Starting to wean - DD seems unsure??

[TashaM]

Hi, mums and friends

My dd is 6mo 2weeks and we started introducing solids (pureed sweet potato, butternut, carrot) at 6 mo.  The thing is, she doesn't seem too enthusiastic about it - she lets me feed her alternatively with her spoon or my finger, but she's not opening her mouth wide saying 'more please mum' and she's not swallowing purposefully.  The other ladies in my postnatal mum's group say their baba's have taken to solids well, opening their mouths and swallowing without issues.

Could you let me know what your experiences are?  To be honest, i'm not enormously worried as it is early days yet! I've also decided to try her with the fruits tomorrow, perhaps its the savoury that she's not so keen on yet .. but I'd love to hear other mum's experiences with introducing solids to their baba's and any interesting quirks that arose! 

[Erin (redstarfalling)]

My oldest child didn't really take well to solids until she was close to 10 or 11 months old, if I recall!  Don't worry - solids are really just for practice at this age anyway and to get used to different tastes and textures. Breastmilk/formula is the most important part of their diet now anyway. Keep offering and don't sweat it! 

[Ashton & Raine's Mom]

I thought it was just my little guy!  He's 6 months 1 week and I've been trying for a month now to get him used to solids...it's still not going well.  He sounds just like your baby, not interested at all...he screws up his face at everything other than oatmeal.  I'd say in the entire month he has maybe eaten a jar of baby food - in total!    I'm new at this too - Ashton is my first baby so I don't really know what to expect...and like you everyone elses baby is eating just fine.  I'm just going to keep plugging away at it    Hopefully they'll catch on sooner rather than later    Let me know how its going!

[Freya'sMum]

See my reply in erinmariemartin's other thread about trying a baby-led weaning approach! Can't be bothered to type it all again! LOL!

Ax

[TashaM]

Thanks for all the great replies!!

Erin, what you say about milk being their primary source of nutrition makes sense but this is my dilemma: as already stated, dd is not getting much in the way of solid food during the day (maybe 2 - 3 teaspoons).  However her appetite is obviously on the increase - she downs all her bottles (4 of 230 ml and a DF of 200 ml) and wakes a couple of times in the mornings though she manages to settle without my feeding her (with a dummy or on her own).  I was advised by a midwife not to feed her more than 1 litre a day (she is 8 kg).  I think we exceed this slightly but I am concerned that dd is still hungry!  This of course has a knock-on effect and tends to affect her sleep, especially during the day. (Shortens naps)

Do you have any advice about the milk?

[RachelC]

Has the increase been recent?  Did you notice a 6 month growth spurt?  This could be it. 

[binxyboo]

I would definitely check out babyled weaning. If you google it, you will come up with a ton of info. Riley was a slow starter with solids, he was well over a year before he started taking significant amounts. I was nursing and he still had a night feed. I felt confident that although he wasn't eating much, he was obviously getting enough nutrition as he was growing well, meeting all milestones etc. Of cousre, I still worried from time to time. Some babies just do not go for pureed foods, they prefer finger foods etc from the get-go. Which might well mean they don't take in great amounts until they are older. At that young age, I really would not worry much at all.

Have you gone through the FAQ section of the board? What readiness signs was your lo giving to start foods?

[TashaM]

Hi,

Rachel - you could be right!!! I've been so good at keeping an eye out for growth spurts (because I got such a shock with her first one - was breastfeeding at the time and my milk started to run out!!) but i think i've taken my eye off the ball again .. i think this might well be a growth spurt.  Not sure what this means about the 1 litre limit to milk though - is it ok to increase it?

Michele, I did check the FAQ and dd showed the following signs: 6months old; birth weight more than doubled; big appetite and bottles/milk not seeming to satisfy; very interested when i eat/drink; night wakings started again after sleeping through from 4 months/ 4 hour Easy.

[RachelC]

Hi Tasha,

I have bf both my girls, so I am not sure about the amounts.  Pop over to the bottle feeding forum.  There may be something in the FAQs there about amounts and growth spurts.  If not, ask away! 

[TashaM]

Hi Rachel , sorry I didn't make this clear I am actually bottle feeding now.

[RachelC]

Tasha, I understood you from the beginning    That's why I suggested the bottle feeding forum   

[TashaM]

Sorry Rachel - i realised that JUST after i pressed the 'post' button!!!!!! will be more careful to read properly next tme.  Have started to check out the bottle feeding board, thanks for the advice.

[RachelC]

LOL No problem! 

BTW, you can modify your posts by going back to the post and clicking "modify" to the right above your post