Wedding is going to mess up dd's food routine, what to do??

[lauraloola]

Dd is being bridesmaid with me for my sisters wedding. Dd will be 10mo then.

The wedding is at 12pm and we will not be eating until 2pm. We will need to be leaving to get to the wedding at 11.30am.

I am thinking ahead as I really dont know what to do about meals etc. She currently has - Milk at 8am, lunch at 12pm, milk at 2pm, tea at 5pm, milk at 7pm with water in between.

With it being a few months away do you think I should adjust her routine now so that she eats lunch at 1pm that way we could probably fit it in between the wedding and moving to the reception.

Or, do you think its better to change her routine completly for one day? I dont want her going hungry though.

Any ideas??

I think I will have dp in the row behind us with toys with no sound, snacks and a bottle. The wedding is in a National Trust house in a big room so if needs be he can escape easily with dd!!

I am hoping she will be good

Dd is ff so bottles will be easily done. I think I will buy her some new toys to take so that she can sit and play with those rather then getting bored with her usual toys!

Laura - by being there, she will be good!

DD was at my wedding. she was 14 months, and was a wriggler as she wanted to be up with me and DH! And there were others with babies. They might have cried. I was too busy getting married to notice!

pavlov, no-one has tried to make laura feel bad

good advice was given by posters other than yourself actually

a little gentle teasing and practical ideas were offered, lighten up, it seems laura didn't take offence so neither should you on her behalf

Actually, lauraloola, my 3.5yo niece (who was one of my bridesmaids) provided us with a great laugh at my wedding by screaming the place down at the point in the service where the minister said 'may this marriage be blessed with children' . I didn't mind, it happens, and my dad scooped her up and calmed her down very quickly (she had fallen off her seat).

how can a 10 month old be a bridesmaid?

LOL poledra! I can see dd shouting when they ask if anyone disapproves of the marriage!!

I know I know. My sister got engaged just before dd was born and when she knew it was a girl she bought the dress!!!

Everyone is hoping dd will be walking then. I dont think its too mad an idea but I will carry her into the room - Great!!

Give her chese on toast or a substantial snack at 11 plus snack box as per the Prof!

Also emergency chocolate buttons.

Highly unlikely she'll be walking, but she may be able to be "walked" iyswim. My DD was a flower girl for my DS when she was 11 months - so cute.

Raisins or any little "postable" snack is good for while you're sitting through the ceremony. I've done this at three weddings with DD. As soon as she starting making noise, I shoved a raisin or whatever in her mouth! Worked a treat.

...word of advice do not take rice cakes in a packet that rustle (I didnt realise how noisy they were!) or allow them to see any treats you have hidden.....DS 15mths was pageboy at Christmas and rice cakes were keeping him quiet, he was offering them to everyone in the pew behind....until he saw the choc buttons....I just knew I HAD to give in!!!!

enjoy the wedding!

Thanks! I think I will have a variety in a box that she cant see.

I think I will walk her in IYSWIM. She is going to look so cute!

My sister has gone a bit mad and I think dd has 2 dresses and about 5 different cardis/jackets! At least if her snacking makes a mess we have it covered.

aww bless you laura you took all the pfb comments so well! . as everyone else has said don't worry too much, am still like this with ds though, always worry how he'll cope out of his (and my!) comfort zone and how he'll nap etc etc, think it's cos he's unbearable if he is in the slightest bit over stimulated/ tired/ hugry etc.

agree with what everyone else has said about snacks and someone to quickly take her off if she gets bored or distressed. she'll be fine though. hope it goes well for your sis and dd enjoys herself!

Actually I was about to post how nice this thread was considering lauraloola is going to be reminded of this every time a PFB thread comes up from now on! There was a time when the comments would have been less understanding and more sneering, perhaps from those mothers of children much older who no longer get what they want from MN because they feel it is more geered towards young children...

Anyway, don't worry laura we have all stressed at some point or another about something completely unnecessary! But this is true PFBness worthy of mumsnet legend!

Thanks!

At least I can laugh at myself!! Poor dd, god knows what other PFB things I will do in the future.

I was actually really worrying about the wedding and feeds etc. I have been thinking about it for a few months

See the PFB thread in chat for todays near PFB miss

Laura, don't worry, it's hard to see now but there will come a time when your life doesn't revolve around feeds and naps

By that time I will probably have dc2

My sister has 2 dresses and 3 cardis/jackets for dd!!! She is a worrier too!!

I would suggest carrying bits and bobs with you that you know she will eat and adlib for the day, wont spoil the routine. One of the things you find is that routines are usually broken when you are somewhere else and even if you dont break the routine the child will because they are somewhere different.

Even if you are away on holiday for two weeks and find routine goes to pot, when you return home it will take a few days but they often return to the routine because of the familiar surroundings.

Quess the question I am wanting to ask is "Why get so anxious about the routine for just one day anyway?" I have 11 year old son and twins of 5, I work full time and have horses and also have a good social life with friends and family......I found that the kids fit in really well but you need to be relaxed about it as they will pick up on your anxiety and start using food times as a form of control.

I think I am worried because she will be staying away from us that night with her grandparents that we dont see that often. I was hoping to keep the same routine so that they know what to do IYSWIM.

Other then that I was just in PFB mode when I wrote this

I don't think it's PFB to want to stick to a routine! A child in a routine is a far easier thing than a child who is tired/ hungry/whatever. Also it's easier for the parents to know what's happening when, rather than to think "right, if we feed her now, she'll sleep then, so she can next eat at..." etc. So I think wanting to stick to a routine is a perfectly reasonable thing. However, I totally agree with everyone else who has said that for one day it will be fine and that snacks are your friend! There is no difference between small snacks throughout the day and 3 larger meals. Personally, eggy bread (French Toast if you're posh ) is what I use in such a situ. It's a complete meal and is perfectly portable (tastes fine cold) and relatively mess-free.

When ds1 was 23 months old and ds2 was 5 weeks old, we went to my best friend's wedding, and both were fine, even though any routine we might have had (not a lot, I confess) was totally thrown by the long train journey up to Aberdeen, the hen night the night before, which ds2 attended as he was fully bf then, and then the festivities of the day.

About 8 weeks previously, whilst ds2 was still unhatched, we went to another wedding, where ds1 was commended for his good behaviour during the service - good behaviour which was entirely due to the fact that he and dh spent most of the service in the car, in sainsburys carpark, dh having whipped him out pronto when he started to make a noise and wouldn't be hushed.

I'm sure you'll have a lovely day, and your dd will look gorgeous. If your mum is going to be there, may I suggest a photo of you, your sister and your mum - three generations, together.