his mouth – some came back out but most of it went in.
Thanks for your support x