Nearly 11 month old - no time for weaning

[lumpydaisy]

[Writing this when all I've eaten today is a couple of biscuits, so low blood sugar might be making me feel worse about this, but this is still something I feel most days...]

Obviously this makes me feel like a total failure, but either
a) I genuinely am just rubbish
b) my baby/life is unique and we're screwed
c) there's some trick I've missed

When do you prepare food for baby??!

She hardly naps and seems to be going to bed at 9pm at the moment. So when she's asleep isn't an option.
I don't have time to feed myself, so "just do it when you make your own food" isn't much of an option. At the moment I can't cook dinner until she's gone to bed, and by that point it's pretty much cook, eat, wash her bottles, go to bed.
She gets furious in highchair after literally a few minutes. Not long enough to do anything. And if she's already furious then she won't eat, so it's a total waste of time.
If I save her leftovers, or make anything in advance, I still need long enough to go into kitchen and reheat it. I have to abandon her in the living room to do this, which she often protests about, and I don't feel I can leave her for long.
I can't put her on the floor in the kitchen, I don't think that would be safe. There isn't enough room without risking dropping something on her, tripping over her etc., the floor is slate and she's starting to crawl so I'd be freaking out about her banging her head (she headbutts the floor regularly).
She's almost 11 months, I can't hold her and prepare anything at the same time. I have never been able to wear her and do anything (I couldn't reach past her even when she was tiny, I'm short with even shorter arms!).

I genuinely don't know what I'm meant to do. Am I meant to leave her alone for half an hour multiple times a day, to prepare anything for her? She's dairy free too so I find that a huge mental block.

Mine were very distracted practicing pincer grip at that age. A variety of small things on a tray would distract them while I got a quick meal ready. Sweetcorn, peas, cheerios type cereal etc would have them practicing picking up one at a time. If your kitchen isn't big enough for a high chair then you can get booster seats that can be attached to a chair, or just put on the floor in the doorway. Then they can see you and be close, but you can get on.

I genuinely don't know what I'm meant to do. Am I meant to leave her alone for half an hour multiple times a day, to prepare anything for her? She's dairy free too so I find that a huge mental block.

How are you feeling now that you've had time to read the posts and have a think?

I'm DF too. It can be very daunting at first but if you some suggestions of easy DF food, just ask

I had an extremely high needs infant so I understand what you are going through. I could not put her down. I could not leave her in the next room. She just screamed and screamed. She is now an extremely intelligent, well-behaved teenager so don’t worry about the future.

You need to focus on quick things for both of you. I would even buy pre-cut up fruit and vegetables. Make very simple things. You don’t need 30 minutes to prep food. The fanciest thing I would cook for her at that age was a minute steak. Eat avocado. Bake some chicken breast. Things that can literally take 60 seconds of work at a time.

As soon as she is old enough, invest in one of those kitchen stands that lets kids safely stand at the kitchen counter. It’s better than a chair because there are rails around the sides. They generally say 3 and up, but we were desperate so started around 18 months and it was a lifesaver. Takes up half the kitchen, but so worth it.

It does get easier honest, bottles will be out the window post 12 months and they do get more independent I promise. Get some peanut butter, get some cerlary and just dive into the jar, you can both do that. I used a lot of frozen veg when mine were smaller, or just hacked at things with scissors and made a stew. Frozen pizza a few times a month won't harm either of you.

Will she sit in a jumperoo?

Will she watch ceebeebies In a high chair?
Will she play with toys in a play pen on sight on you?
I know you saId you can't use a carrier... I'm short and have the same issues, impossible to do anything with her strapped to me... but have you tried a back carry?

One night when she's in bed just make a big chilli or curry or something, put in the freezer snd then just microwave a portion each day.

For lunch I just make my 11 month old whatever we have in. Usually a soft cheese butty, avocado stick, crab stick, fruit etc. Takes me less than 2 mins.

I know it's hard juggling wverything, especially wHen they don't sleep. Good luck x

With DS2 I blwed, just normal meals the rest of us were having. Sandwiches are quick. Lots of pasta, made while he was in the kitchen with me in his bouncy chair, and I talked him through what I was doing.

This isn't helpful to the OP, but I needed to get this off my chest. Whoever posted about the fact that you're dead set against TV for babies, yet you feed your kid instant mash, thank you. I needed a laugh!

@Patty101 excessive screen time in very young children is linked with adhd and other disorders. I don't think the occasional plate of instant mash is known to cause any issue. Also anyone who says they haven't ever fed their kids a quick easy but maybe not perfectly healthy meal is lying. And instant mash is better than nuggets or McDonalds, which I bet 99% of people on here feed to their kids at least occasionally.

So go on laughing, we'll see whose kids are healthier at the end of the day...

@miltonj

Will she sit in a jumperoo? Will she watch ceebeebies In a high chair? Will she play with toys in a play pen on sight on you? I know you saId you can't use a carrier... I'm short and have the same issues, impossible to do anything with her strapped to me... but have you tried a back carry?

One night when she's in bed just make a big chilli or curry or something, put in the freezer snd then just microwave a portion each day.

For lunch I just make my 11 month old whatever we have in. Usually a soft cheese butty, avocado stick, crab stick, fruit etc. Takes me less than 2 mins.

I know it's hard juggling wverything, especially wHen they don't sleep. Good luck x

I was going to say Jumparoo - DS was a very needy yet active baby who never slept and was constantly moving about or grizzling (I was so glad DD was more chill) and I almost wept with happiness when I was able to put him in that and make lunch knowing he was safe and occupied! We got our Jumparoo second hand for £30 and I sold it for £20 so it was the best tenner I ever spent.

I’m no cook but I used to offer anything I was having (sandwiches, omelette, pasta…fruit, yoghurt etc)……neither of my DC were big on eating huge quantities of food until they were about 2! But they were always very healthy and on consistent centile lines and are decent eaters now at 7 and 4, especially DS

I haven't read the full thread but had to reply. I found this age the HARDEST; DS was in my arms probably upwards of 20 hours a day. I eventually did just let DS crawl around on the floor while I made food. I ended up filling two of our low drawers with things that were safe for him to play with and just let him pull things out. We have a very small kitchen and he didn't really get in the way.

When he was 12m we got him one of those toddler "learning towers" ( safe step stool basically) and since then he's always just stood in there while I prep food, which has been great and actually helped him start trying more foods etc.

Also, she's probably old enough for back carries now? That might be an option.