The Pre-Loaded SPOON

We weren't sure how we were going to tackle food that needs to be eaten with a spoon.  I had been keen to try to spoon feed SOME things to MiniMe in the hopes that when we are out and about (or on a 13 hour plane journey) she will happily let me feed her.  Most of my friends who have  gone down the Baby Led Weaning route have combined it with spoon feeding, in fact it seems to be pretty common in parents who aren't hard core BLW-ers. 

How do those BLW babies eat soup you ask? off toast...and yogurt? off apple slices...or off a pre-loaded spoon.  A SPOON THAT YOU "LOAD" with whatever the spoonable food is and hand over to your baby.  

Combination feeding was the route I was sure we were going to go down. I wasn't too keen on the idea of handing MiniMe a spoon "pre-loaded" with anything...it sounded like I was handing her some automatic weapon.  A messy soup flinging weapon. 

MiniMe had other ideas.  During our first week weaning we offered her some soup with toast fingers, but tried spoon feeding her the soup first.  That little mouth stayed clamped shut...no amount of silly faces pulled by Dad could make it open.  So we dipped her toasts and those made their way to her mouth...like immediately. 

Week 2 we introduced yogurt and tried spoon feeding her again...again that little mouth was cemented closed.  I couldn't stomach the idea of dipping her toast in the yogurt (gag gag gag) so I decided to give the pre-loaded spoon a try.  

All I did was smear a bit of yoghurt on the back and front of the spoon and hand it to her.  She started banging it around on the tray and then tried to get it into her mouth.  She was holding it far too far down the handle, so the yogurt ended up all over her face...her expression was priceless WHO PUT THIS MUCK ON MY PLASTIC TOY??? But, after loading it again and helping her to hold it closer up the handle the yogurt made its way into her mouth.

We tried a few spoonfuls and she obligingly tasted it every time.  It was messy, more was smeared across the tray and up and down her arms...but it worked. And the best bit, she was happily trying it, unlike when we tried to do it for her.

I'd still like her to let me feed her, just so that I know I can if I feel the need to, and maybe that will come in time when she begins to understand what the MUCK on the end of the spoon is.  For now, though, I'm a convert to the pre-loaded spoon.

On your marks....Get set...GO! Solid Food: Week 1

And so it begins.  

We've well and truly begun this weaning adventure.  Last week I finished reading Gill Rapley's Baby Led Weaning book and a couple of others that I borrowed from the library.  Dad and I had a chat one night in hushed tones to try to decide what we actually wanted to do; how we wanted to approach weaning MiniMe.  

We were excited...super excited...

MiniMe was not. 

I was, in the back of my mind, prepared for her to be completely underwhelmed by a chunk of banana sitting on her tray where her TOYS used to be.  She wasn't even curious.  Nope, no siree...she gave it the stink eye and then proceeded to avoid making eye contact with us and that blasted banana.  

At this stage, in the VERY EARLY days, MiniMe will just explore what we put on her tray (apparently).  She doesn't NEED to eat it, she doesn't KNOW that this stuff is good, and yummy and will make her tummy feel full.  She's supposed to see it as something new to pick up and put in her mouth LIKE ALL HER TOYS AND CLOTHES AND EVERYTHING ELSE WITHIN REACH.  Except for the first 3 days she didn't even do that. 

Week 1 

Maybe she's not ready yet.  She's not one of these babies that grabs food off their parents plates, she just isn't that interested.  She watches us, that's for sure...but she's just not getting into everything...yet.  

So, anyway, Week 1...

We decided to be very relaxed about what we offered MiniMe, and to really try to offer her things that were suitable for her stage of weaning (i.e. NOT WEANING) but that linked in with what we were eating.  Sometimes I decided what to feed her and then planned my dish around that.  

I guess that main thing is that we offered her food whenever we were sitting down to eat, instead of what our health visitor suggested...one type of food, once a day for a couple of days. I don't know if what we are doing is right for MiniMe...maybe we are over stimulating her offering so many different things.

I should say here that neither Dad nor I have any history of allergies in our families so we have decided that MiniMe should be ok with more than one new food a day.   We are sticking to just breakfast and lunch at the moment anyway since Dad works late so if she were to have a reaction we would be able to deal with it and watch it before bedtime rolled around.  On the nights that Dad is home early enough we are sticking with foods she's already tried.  And I'm keeping a food diary, just incase. Once we work up to more regular meals I'll have to make a real effort to remember to offer new things at lunch time.  

On Days 1 and 2 (when Dad was home) MiniMe employed a true avoidance tactic.  She wasn't interested at all. But by Day 3 she was definitely more curious and was at least TOUCHING her food.  Somethings were picked up, somethings were mashed in her hands, somethings were smeared through her hair.  She for sure got a taste of toast, omelette, avocado and some soup....like it actually went into her mouth.  Her gag reflex is impressive.  Just touching the softened oatibix set that off, so did the steamed carrot stick that grazed her lip.  

It is hard not to be a bit impatient and try to help her pick things up or lift bits towards her mouth, because we want to SEE her try her food.  But even by writing this blog post I can see the difference 1 week has made.  So she isn't so keen right now, she doesn't need to be.  

Getting Ready...

Last week I attended a weaning talk at the local baby clinic.  I only knew about it because the baby nurse had mentioned it when we were in getting MiniMe weighed before Christmas.  Actually, when we were there before Christmas she asked if we were staying for the weaning talk she was doing that day (which I didn't know about).  I wasn't really prepared to, at that point, so she said to come along to the one in the new year.  

Along we bumbled.  A few mums from my antenatal group were there getting their babies (born before MiniMe) weighed and when I asked if they were staying for the weaning talk they told me they had (all) already been to a talk and, besides, they were (all) already weaning.  That didn't really phase me. MiniMe is the youngest baby in the group anyway.  What I wasn't prepared for was for her to be the OLDEST at the weaning talk.  The baby nurse was actually surprised that we were there, and what she told us wasn't really relevant to us anyway...because it was all about weaning from 17 weeks.  

I guess I felt a bit the fool, really.  I hadn't been notified of any talks when MiniMe was 4 months old and since weaning wasn't even on my radar at the time I didn't think to ask about it.  Needless to say I didn't really learn anything new from the talk.  And it was only after the fact that I thought of some questions to ask (about offering whole wheats and grains, dairy, brown rice).  We see the Health Visitor in a week so I'll TRY to remember to ask her then. 

In the meantime we've decided to start MiniMe on solids TOMORROW! We had been intent on waiting until she is 26 weeks but social engagements mean that Dad won't be around next weekend and it wouldn't be fair on him to miss out on such a BIG EVENT.  

I've also been reading some weaning books, namely Baby Led Weaning by Gill Rapley and Weaning Made Easy by Rana Conway.  Rapley's book is all about Baby Led Weaning (obviously) and it outlines how to go about it through the different stages MiniMe will go through over the next few months.  It explains about gagging reflexes and, what I found interesting, the LANGUAGE, of weaning.  She says to OFFER food, rather than GIVE or FEED.  Offering implies that MiniMe is in charge of feeding and regulating her food herself, where as giving or feeding implies that we are making the decision for her.  Typing that out makes it all seem a bit hippy dippy actually, but in reality it makes a lot of sense.  MiniMe is exclusively breast fed, she already decides when she wants to eat and for how long...this is something that she will be able to carry on at the table.  

I'm happy to have read the Baby Led Weaning book to have a better understanding of the physical side of eating...what is actually going to be going on in MiniMe's mouth and the ethos behind letting her be in control.  I like that, but we have decided that we would like to do a combination of spoon fed and baby led weaning.  Conway's book talks about combining both methods but because she gives advice for weaning from 4 months the beginning of the book is pretty spoon fed/puree heavy and in her meal plans still recommends baby rice/porridge for 6 month olds.  I'm not interested in that, one bit.  

So we have decided that TOMORROW we are going to give finger foods a go.  Banana at breakfast, steamed carrots and lunch and steamed broccoli at dinner.  We have no history of allergies on either side of our family so we are just going to go for it.  For the meantime MiniMe will get to explore what we offer her for breakfast, lunch and dinner on the weekends when we can all sit down together, and for breakfast and lunch during the week (unless Dad comes home early).  Once she is settled and actually eating I'll start eating my dinner early during the week with her...but that's a while away.  

Stay Tuned...

Weaning Gear: Plates and Bowls and Spoons! Oh MY!

We still haven't decided how we are going to approach introducing solids into MiniMe's diet.  We've read the Baby Led Weaning Book and the current advice on the NHS Start4LIfe website, which suggests purees and mashed foods are the best way to start.  I suppose the most important thing we've gleaned from it all is that we will wait until MiniMe is ready to start, even if that means waiting another few weeks, or a month.  I'm not frightened by the study I talked about in my last post that warned  about how introducing solid foods too late would raise MiniMe's chance of getting diabetes, and so we will wait.  

In the meantime, though, we've been thinking about weaning gear.  All that stuff that clutters up the cupboards and comes flying out when doors are opened clattering to the floor...the plastic stuff.  I know strictly speaking for Baby Led Weaning we wouldn't need any gear, just pull MiniMe right up to the table and let her go for it.  I'm just not that relaxed.  We purposely bought a highchair with a tray so that MiniMe could eat off of that if she goes straight onto finger foods, but if we choose to introduce purees or mashed foods first then she will need something else. 

Although I love the idea of MiniMe using plates and bowls and spoons that aren't plastic we (I) really need to be realistic. She won't be able to lift up a GLASS sippy cup let alone DRINK from it for months, and I totally don't fancy the idea of my china dishes being knocked onto the floor...so, really, it has to be plastic.

I didn't fancy spending much money on weaning gear right now, since we don't know what we are going to be doing and when we are going to be starting, so we picked up some plates, bowls and cutlery from IKEA when we were there before Christmas buying MiniMe's highchair.

Ikea bowls 

The IKEA stuff is great and cheap! 6 bowls and plates and 6 sets of cutlery for £3...they make cups too but I'm not anticipating using a cup for a while.  The bowls and plates are a nice size, the colours are great, and they dishwasher safe (not that we have one of those) the cutlery looks a bit chunky to me for little hands, but I'm sure that the spoons will be just fine.  I don't imagine MiniMe will be skilfully cutting up her dinner with a knife and fork just yet.  

Vital Travel Weaning Set 

I was given an ORANGE version of this travel weaning set by a mum2be I know here in Edinburgh.  I think it will soon become part of our essential going out kit.  I know that I could pack up a puree or some finger foods for MiniMe for when we are on the go in any old tupperware container, but part of me likes the idea of her having her own "lunchbox".  I assume that she will quickly recognise it as her own, and (hopefully) get excited about the prospect of whatever is inside.  

We are definitely equipped with enough bowls, plates and spoons to see us through purees and mashed foods if we choose to go that route and if we don't I still imagine we will use them for Baby Led Weaning.

Born Free Training Cup 

Our Health Visitor gave us a FREE FLOW training cup when she came to see us at 6 weeks.  No, it wasn't that fab Born Free cup, it is a bog standard plastic cup with a sippy lid.  The catch is that there is no leak-proof/spill-proof valve in the lid so it shouldn't affect the way that MiniMe nurses.  I don't know if the cup I was given is BPA free so I have been looking into other options and these Born Free training cups seem like a great one.  I know MiniMe isn't going to be drinking loads of water in the first instance, but I do think it is important for her cup to be BPA-free.

The next thing to decide on is some massive bib to catch all the mess! 

When should we start to Wean?

I've been thinking a lot about weaning MiniMe over the past month or so.  Mostly I've been day dreaming about the amazing meals I'll make her and how much fun we will have in the kitchen together, but more practically I have been worrying more and more about when to actually start weaning her onto solid foods. 

A pal of Dad's gave us a box of baby cereal a month ago, it was unopened and had a short date and he thought that we might be able to use it since, at that point, MiniMe was nearing 4 months.  Dad was all ready to give it ago when I kiboshed his plans.  

In my mind 4 months was way too young to start MiniMe on baby cereal (even if the box said it was fine for babies from 4 months).  At that point, while she could hold her head up pretty much without looking like a BobbleHead, she was still slumping over while sitting in the Bumbo or on my lap.  She wasn't ready, and on closer inspection I had to tell Dad that I wasn't prepared to express milk just to mix with the baby cereal (especially considering I haven't really been able to express to feed MiniMe). 

We hadn't had a discussion about her weaning as her parents yet, there was no way we were just going to jump into it.  We agreed to wait until after Christmas to broach the subject again, or sooner if our Health Visitor thought it might help with MiniMe's weight gain.  

Now that MiniMe is 5 months old we can realistically think about this huge step.  Her weight has levelled out just with a few tweaks to how we breastfeed so there is no need to worry about filling up her tummy just yet, giving us a little bit more time to think about our plan of action. 

The NHS Start4Life site suggests that MiniMe will be ready for solids when she can stay in a sitting position and can hold her head steady, Co-ordinate her hands, eyes and mouth, pick up food and put it in her mouth, and swallow her food.  Basically she needs to be able to sit up unaided with a steady head, be able to pick up food and get it pretty close to her mouth, and be able to swallow (not just push her food back out).  

Realistically, the only way to know if she will be able to do most of those things is to try.  

I am glad we decided to get MiniMe a highchair as one of her Christmas presents (we went with the IKEA Antilop).  For the past week she has been sitting up at the table with us during meal times.  She needs a little bit of support for her back since she is a bit dinky, but for the most part she sits up very nicely and plays and chats away to us while we eat.  I think that by introducing the highchair before starting solids MiniMe will get used to sitting up, be familiar what happens up at the table and will (hopefully) be more confident.  

While speed reading some weaning sites on the internet over the past couple of weeks I came across this article that kind of threw some doubt into the plan of action Dad and I have started to work on.  The article calls into question the advice that we wait until 6 months to introduce our children to solids. It suggests that by waiting too long we are placing them at risk of developing diabetes in childhood.  

Shoot me through the heart! 

I feel guilty enough about everything I choose to do as it is, and now I need to feel guilty about waiting to wean MiniMe? Sure enough the article also warns about the dangers of weaning too early...so I'm left with the dilemma of when is the right time? 

I suspect MiniMe will be ready in a few weeks time, close to the 6 month mark.

I'm off to a weaning talk at the Doctor's Surgery next week.  I'm hoping to have some questions answered, but by then MiniMe will be 5 1/2 months so early weaning won't be an option really anyway (not that I'm keen to start early).