- Don't get too focused on your routines. Things happen and you may not be able to stick to it one night, it will be okay. Similarly, don't expect your routines to be static. It should be the same day to day, but fluid over months. keep trying things every so often. My baby hated her baths, so we did them in the morning to wake her up instead of at night to calm her. Now she's got more used to them and can have them at night, and quite enjoys to splash.
Weaning (again)
Since my last blog post I have come to realise the wonder that is food pouches. I will still suggest that you home cook your baby most food, but what's been amazing about the pouches for me, is that you can give her her meal, and she still looks hungry but she doesn't need another whole portion. You can actually squeeze the pouches out onto the spoon and give her it one spoonful at a time, instead of pouring out a portion and wasting most of it.
But my baby won't stop eating, what do I do?
You're not giving her enough water. (s)he will keep eating and eating until she gets the moisture from the food as well. We actually forgot to give our baby water with meals when she first started eating, and had this problem. You should definately try giving more water. It also depends how moist the food is, as to how often you would offer your baby her sippy cup. Fruit dishes are rather moist, and (s)he may not need as much water. Butterbean casserole (which my baby loves) is a bit of a halfway point, where I would offer water every three spoonfuls or so. Red Lentils and Spinach (which my baby hates) is very dry and you need to offer the water after EVERY spoon, (s)he might not take it every time, but probably most of the time. If you have meals that you give your baby regularly (or made a huge batch of and froze) you will get to know how often to offer her water.
My baby won't eat, what do I do?
Offer water. Sometimes, if the food is too dry, your baby will refuse to have another spoon until (s)he has had a drink. Babies can be amazingly good at knowing what they want. (s)he could also genuinely not like it. Don't be disheartened. Try and "make" her have some, there have been a few times that my baby has refused to eat something she didn't like the smell of, then when I got it in her mouth she liked it. Bait and switch, offer her a bottle or sippy cup, and when (s)he opens her mouth get it in there. 3 spoonfuls is a good place to be. If (s)he has had three spoonfuls and still won't open her mouth for it, (s)he's not going to have that dish today. Throw away any of it that was heated, or that touched her spoon and mouth (germs) but the rest could go back in the fridge and try tomorrow. If you have many portions of it, freeze them and try it again in a couple of weeks. Tastes change and (s)he may enjoy it later. Almost all food can be frozen for a month and some even beyond that. Defrost thoroughly, but you don't have to warm it. It is whatever your baby prefers. Room temperature is fine, and you won't have to throw it all away if (s)he won't eat it.
My baby won't drink water, what do I do?
Persevere. They HAVE to learn to drink water. Do not give them juice all the time. They should get used to water as their main drink, and juice is a treat. To try and encourage your baby to drink water if they simply won't, you can offer the sweet water that you may have cooked her some apples or pears in. Get rid of the bits, and make sure it's cooled, but (s)he can have it as a drink. You can also add a few drops of pure fruit juice to her water.
It could also be her cup. Never give juice in a bottle, but you could try to give her water in a bottle, or try a different cup. Hard plastic sippy cups, like hard spoons, may be rough on sensitive teething gums. Nuby do a weird sippy cup that is sort of a cross between a bottle and a sippy cup, with a silicone spout. My baby really likes that cup.
It could also be her cup. Never give juice in a bottle, but you could try to give her water in a bottle, or try a different cup. Hard plastic sippy cups, like hard spoons, may be rough on sensitive teething gums. Nuby do a weird sippy cup that is sort of a cross between a bottle and a sippy cup, with a silicone spout. My baby really likes that cup.
Go with what you think is best for weaning, but they really can have practically anything from 6m. I have even been told by a health professional that once in a blue moon, you could blend up a curry with lots of rice...don't follow anyone's advice blindly, if you think giving a seven month old baby curry is stupid, don't do it. There are lots of tables and charts out there that tell you when your baby can have this or that, look them up if you want, but there isn't much (s)he can't have.
Thing's I didn't realize a 6m old baby can have:-
Peanut butter
Bell Pepper
Meats
My new health visitor says that basically you only need to avoid sugar, salt, and honey, but I read somewhere they're not allowed fish until 9m...If you're unsure of something, ask around or look it up, but most "normal" foods are fine. For example: I have no idea if a 6m old can have haggis.
Chocolate.
I see no reason to give your baby chocolate. I know there's pots of chocolate custard and things out there, but why would you WANT to give your child that sugar rush at this age? Surely they would be all over the place. I KNOW you want them to experience the joy that is chocolate, me too, but I would think it's best to wait. I don't know when until, but probably after food has been established as a 3 meal a day occurrence. If you want to give your baby a sweet treat, fruit is healthy, and naturally sweet. Strawberries, mango, banana...all foods that my baby gets VERY excited for.
They say to get your baby used to the things you eat, but I'm not so sure about that. You want your baby to grow up healthy and strong, so make sure you add lots of greens to whatever they have. Our main meals are nice easy cottage and shepherd's pies, lasagne's and spaghetti bolognaises, broken up with some fish and chips or chicken and chips. Giving our baby nothing but what we eat would have been BAD for her. Make sure you give your baby lots of variety. You should really get involved and have fun, it's already starting to make us eat healthier! Try new things WITH your baby, chickpeas, butter beans, celery, parsley, carrots and apples are all things seem to be in every baby recipe! Parsley is especially great. You can add it to anything. Fresh is best. Add it to the water you cook things in, add it to your mash. It's healthy, and different colours are fun for baby.
Poop
During weaning, all poop is good poop except no poop. If it's a funny colour, think what your baby has eaten. Blueberries can make lovely purple poop. Lots of potatoes or lentils could make it pretty solid. There can be a lot of what I like to call "rabbit droppings", the tiny, round balls of poop like rabbits leave. During weaning, the poops can be fantastic. They start to smell a bit worse, but they are so much easier to clean up, so I think it's worth it. I've had much fewer incidents of "up the back" and "good god she needs a bath right this second". Don't worry about your baby's poop right now. It's likely to be a different colour every day.
Last word
Try and make weaning and mealtimes fun for your baby. They are more likely to grow up fussy if you don't give them a wide diet. Let them hold another spoon whilst you feed them. Let them get messy. Don't yell. What I've been doing is praising the good and ignoring the bad. I think it works.If you have questions you can always comment on this blog, or email me at suzi.d.cross@gmail.com. There's not much else I can think of, so any questions might be really good to keep
this blog going.
