Weaning around the school run and a sleepy baby

[mumhum]

DS1 is 4 and has just started school which he loves. DS2 is 6 months next week and I would like to start weaning. DS1 had a mix of purees/finger foods and has always been a great eater, both variety and volume.

I am not sure how to fit in bottles and weaning around the school run. I feed DS2 his first 8oz bottle just before I have breakfast with DS1 at around 7:30am (DH already left for work). Then within the next 45mins we are out to walk the school run. I doubt DS2 would have an appetite for breakfast immediately after his morning milk. I do not want to split feed and give DS2 breakfast when we get back as he usually falls asleep on the way home and can be transferred to the cot to nap until 11am when he has a 2nd 8oz bottle (even then I often have to wake him so we get a decent second nap before the home school run). He is usually ready for another nap by 1pm latest. However, I have to wake him (again!) at 2:15pm to feed him his 3rd 8oz bottle and leave for the return school run. We are back about 3:30pm and DS1 usually wants his tea by 4:30pm, but DS2 is struggling by then (2hr wake time tops) and needs a power nap 4:30 to 5pm. DS2 has 4th 8oz bottle around 6:30pm and is asleep by 7pm.

I am really keen on eating as a family but find it difficult to see how we can fit in anything other than lunch with me during the week at the moment! Feeding DS2 solids around 1 hr after milk will not currently work in the morning. Should I reduce the amount of his bottles so he has appetite for solids? Any advice appreciated.

[CornishYarg]

I would just start with lunch initially as that sounds like the easiest meal. If all goes well, could you try teatime at 5pm ish for both DSs? You could give DS1 a snack after school to tide him over for the extra half hour. 4.30 is a really early tea and hopefully DS1 will be able to adapt to a slightly later one fairly quickly.

I would leave breakfast for now as that sounds like the toughest one to fit in. Babies' routines change all the time so by the time you need to add it, things may well have changed eg DS2 may have stopped falling asleep on the school run.

[mumhum]

Thanks Cornish, you're right things may change and there's no rush. It's just DS2 needs a nap every 2 to 2.5 hours at the moment so difficult to see it all fitting in.

Does anyone have experience of BLW with DC2? I thought this might fit in with DS1.

[nephrofox]

As he's so settled with his routine of bottles, I would leave them as they are and just offer finger food when you're feeding DS1. So give him his 7.30am milk then pop him in high chair with some toast fingers or whatever. He probably won't eat much, but it's all for fun and learning about textures at this age.

[Artandco]

Just give him odd bits to help himself to. Or feed breakfast bottle, then pop into highchair whilst you all eat breakfast and give him a few pieces of banana to play or eat.

You can also look at reducing the bottle sizes once offering food. So at breakfast give just 7oz and then a offer a bit of food. Once he starts eating a little bit Reduce milk down to 6oz so he has space for actual food as time goes on. Same with other bottles near mealtimes

[Artandco]

Also he will begin to stay awake longer between naps. So you could give lunch, then he can nap 1-2.30pm, and give bottle of milk in return at 3.30pm instead