How to wean your baby on to solids

I had my son 16 months ago. He was 6 pounds 12 oz when he was born, quite small you may say but then again I am not a big girl myself. When Rhys got home he was feeding every 3 hours, that wasn't the worst thing about it, he was colic baby so it took for ever to burp him that meant that one feed was over when an other was around the corner. It was tough going  for a little while. As he was such a hungry baby I started weaning him on solids since he was 10 weeks old. The nurse at my clinic told me that I should start at 17 weeks but I didn't tell her that he was already getting a few spoons. Those extra few spoons of baby rice kept him going for a extra hour. I am just going to give you some guidelines on how to start and what to start with.

I started off with a baby rice specially for weaning, you can buy this at most shops that sell food stores.

STAGE ONE

Introducing complementary foods

Start with one spoon of rice to two spoons of cooled boiled water. If you think that its too tick just add a little bit more water. Never give your baby thick rice as they won't be able to swallow it, always make sure that its watery. Then every week increase a small bit of rice so that it fills your baby as they grow.

STAGE TWO

Over 6 months

For breakfast give you baby mixed cereals based on wheat, oats, ray and barley.

 I personally gave my son  Ready Break its porridge for kids, its smooth and has all the vitamins and minerals that kids need. Then I would change it to Weetabix so that he wouldn't be bored eating the same thing all the time. For this dinner I would make homemade vegetable soup and mash (or sweet potatoes) and some kind of meat ( chicken, beef, lamb, pork, bacon). During the day I tried to give him some Rusks but he wasn't too pushed about them at the time. For this tea I tried some hard boiled egg but he didn't like it and still don't. 

STAGE THREE

9 to 12 months

Breakfast: Porridge

Dinner: Chicken stew blended up or mashed up(dinner that you made for the family mashed up)

Snack: Rusk or plain biscuit

Tea: Sausages/ fish fingers

HINTS AND TIPS

1. If your a busy working mum make enough dinner so that you can divide in to containers and freeze for a day that you might not be able to cook, or it would be a family take away night.
2. DON'T add salt to your baby's food
3. DON'T put a large amount of butter to your baby's food
4. DON'T GIVE YOUR BABY JARS OF FOOD they are full of preservatives and coloring. If you look at the expire date on the top and the jar don't go off until next year that should tell you that its not good for your baby. It might be a little more work to cook yourself but its so much better and you know whats going in to your baby's belly
5. To moisten baby's food use breast milk, formula milk, water home made soup if under 6 months
6. To moisten baby's food use milk breast milk thin white sauce, home made soup if 7 months and over.

I hope that this was helpful to anyone. Enjoy parenthood