Weaning a second child

[Monstermoomin]

So, with my first we just rolled with meals around naps as we didn't really need a proper structure and as she got older and into more of a routine then we did more normal meal times.

With my second, I've just started to wean her and it seems to always clash with her naps or other things.

Breakfast during the week I struggle to get her as she's a bit cranky and we're rushing with nursery. If I wait till we get back she's napping in the sling and can wake anytime between 9.30-10.30 which seems too late for breakfast.

Lunch we have the issue of being tired and wanting to nap again around that time.

Tea can be the same as she may have just woken from a nap and is a bit cranky or is still napping as we have tea around 5/5.15.

Anyone with more than one child have any suggestions as it's fitting into that routine too.

I know foods more fun until one, but I'm back at work when she's around 10.5 months so she kind of needs to not just be relying on breastfeeding (currently won't use a bottle and I'm introducing a sippy cup which is fun to throw)

Make meals when you make them for your eldest. It can wait on the table and she just eats when she wakes. When she’s a bit older you can do breakfast in the buggy on the nursery run. If she really wants milk after naps feed her at the table for now and let her be distracted by the food.

And don’t stress about going back to work. They can sleep at night for 12 hours (not saying many do) so if she barely eats at nursery she’ll be fine just expect a lot more night waking s to make up for it.

I'd just portion her something up and feed it at a time that suits her for now. So if she has milk and a few fingers of toast first thing, then do a larger meal at about 11/11.30. Then it doesn't interfere with a nap.

What time is her afternoon nap? Is her sleeping at 5pm still her afternoon nap?

I had twins when my eldest was 3. My advice is don’t stress about timings. Just feed as and when.

’lunch’ is about 10am for us right now, they will have a snack in the afternoon. I like them to nap at the same time 11-1 now they are 20 months old so I need full tummies for this.

when they were younger I just fed them whenever. They had lots of pouches and those kind of meals for a while then things got easier when they could confidently eat sandwiches etc.

I’ve always done dinner around 4pm/ 4.30 before they get overtired and hangry. Maybe a little porridge before bed if needed.

Our nursery this time has excellent food provision, and they do an ‘afternoon tea’ at 4.30 which basically means they need no food when they get home. I regret choosing a nursery that didn’t do this the first time!

With both of mine I got them into the routine they'd have at nursery, which meant breakfast at 8:30, nap 9:30, lunch 12:00, nap 14:00 and tea 15:30, then snack 18:00, bed 19:00.

Obviously +/- 15 mins here and there but that's the gist. I find it really useful to have this routine as I can plan other things around it, and it means both kids (7 months and 27 months) are doing roughly the same things at the same time (though toddler doesn't nap anymore). Baby doesn't go to nursery yet but when she does she'll already be on their schedule. One less thing to adjust to.

@BouncingWorms we do all eat together (hence the early tea) and I do try to plate something up, just with her sleeping it's a bit gross when she eventually wakes. She won't be at nursery when I go back to work, childcare will be between me and her dad so he'll be managing that one! She certainly isn't a sleeper at night ha, she currently sleeps basically lying on me because I'm failing to get her into any type of cot.

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz yes I could try the lunch type meal before her lunch nap and then I can just eat around her. Her afternoon nap will depend on how tired/well she is, but her last nap is usually when I'm making tea but can vary from starting at 3-4.30.so essentially when she's asleep at 5 that's her last nap of the day (in theory)

@Twinmumandone18 thanks for the suggestion, I'll look at trying some different meal times, just she's still sling napping so it can be a bit difficult to sort stuff out for me with lots of cooking.

@CoalCraft sounds well planned out there! I think I'm just finding it hard to fit around my eldest as we leave at 8.30 and because I've got up with my youngest to get her up (due to sleep issues) she's ready to nap for the nursery run am and then picking up sorting eldest and then getting tea ready for us to all eat at 5ish (in between feeds, naps and changes etc) leaves little time for sitting to try to get her to eat. I'm sure it'll come eventually just seems bloody harder than with the first ha.

She will drop that teatime nap very soon so that's one less thing to worry about.

Might it just be worth having the kids eat separately during the week? We do this with ours (eat all meals together during school hols and weekends)

So get a dinner ready for both kids for as soon as your eldest gets in from school/4pm ish. Then the baby can nap after that. Even if it's just leftovers from yours and dh dinner the previous night or simple thinks like omelette and crudités.

Then you and dh can take turns doing bedtime while the other cooks yours and his meal (with enough leftover to reheat at 4pm). The baby will then have milk before bed and the eldest dc could have a bowl of porridge before bed.

I should add, I always sit with the kids, with a cuppa or we play 20 questions or whatever.