Tea after nursery for a BF 1yo?

[OneLittleBabyGirl]

DD is nearly 11mo, and she's in nursery FT 5 days a week. Currently she has no milk at nursery, and really looks forward to her bf when we get home at around 5:30. She has a tea at around 3:45 at nursery, usually something light like sandwiches or soups. People keep telling me I should look at introducing a second tea when she's one. This is because it's a long time for a 1yo to get from 4pm to the next day without solids (and only a milk feed).

But I just can't seem to see how I can get her to eat when we get home! Most of the time she's so tired after a long day. A cuddle with a bf is very different from sitting up in her highchair having solids, isn't it? Also, she's already drop her bf before bed in the last month. We bath her at 6, and then she's asleep by 6:30.

What do other bf working mums do? When you do start giving solids when you get home? Does it replace the bf or do you do solids then bf?

I should add she wakes once or twice for feeds between 6 to 6. But I assume this is normal.

My twins are 16 months and go to nursery two days a week. The evenings on those days are hard because they're tired and there's not enough time.

I try to give them a light tea when we get home. Something like scrambled eggs and toast. Sometimes they're too tired and don't eat much, sometimes they're so tired I don't even try and go straight into bedtime routine. Either way, they both still have their bedtime bf last thing before sleep.

I figure they're getting lots of calories from breastmilk in the night (they feed more often overnight if we've skipped tea), so I don't worry about them 'missing' a meal.

I've no idea whether this is the bed approach, but it's what we do!

Although mine haven't been in nursay this early we have always done tea late in this house as it fits in with our family life.

I've found with both of mine that a milk feed at around 5-5.30 and then tea at 6pm and they would eat more as the milk feed give's them a bit of energy to keep going.

Does she need to be up at 6am could you shift it to 6.30 or 7pm at all and give yourself a bit more time when you get in?

I'd love to not be woken up at 6am! We have tried putting her to bed later but she's so tired already have 6pm. And she's a very early riser with wake up times of 5.30 to 6.

A friend suggested shifting it when we change to summer time. I think I will try it.

"I should add she wakes once or twice for feeds between 6 to 6. But I assume this is normal."

Yes it is, and if its not a problem for you then don't change it.

Everything you've explained seems fine to me. I can't possibly see from how you've described your time with DD in the evening I just can't see how another meal would work or benefit her. I should assume the stress of getting her to eat would migate the benefit of having some solids in her tummy.

When my dcs were this age and in nursery, I used to give them tea, but something light that i knew was a favourite ( cheese on toast, pasta) sometimes they ate it and others they were almost asleep in the highchair. I never made a fuss about eating tea after nursery, but always offered it, and soon they were eating it most of the time. I wouldnt worry too muc though, as your dd seems happy enough

Oh, and i then gave normal bf at bed time, ( for cuddles if nothing else!!)

My 18 month old has been going to nursery 3 days a week from 12 months. I picked her up at 4.30pm and BF upon pick up at nursery. COuld you do that? So that she might be ready for a light meal by the time she gets home? That's what we do. My DD is also quite tired by the time she gets home, and sometimes she will hardly eat anything and won't even go in the highchair, but sometimes will happily sit and eat her dinner. As she has been getting older she has had more patience and energy to have her dinner...so maybe your DD will be ready for a meal at dinner not so long in the future.