Weaning in the UK: tips from an Italian mama

You are planning to deal with Italian classic weaning baby food but you are in England and do not know how and where to find the products you need? This post will give you lots of useful information, based on my personal experience of expat mom.

WEANING: A ROCK FACE WITH SERENITY

I should start telling my experience with my first son. As I mentioned in this post, weaning was a difficult step for both of us: two months’ anxiety and lots of food thrown away. I was concerned and didn’t know how to deal with my insecurities.

With my second son I adopted a completely different approach: I tried to listen to him and to understand his needs and wait when he would be ready for that.

So my first suggestion is to follow your instinct understanding when the rights moment has arrived.

COURSES FOR FIRST TIME MOMS

Here in London and across the United Kingdom, as I imagine you know already, there aren’t pediatricians as a unique connection involved in a child’s growth, as we are used to have in Italy. Midwives are an important help, not only during pregnancy. They also organize free meetings about different topics, including breast feeding and weaning of course.

There are also some charities, for exampe the NCT, which makes up lots of informative meetings and courses too.

If you are new mothers or are about to become one and you’re here in England, I recommend you watch the NCT website and you can get lots of useful information.

WEANING OR BABY-LED WEANING?

I personally didn’t follow any course on weaning, I tried to put into practice what we are used to do in Italy, so it means preparing puree (made by borth, vegetables, meat/proteins and some different flours).

The baby led weaning is definitely not for me, I find it more convenient and faster and more complete a meal that contains all elements together. And also I have found more difficult to think to a unique meal for all the family, without salts and fats than prepare a different meal suited to my baby.

As regards the varieties of flour you can find here in the UK, there are only Multigrain and mini rice flour.

Here follows a list with links of shops and online shops where to buy all you need if you are interested to follow how we do in Italy:

ONLINE STORES

1. Mydelibox: online store where you can find a lot of Italian products, from Plasmon to Mutti passata. There are many products, baby foods, flours and little pasta. If you spend more than 50 £,  shipping is free.
2. Neifislife: other online shop where you can find also organic baby food. They also make many offers so I recommend stop by every now and then.
3. Bellavitashop: very nice selection, offers many niche brands andgoodies. I report not so much for baby food, but for wines:-)
4. Amazon: you can find everything but it’s less convenient than Mydelibox (for example £6 for a 500 g pack cost Gocciole instead of  £2 of Mydelibox)
5. Mammapack offering the service for Spesasicura: here you will find Plasmon even Mellin, plus a selection of even brands people care products.

SHOPPING IN LONDON:

1.  Linastores: open 7 days out of 7, located in Soho, 18 Brewer Street. They also have an online store.
2. Victor’s Deli in Finnsbury Park
3. Gazzanos in Farringdon
4. The small Deli: three shops in Holland Park, Kensington and Maida Vale
5. Valentina Fine Food: various shops around London and a reasonable selection of Plasmon products in the online shop

OTHER STORES OUTSIDE LONDON:

1. Price check in Bedford
2. ASDA: you can find the homogenized of Heinz

WHERE TO FIND WHAT:

1. Pasta: you can find the little stars by De Cecco from Waitrose or online from Ocado
2. Heinz baby food: part of Plasmon Group, I don’t use because I try to make everything fresh,and I would say they are typically very spicy
3. HIPP baby food:  can’t find vegetables or meat only baby food, usually have complete meal like past with chicken and peppers (spicy)
4. Ella’s Kitchen: English brand of organic products. I find them almost everywhere (Tesco, Morrison, Waitrose). They also have an useful app for  IOS and Android, with recipes and information about how to entertain children during meals.

SOME OF MY FAVORITES:

you can find it at Whole Foods

Perfect mix to add to vegetables purea (quinoa has lots of protein)

Pasta animals

I hope this post will be useful, if you want to ask me some questions or would like to suggest other refueling points, please email me at mumwhatelse@gmail.com

See you later!

Francesca

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