Really Pants

The Weaning Challenge

What a dilemma weaning seems to pose every mother, myself included!!! When, how, what, the questions are endless and everyone has the best idea and solution.

Every new mother is told the World Health Authority recommends waiting until babies are six months, which then becomes the Holy Grail of dates.  Why I asked??? The world standard and delaying the use of possible contanimated water was the answer given.   Puree or baby lead??? The challenge continued…….

I decided to take a more laid back approach with my second than with my first, which so far has worked.  Neither of my children have been particular fans of milk, and on waking during the night from about four months, would not take milk, and were clearly unsatisfied with something.  I started to offer some solids to my daughter, in the form of puree, as I had done with my son, and my intention was to go with the flow and see where she led me in comparison to stressing as to where he should be and what I should be doing next with him!

Puree very quickly moved onto what can only be described as baby led weaning with my daughter…. Her 0pening her mouth every time food was around, which coincided with a high pitch shout to get your attention, and then grabbing what ever was in her reach and proceeding to eat it!  Very amusing the first time when I was eating a stuffed pitta and had to give her some of her brothers, which was minus chilli sauce…..

This was very nerve racking to begin with and the child seemed to want to eat all the time, and had no concept as to what she “should” be able to eat (yorkshire puddings, toast, whole peaches……).  Baby first aid gave me confidence to allow myself to be lead by her, and she is always sat on my knee or in front of me when eating with her fingers; we have had one incident where a rice cake seemed to go down the wrong way.  The major plus to this is she is very content, particularly during the night, when she wants her twelve hours sleep and rarely wakes until morning.

At seven and a half months she now eats a combinantion of Annabel Karmel recipes, meals the family are having and finger foods; a very wide and balnced diet, to sit along with her milk feeds.  She has so far refused one thing - cauliflower cheese!  A huge difference to her brother who was and still is very fussy.  Or was he???  I now think my stress and hang ups over his weaning have affected how and what he eats, and wonder how many “fussy” eaters are a result of the pressure to get this right. 

Time will tell…..  My more laid back approach has had a knock on effect with her big brother, who is now trying new foods almost daily and developing a bit of an interest in cooking, albeit to baking cakes at the moment!  We can but try is my new moto (along with “chill” when it ocmes to their eating!).