Alternative to snacks at nursery

[Fluffy24]

DS is 6 months old, and just started nursery in mornings 8.30 - 12.45 where he seems to have settled quite happily.

He is well underway with weaning (very enthusiastic about his grub!) and before starting nursery his routine had naturally settled on 6/7am BF, 8 am big solid feed, 12.15 big solid lunch, 3pm BF, 5pm big solid dinner, 6pm BF, 10pm BF.

However we've found that nursery routine isn't great for us as it's (quite reasonably) geared around children who arrive earlier, leave later etc. To cut a long story short, it means that in practice he has 4 feeds between 8 and 1. I initially thought he could just skip a snack but this has meant that he's left playing by himself whilst the others gather for their snack and he misses out on the opportunity for interaction.

I don't want to be a pest at the nursery so I'm looking for suggestions as to how to modify the nursery feeding routine (as it relates to DS) so that he still participates in the activity of the snacks etc , I.e something that he can do in a high chair that's not a problem for the nursery nurses who are feeding the other children at the same time.

The obvious solution seemed to be to send him with very small snacks but I have (irrationally?) a fear of producing a toddler who is constantly looking for the next snack or - maybe worse - a picky child who is never really hungry enough to tuck into a meal. Had this happened to anyone? Have I gone mad?!









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[Scootergrrrl]

What about something very small that helps with his fine motor skills? Individual Cheerios or whatever spread out on a high chair tray? Or a whole peeled apple to suck on if he's up to it?

[Littlef00t]

I don't see why they can't put him in the high chair with a cup of water and a board book or something.

Perhaps some blueberries, more like a food related activity at that age!

[KatyN]

I think very soon he'll want those nursery snacks. Nirsery is exhausting!
I also think eating is a really important thing to learn at nursery. They won't force him to eat if he's not hungry.

Also (bit cheeky here), these people are professionals. They do this every day. They know how to feed a 6 month old.

[Wisteria1979]

At that age most things end up on the floor anyway and it's important for him to take part in the social activity. I wouldn't worry too much as long as the snacks are healthy. Initially he is also less likely to eat loads there as he will be a bit distracted by the others.

[Gobbolinothewitchscat]

I have a 2 year old who goes to nursery 3 afternoons a week from 16 months. The rest of the time he is with me as I'm a SAHM.

I don't offer snacks at all. When he was smaller, he would have a drink of cows milk in the afternoon. He'll occasionally ask for a snack if he's hungry but I never offer and he doesn't expect one. I don't think it will be an issue.

[Gobbolinothewitchscat]

Ps - DS is off the centiles for height so no snacking hasn't affected his development!

[Roseybee10]

It does sound like an excessive amount of feeds for that time frame. I found my dd was eating constantly at nursery - tbh I think sometimes it's just another filler activity for them!
While I get what Katy is saying, all babies are different and there is no 'right way' to feed a 6 month old as they all have different needs.