breast feeding on demand and weaning

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I have been breast feeding my DD (who is now 6mths) on demand, I don't really have a routine and probably feed her approximately 8/10 times a day depending on where we are and whats going on. I begun the weaning process at 5ths although it is only now that she is really taking more of an interest and digesting some food. My timings are all over the place between 12 and 5pm so far no routine although she is getting accustomed to spoons and flavours.I am not doing baby lead weaning but finding it hard to establish a routine I am uncertain when my DD is hungry. I am also wanting to introduce a bottle soon but feel that when more substantial meals are being had this will be easier.

Does anyone have any tips for creating a routine or should I just stick to breakfast 9:30am, lunch 1:30pm and dinner 5pm and hope that this is okay???

I realise I probably sound a bit backwards not knowing when my baby is hungry but milk is easy food is harder at the moment as she hasn't realised it will fill her up yet. I hope this makes some sense to soemone, any advise most grateful

I would just feed her when you eat, and a routine will fall in around it. I tended to do breakfast around 8am and lunch 12-1pm, and then gave ds an early tea around 5pm - then milk was before and after naps really inbetween. Now at 8 months ds is more vocal about when he is hungry, so he has lunch earlier than me (more like 11.30-12pm) and a mid-afternoon tea/snack before having dinner with me and DP at 6.30pm.

I agree with Rita. I offered DS food when I ate, adjusting the times of my meals as necessary to fit around naps.

It was only from about 11 months that he started always needing solid food at mealtimes instead of being able to manage with just a bf instead, and from about 13 months that he needed snack(s) between meals.

I think it's often 9 or 10 months before they realise that food fills them up.

That sounds much like how I started introducing solids with DD (now 11mo). BF is still easier than food, even now! I used to let her feed whenever she liked, then play with chew on a crust/rice cake/piece of banana while I was eating.

Now she has breakfast with me (we have weetabix out of the same bowl), some sort of fruit/vegetable picnic at lunchtime (anwhere between 11.30 and 1.30), something mid-late afternoon depending on lunch, then sandwiches while me and DH have our tea, and then rice pudding for supper just before pjs etc.

I'm still not convinced she realises that food fills her up, but she is definitely more interested in it now.

Wow, I was expecting DD to take to food much faster than 11months. The menu planners in Annabel Karmel books (I know are just a guide) suggest that within 4 weeks babies will be on regular meals, so I was expecting the uptake to be quite soon. Good to know that I shouldn't be expecting too much then. I think I may have to transfere the majority of milk feeds to a bottle soon as I will be back at work in 3 months and I think this will be easier.

Mnay thanks for you thoughts.

It really depends on the baby - mine is definitely more interested in food than milk now, but others are the opposite.

I agree it depends - my DS was eating huge meals by day 2 (we started BLW at 6 months) but a significant minority of babies refuse all solids until 12 months or more, and are still completely healthy.