How many times and at what time of day should a 5-6 mo eat solids?

[almost40]

DD2 is 5 1/2 mo. I have been solely breastfeeding her except for the small amount of formula that her nanny mixes with cereal since she started solids at 5 mos. I'm back at work now, so I express during the day. When DD1 was the same age, DD1 was getting 3 meals a day (cereal/fruit in the morning, veggie at lunch, and cereal/veggie in the evening) - in addition to being breastfed every 4 hours or so. DD2 is so different from DD1, she still thrusts her tongue out and does not seem to understand how to eat solids. It takes ages just to get her to swallow a few spoonfuls of rice cereal. I looked for a good program for 6 month old babies of when and what to eat, but have been finding widely varying advice. Can someone tell me what is the best time of day to be feeding solids and how often should a breastfed 5-6 month old be eating solids? By the way, DD2 is a good size - 90 centile.
TIA

she sounds like she might not be ready for solids. my dd2 started solids at 6 months and was mad for it. they all do it at different paces, don't they?

Thanks, Bundle. I guess that explains the varying advice. Makes me feel guilty though that I was fixing little meals 3 times a day for DD1, and DD2 gets barely 1 meal a day at the same age. When should I start worrying that she's not getting enough solids?

dd2 never had anything but breastmilk till 6 months and thrived. dd1 was about 5.5mths and happy too. hv's will probably push for starting before this because some of them believe there's a window during which they have to learn the swallowing reflex, but I'm not sure where this idea comes from. anyone?

When should she start getting 3 meals of solids per day then? She doesn't really seem ready, as you suggested, for any solid meals right now.

if she's really not interested I'd go back to giving her just a tiny amount for breakfast - or none - and try again in a few weeks time.

I was hoping you'd say that Why breafast though? Some people advise to feed the one solid meal when breastmilk production is at the lowest, so in the late afternoon or evening. I prefer to give DD2 her one meal at breakfast.

I dunno really. I suppose they're hungriest then if they've slept well. you could try her with a bit of breastmilk & then try solids (when you're both ready ), then back for top up of milk.

Thanks, Bundle. We seem to be the few MNers on right now.

Snap, almost40! My dd2 is just over 6 months, and have just started trying to feed her solids. Unlike her younger brother who took to it like a starving crocodile from the first spoonful, dd2 doesn't seem to 'get' solids. She'll go along with it for a spoonful or two, just licking at it, and then push it all out with her tongue and get bored/cross if we persevere.

She's not 90th centile (truth be told I have no idea what she weighs 3rd baby syndrome!) but isn't wasting away. Clearly she's not ready to give up on her first real love booby.