Anyone doing GF routine. Q about milk/lunch

[messylittlemonkey]

Hi

DD2 is nearly 27 weeks and we've been puree weaning using GF's routine for about 5 weeks now.

Her routine at present is:

7am: 8oz formula and few spoons cereal/fruit
10.45: 5oz formula followed by solids
2pm: 7oz formula
5pm: veg puree/yoghurt
6.15pm 8oz milk

My quetion relates to the fact that now she is 6mo, she can of course have protein at lunchtime, but I know that protein shouldn't be given at same time as milk. In GF's book, she is very sketchy about how to drop the lunchtime milk feed.

I was wondering if I could get away with giving DD the milk as a 'snack' then giving her solids an hour later as lunch.

Mu concern is that she might not want solids an hour after having milk and/or that she won't be satisfied by only having a small milk feed mid morning!

We did this routine with DD1 but have no memory of making the transition at lunchtime!

If you are doing GF you will understand my concern. if not, then you're probably woindering what I'm going on about :o

Thanks for the views about protein / iron absorption.

I had a look too and found this which suggests that the protein in cow's milk can inhibit iron absorption, which is one reason why it shouldn't be given before 12 months and babies shouldn't have too much of it between 12 and 24 months. This doesn't apply to breast milk, of course.

According to this site the only protein which inhibits the absorption of iron is egg.

Lordy, how did babies survive at all at all at all before GF and all that science.....

:) mathanxiety

It's the parents who need/want the support from GF and the likes - not the babies!

Just to clarify a bit as there seems to be some confusion about iron in milk.

The whole point of my original question was just that.

There IS of course iron in formula and breast milk. The reason GF says you shouldn't give protein at the same time is that the protein prevents the iron in the milk from being absorbed so.

Anyway, an update from me. I gave DD2 chicken today. She had formula at 10.30 and my plan was to then wait til at least 11am before giving her solids, but she was desperate for more after her milk, so she ended up having her chicken/veg at about 10.45! Still, it's a slight improvement on before and I'll keep pushing it later. She loved the chicken btw.

Are you following the weaning book ? As she does give very detailed advice in that book on how to gradually reduce the milk feed at lunch.

I'm using the basic Contented Little Baby book which has some info on weaning, but obviously not as much as the weaning book. She does say to gradually reduce the amount of milk which is what I'm doing now :)