Weaning

You offer sips of water when you start weaning as it helps keep them regular and gets them used to drinking from a cup. Please don’t worry, weaning is usually a very slow process unless your baby really likes their food! Milk is still their main source of nutrition until 1, and you’ll only be giving them little tiny amounts at first. You can gradually work up to 3 meals a day by around 9 months. You won’t lose your bond at all! ❤️Breastfeeding is so much more than a source of food for babies, it’s such a big comfort to them, that’s why lots of toddlers and older are quite happy to continue feeding as long as possible! I’m still feeding my nearly 3 year old, I thought we would’ve stopped when I was pregnant but she still loves it!

@Lauren Thankyou so much I've gotten so overly emotional over it to be honest. Yeah I wasn't sure in water because I know breastmilk gives them water and eveything else so I was unsure if they'd need extra xx

You offer water in a sippy cup, I suggest munchkin as it doesn't spill, to ensure they don't get constipated. You won't lose that bond, they still want/need the comfort. And bm adapts, when they're at weaning age, so when they're on full 3 meals a day, your milk changes and becomes watery as they need the hydration over it keeping them full. So they'll still need the bm feed. Try not to worry the feeding becomes quite enjoyable as you're cooking for LO

What would you offer them to begin with? My baby is 5m but seems so interested in food from 4m, just recently started to give her some baby porridge and she loves it, still haven’t dropped a feed, she still has 5 bottles per day and just little bits of porridge or melty puffs. Would you give her food already? Like fruit/ vegs? Xx

@Joana I plan to start with baby rice just for consistency and then carrots pureed and sweet potato but doing singular vegetables and trying all before mixing them together. I'll be avoiding cows milk for a while and just using breast milk to mix in xx

You can sign up for a free weaning chart from Ella's kitchen xx

@Aimee-Jo aww bless you. These hormones are something else aren’t they?! Yes you don’t need to give them a lot, it’s more for practice than anything. Solid starts have some really helpful charts, I’ll see if I can find one xx

I breast feed and will be weaning my little one in about a month. I am looking forward to it, I’ve been looking into baby led weaning - I think I’m going to try x

@Aimee-Jo just fyi, don't do baby rice it has no nutritional value. Just jump straight in with veg puree. Brocoli is usually a good place to start

I weaned at 16 months. My son now has a bond with his dad but still always wants Momma

@Joana i recently attended a course on this topic done by a pediatrician / baby diet specialist and she strongly suggested starting with green veg for the first 1-2weeks as it stimulates their bitter taste buds and they learn to enjoy this type of food. Research shows that if you start with green veg, babies become good eaters into the toddlerhood. Less fussy I’m told. We’ll see how it goes this weekend. Green veg suggested were broccoli, spinach, kale, white potatoe (yes apparently also goes into this ‘green’ category, also aubergine).

Oh and they also said that we should be on 3 meals a day by 8 months. So really if we start near 6 months mark, it’s 8 or so weeks to introduce them to a wide variety of food and have all 3 meals in between milk feeds

I would listen to @Fatima regarding baby rice. It’s not great and my baby for really badly constipated from having it. Go straight to the veggies ☺️

I wouldn't be doing baby rice other than for her to try the consistency first as a first try

@Aimee-Jo there is no need tbh, you can jump straight in to veg purees plus they taste way better

@Fatima I saw you mentioned in another post to give baby normal porridge. I use nairns gluten free porridge oats for myself and have blended a jar for baby so it’s a little finer. Just wanted to ask…I EBF but don’t pump as I never get enough milk when pumping. I have started reintroducing kendamil 3 weeks ago but just mainly use it in her food. When making the porridge do I just make it using the formula or do you use cows milk? Sorry if it’s a stupid question

@Andreia not a silly question at all, babies can have cows milk in their food from 6 months. So just use cows milk but make sure its full fat. Also (not that you've said this) but don't use any soy milk they need full fat cows milk, because they need the calories. Just something else to consider I know you use gluten-free (I'm assuming due to an intolerance) i would say for baby try using normal oats to get their gut used to allergens.

@Fatima ah that’s really helpful! Yes I use oats milk but will get some full fat cows milk for her food. Having to make up a formula just for her food is wasting a lot of milk and she won’t drink it solo so pointless for us to spend so much money on a tin of formula. I’ll get some normal organic oats for her 😌 thank you. I do use gluten free due to intolerance. I guessing goats milk is ok too?

@Andreia goats milk is fine