We have officially started the weaning process with Hamish.  He isn’t quite the recommended six months old yet but he’s showing all the signs!  For his main Christmas present we invested in a top quality high chair and most of his presents consist of weaning products. 

I’ve planned out the process of first foods and how to introduce meal times.  I’m slowly increasing from one meal, to two and then three over a two week process.  Giving him baby porridge in a morning and then at lunch and tea giving him baby rice.  I will then introduce purées at lunch time instead of offering baby rice so he can try his first tastes of fruit and vegetables.  Again, I’ve made a big batch of all the different foods I will be offering and frozen lots of little portions.  It’s proven to be worth it as I find it so easy in a morning to get out each of the ice cubes I want to use for that day.

Just like with my frat, I’m going to loosely follow the cow and gate five step program together with other recipes from the Ella’s kitchen book that you can get free at Boots with a voucher.  Overall this time around I’m really looking forward to weaning, u like last time where I was petrified.  It’s a new exciting chapter in Hamish’s little world and I can’t wait to share it with him.  

Step 1 – First spoonfuls
This consists of giving your baby different tastes such as baby rice, fruits and vegetables. The list includes apple, banana, broccoli, carrot, pear, cauliflower, parsnip, pea and sweet potato.  So here’s the plan of first foods for Hamish:

Step 2 – Introducing breakfast
Which we did from the beginning and incorporating this into daily routine, helps Hamish know what’s coming. 

Step 3 – Introducing variety
I’m trying to give Hamish plenty of different flavours that are suitable for his growing tummy.  Trying lot’s of different colours and flavours which are proving to be exciting! The plan recommends trying peach, spinach and tomato, which are strong flavours, so we’ll be buying those soon.

Step 4 – Introducing protein
I am going to wait until Hamish is over the six month mark before trying to introduce these. There are some fab recipes such as beef with tomato or fish with pea, so I can’t wait to get creative!

Finally, step 5 – Establishing 3 meals a day
I already give three meals a day, however it’s not religious and sometimes he ends up with hand held snacks as one of the courses so I need to work on this.

I’ll continue to record our progress and may give updates in the future. Just for my records I wanted to log our current routine:

6.30am – wake up and breast feed
7.30am – get up and get dressed for the day
8.30am – nap time
9.15am – baby porridge followed by breast feed
11am – nap time
12 noon – lunchtime followed by breast feed
2pm – nap time
3pm – wake up and breast feed
4.45pm – nap time
5.30pm – tea time followed by breast feed
6.30pm – bedtime routine
7pm – bed 

Currently, Hamish wakes around midnight for a feed and again at 3am. I can’t wait for him to start dropping these wake up calls!

Much love
Rebecca