Baby Weaning: Tips and Meal Ideas!

Its been a while...

Hi everyone, sorry it has been a while! I think it has actually been almost 2 weeks since I posted a blog post. I do try to post one every week but sometimes this can be difficult. Not due to lack of ideas or motivation, I love writing and have A LOT of ideas of blog posts I want to write but with Halloween just passing, Christmas coming up, planning a wedding, starting to think about Ella-Grace's birthday and just the day to day tasks of being a stay-at-home mum and working from home writing Articles for Baby GaGa and various other freelance opportunities that has come up. Also all of Ella-Grace's clubs I take her to and seeing family and friends, cleaning the house and you know relaxing and keeping myself sane haha. Writing my blog every week as well as all this can be difficult at times. Saying that I would not change any of it for the world, I love every aspect of it and I know all my lovely readers understand when a blog post is delayed or I am off the radar for a while. If you do want to keep up with myself and Ella-Grace more often please follow my social media which I can quickly post to more often- links above. Anyway back to today's post. By request I am going to be doing another weaning post today. I am happy to say Ella-Grace is still thriving with her solid food and a lot of mothers have reached out to me and asked me to write some tips for weaning and some ideas of meals to give a baby. So here it is, enjoy!

Ella-Grace weaning update...

So the last update I did for Ella-Graces weaning she had just turned 6 months. I had started slowly weaning her at 4 months old which I do not recommend for everyone, a lot of people start at 6 months which is fine too, but in Ella-Grace's case and the advice I got from my health visitior 4 months was the perfect time for her. It stopped her being constipated, it stopped her being sick and she has developed and grown so much since we started weaning. 

-For all the info please read my blog post, "From Bottle To Baby Food: Our Weaning Story So Far" 

So, at now almost 7 and a half months Ella-Grace has 3 bottles of Aptimil Lacto-free formula a day and 3 solid meals a day. The times vary depending on her naps - she usually has 2 naps a day, after breakfast and after lunch- , here is a rough idea of what a daily routine food wise can be:

6am-7am : 210ml Bottle 

8am-9am: Breakfast - Weetabix (1 & 1/2 biscuits&120ml formula mixed with 1 tsp of peanut butter) 

                                    1x Organix Fruitpot 

                                    1x Slice of Toast (Crusts cut off, Dairyfree butter)

                                    Cup of Water 

10.30am-11am: 210ml Bottle 

1pm-2pm: Lunch - Baked beans mixed with mushy peas, Quorn chicken pieces and broccoli. 

                                  1x Organix Fruitpot 

                                  Cup of Water 

5pm- 6pm: Supper - Mild Chilli (Quorn mince, kidney beans, onion, mushroom, peppers, tomatoes, sweetcorn) with rice, peas and cabbage. 

                                 1x Organix Fruit pot 

                                 Cup of Water 

7pm-8pm: 210ml Bottle 

I also will give her a small snack while she is waiting for me to cook or if we are out and she seems a bit peckish, these are usually also of the Organix brand (all dairy free and organic!). Rice cakes, sweetcorn rings, carrot puffs ect. Will add the link to the Organix website below. 

I no longer puree Ella-Graces food unless it is a meal that would be pureed anyway such as soup. She eats what me and Reece eat obviously with no added sugar or salt. 

Tips...

Weaning can be tricky and every baby is different so what works for one baby might not work for another. I have been lucky that Ella-Grace has thrived on solid food, now at 7 months old she very rarely refuses anything. But there was some hard times and I found out foods and textures she doesn't like and ways of eating she prefers. I figured out what worked for her and now we are doing great! Here is some tips that might help you with weaning your baby onto solid food.

1. Start soft and simple - When I first started weaning Ella-Grace the first thing I gave her was baby rice. It is kind of like porridge and you can find it in most supermarkets, you add formula or breast milk to it and it turns to the consistency of porridge. This is a good one to try as it is very soft, no lumps and is a taste your baby will be used to. Following on from this I tried her with a fruit pot, this is also soft but a different taste to what they are used to. Since it is sweet however they are likely to enjoy the taste. From then I slowly tried her with new things and that's how we got to where we are now. Slowly built form textures and tastes they know for a gradual transition. 
2. Take your time - This one is very important. Don't rush! When I give Ella-Grace her breakfast (her favourite meal of the day) she scoffs in down so quick! But then it comes to lunchtime and I could be sitting there for up to an hour and a half waiting for her to eat or finish eating. And I am okay with that. If it is a food that I spoon feed her she usual has it quicker but for finger foods such as vegetables, well-cooked pasta ect. she might play with it for a while before she eats it. That's how babies and children learn, through play. Ella-Grace loves to play with her food, she is learning what it is and how it feels in her hand, its all new. But instead of me, after 20 minutes, going okay your not eating and take her to get cleaned up I let her do her thing. And sure thing after she has played a bit she puts a bit of her food in her mouth and she will eat it. Take your time and let your baby discover what food is, it is all so new,
3. Don't force it - There will be a time when your baby just refuses what you are giving them. In Ella-Grace's case this was banana, she hates it! I tried it in different ways, pureed, cut up, mixed in things, she hated it. But that's okay. If you realise your baby isn't taking to something, stop anf offer them something else and try that kind of food another time. No point in forcing them to have something in their mouth and eat it if they are just going to cry and get overwhelmed. That is counter-productive. So as frustrating as it may be when they refuse a food as you just want the best for them, don't force it they will get there in there own time. 
4. Try different textures and flavours -As I said at the start all babies are different and some flavours and textures they are going to like more than others, but that doesn't mean you can't try different kinds. From puree's to finger foods, I give a mixture of both to Ella-Grace. At the moment she seems to be liking the finger foods and flavours such as butternutsquash, carrot and brussel sprouts she seems to love. Trying all different flavours and textures you will come to find what your baby likes but also be giving them a wide varitey of experience with different foods hopefully meaning as they grow they will be open to a variety of different meals. Even challenge yourself to try something with your baby you have never tried before, lead by example. 
5. Let them feed themselves - I have already partly touched on this, baby's love to discover and some will cry as soon as you put a spoon or bit of food to their mouth. Ella-Grace is quite independent and a lot of the time likes to feed herself. So give them something they can manage to hold such as green beans or toast and they will have a great time. 
6. Give them a hand - Sometimes Ella-Grace will be eating a finger food then it will get too small for her to control and she gets frustrated knowing there is food in her hand but she cannot put it in her mouth. So at this point I will help her by placing it in her mouth for her. Some may say this is counter productive and she won't learn how to do it herself but thats just not true she will do it when she has the hang of her hand movements, for now instead of her getting overwhelmed then probably not finishing her food I give her a bit of help. No crying, no frustration. A happy and full baby. 
7. Eat at the same time - Family meal times are important any age including as babies. It might be frustrating trying to eat your own food as well as helping/watching your baby eat but if they see you eating and the way you eat they are likely to copy. Also this will stop them wanting what you are eating if they have food themselves. Ella-Grace always tries to grab whatever I am eating if she does not have food herself. Yes your food might go a bit cold if your baby needs some help but honestly I think it is so worth it. Starting meals sitting at the table as a family early is so important for me anyways and will definitely help them learn by copying Mummy or Daddy. This is also a good habit to get into as you will only have to make one meal and both eat it at the same time. Ella-Grace loves to sit in her high chair and watch me cook and I love it  too. 
8. Start with one meal a day and build up - This one helped me a lot who likes to do things step by step. When I used to think of weaning it would get me panicked until I read "start with one meal a day and build on that". So whatever time of day your baby is happiest or most content, just whatever time of day you think is best. Start with that meal (breakfast, lunch or supper). I go into more detail in my other weaning blog post but to sum up I started breakfast with Ella-Grace first, then moved onto lunch which she did not take well to so I stopped that then went to supper, so for a while she was having breakfast and supper and then we started lunch and there you have it 3 meals a day. This happened over a span of 2 months (from four to six months) now at 7 months old she eats what I eat and it is great. 
9. Keep it positive- This goes for pretty much everything you are trying to introduce baby to. Keep positive and happy! I know how easy it is to get stressed and overwhelmed when baby is not taking the food or refuses to open their mouth but the more anxious you get the more anxious they will get and they will start to associate meal times with stress. Which you don't want because that will make weaning even harder! So try to keep positive and not make eating a big deal, if they don't want something one day try it again another day. If your eating a meal together and they refuse to try their food and just want to play with it, let them and have some of your food. This has been great for Ella-Grace, I used to get quite stressed when she would refuse food but she could sense that it just made her more overwhelmed so I took a deep breath and calmed down. Now every meal time I have a smile on my face and no matter what I do not let myself get stressed. If you feel that way just put the baby's food down and take a minute.
10. Praise- I praise Ella-Grace after every meal and so does Reece. We clap and say "yay!" and give her lots of kisses and cuddles. After EVERY meal. This positive reaction will encourage baby to eat as they will want to receive this positive reaction. 

These are my top tips. I am not a professional or have any medical training so if worried always consult with your doctor but these are the things that have worked for Ella-Grace. I hope they have helped. 

Meal Ideas....

Breakfast: 

• Weetabix and a spoon of peanut butter (6 months +)

Made with breastmilk or formula (I find 90ml for 1 biscuit and 120ml for 1 and a 1/2) add 1 tsp of peanut butter, mix and let cool. Spoon feed to baby or let them feed themselves. 

(ELLA-GRACE FAVOURITE)

• Toast with Dairy-Free Spread and Scrambled Egg (6 months+)

At the moment I still eat eggs and I found it would be unfair for me to not let Ella-Grace have them if I have them myself. I do however buy local RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) eggs or buy them from a friend where I can see the chickens are being looked after and loved. I found out recently that you can make "Tofu Scramble" so I am definitely going to try this as a substitute to eggs. 

Scrambled Eggs- Crack 2 eggs in a jug, add a splash of soy milk and microwave for 1-2 minutes  

Toast- Cut off crusts, toast, spread on dairy-free butter and cut into slices. Give as finger food. 

• Banana Pancakes (6 months +)

2 ripe bananas mashed. 1 cup of flour. 1 cup of soy milk. 1 tablespoon of baking powder. Mix. Heat pan on medium heat, tiny bit of vegetable oil. Spoon a bit of mix in the pan. When middle of pancake begins to bubble or edges seem to be firming up flip. Cut pancake into strips. Spread some dairy-free butter and give as finger food. 

• Porridge (6 months +)

I buy the "oat so simple" sachets of porridge where you can pour milk into the sachet to measure. Tear packet, pour porridge oats in bowl. Pour soy milk in the sachet up to the line. Pour in bowl. Microwave 2 mins. mix and let cool. Spoon feed to baby. 

Lunch: 

• Baked beans and Mushy Peas with Toast (6 months +) 

Easy and weird combo (Ella-Grace loves it though). Quarter tin of reduced sugar and salt beans into bowl and quarter tin of mushy peas in bowl. Mix and heat for 1- 2 minutes. Let cool and spoon feed. Add toast and dip in sauce, offer as finger food. 

(ELLA-GRACE FAVOURITE)

• Quorn "chicken" pieces, broccoli, sweetcorn and fussilli pasta (6/7 months +) 

Quorn chicken- Quarter tin of tomatoes in bowl add quorn chicken, microwave for 5 mins. 

Broccoli, sweetcorn and pasta- cook until very soft, drain

Let cool and serve as finger food. 

• Soup (Vegetable, tomato, potato, butternutsquash etc.) (4 months +) 

Link to my tomato soup recipe : Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup

More soup recipes coming soon 

• Butter beans, butternutsquash and carrots 

Boil in pan until soft. Offer as finger food. 

Supper: 

• Homemade Pizza (7 months +)

Base: Buy pre-made base (homemade pizza base recipe coming soon) 

Sauce: 1 tin of chopped tomatoes, 1tsp oregano, 1tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp basil, finely chopped onions. Fry onions until soft, add other ingredients bring to boil and simmer 

Toppings: For Ella-Grace I just top hers with some vegan cheese and put her veggies on the side as a finger food.

Cook pizza 10-15 mins, once cooked cut into small slices and give as finger food 

• Mild Quorn & Veggie Fajitas- torn up totrilla and fajita mix for them to pick up as finger food (7 months +) I also grate some vegan cheese on her tray for her to pick at if she wants.

Quorn pieces or Quorn steak strips, red onion, mushrooms, green pepper, cherry tomatoes (halved), sweetcorn. Fry in pan, add tinned tomatoes, basil, garlic powder, pepper. 

I don't give Ella-Grace mushrooms or onion as finger food out of the mix as I think it is a difficult taste/texture for her, they are in there for the adults. 

• Mild Quorn Chili and Rice with |Peas and Cabbage (6/7 months +) 

Boil peas and cabbage. 

Boil rice until soft, add knob of butter and mix. 

Heat oil in frying pan, fry onion and mushroom. add peppers, kidney beans, quorn mince, carrot shavings, basil, garlic powder, ginger and cumin. Mix, Add tinned tomatoes, bring to boil and simmer. 

Use food processor to cut chilli into smaller chunks so you are able to spoon feed with the soft rice. Give peas and cabbage as finger food. 

Chili can also be cooked in the slow cooker. 4 hours on high. 

(ELLA-GRACE FAVOURITE)

• Spaghetti and Meat-free "meatballs" with carrots (6/7months +) 

(Pic above is of spaghetti bolognase which I make and give to her in a similar way) 

Cook Spaghetti. 

Boil carrots. 

Quorn meatballs, mushrooms, onion, lightly fry. Add tinned tomatoes. Oregano, basil, garlic powder. Bring to boil and let simmer then add cooked carrots and mix. 

Cut Meat-free "meat balls" in half give as finger food along with spaghetti and sauce mix. I also grate vegan cheese on her tray for her to pick at if she wants. 

Ella-Grace can eat the meatballs and carrots no problem, needs some help with the spaghetti. You could also do this with fussilli pasta which is easier for a baby to hold and bite. 

Snacks/After meals:

(I use the brand Organix for all of her snack food that I do not make) https://www.organix.com/

• Organix fruit pots 
• Organix sweetcorn rings 
• Organix carrot puffs 
• Organix Rice Cakes
• Cut up cucumber 
• Toast 
• Pineapple pieces 

All the ages are a rough estimate and these meals Ella-Grace (7 months) eats as they but they can be pureed for those weaning their babies that way. All my meals are dairy and meat free but can be substituted if you want. I cook these meals based on what I was told by my health visitor Ella-Grace can eat, always ask a medical professional if unsure. 

Thanks for Reading...

I hope everyone enjoyed reading this and I hope it has helped you with your weaning problems. Comment below if you try any of my tips, have any other tips or have any feedback for the blog! Always appreciate hearing from readers! Don't forget to check out my latest articles on BabyGaGa.com (link below) and follow my social media accounts for cute baby pics and blog updates (links above blog post). Till next time. Hopefully won't be so long this time. 

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Stay Happy Everyone :)!