How to fit weaning meals into a busy six month routine - VERY OVERWHELMING

[Lauren8642]

I’m feeling really overwhelmed with everything
I have a baby just turned 6 months last week I introduced a bit of veg every day mushed and finger slice (were wanted to do blw) then this week I was hoping to introduce one meal a day I choose tea time as that’s the easiest time for us and we can all eat the same at the same time so I did chicken curry from the what mummy makes book but then she didn’t drink much of her bed time bottle only 2oz.
I read to introduce it at breakfast or dinner first by how do I fit that in with everything else?
Our day typically goes like this..
7- wake
7:30 milk
8:20 - 9:00 school run
9:00 - 10:00 (this can vary if she has longer her second nap pushes back) nap
11:00 milk
12/12:30 - 1:30 - nap
2:30/3:00 milk
then she sometimes has a nap in afternoon sometimes if we walk to school
7:00 milk and bed

how do I fit food in? With still having a life like being able to go for a walk or once a week I go to a baby class 1-2:30 and Thursday Friday mornings I do I exercise class.

Just on a cursory read I’d try to start to cut down the milk feed sand offer food then milk afterwards if she is still hungry.

11am and 2:30pm look like your windows.

Is she actually showing interest in food?

I am asking because you don’t have to be beholden to the “omg it’s 6 months” thing - you can let her touch and play with food and hopefully eat some at a slower pace if that works better.

@CocoaTea ah I read differently I read to always offer milk first as food is fun until 1, my eldest is 5 and I honestly can’t remember what it was like with her but I had all the time in the world. When school run takes 2 hours out of your day it’s so hard.
Yeah she is showing interest always trying to crab my food and watching me and when we have gave her food she loves it

As @CocoaTea says @Lauren8642 your 11am milk feed would offer a great window to introduce little bits and pieces.

Initial stages of weaning are really just an introduction so portion sizes are tiny and manageable.

Weaning Portion Guidelines by Stage
Initial Stage (approx. 6 months): 1–2 teaspoons of smooth purée or 1-2 pieces of finger food once a day.

from this site

Try not to worry too much though 🌸😊

I remember that saying that “food is fun before one”.

I guess what I was trying to say is that if she is full up on milk she won’t eat much.

I could be wrong though per parenting books etc but I created some extra interest in food by them being a tiny bit hungry. Milk was always there as a back up though.

I would say just keep offering food when you can. 6mo is still little.

What did you do with your elder child? Can the baby not have a bit of breakfast sam time as the older kids, before the school run? I woul give them maybe half their normal milk , then offer a bit of food, then the milk so make sure they’re full up. Surely the meals shouldn’t take that long to do either??

@Alicorn1707 so if I offer her food at 11am then when do I give her her bottle?

I've always done the meal after the first nap. Then I do the bottle about an hour after that.

It's fine, just keep going as you are. If you get stressed, the whole thing will turn into a nightmare. Tea time worked for us. You could always split the bedtime bottle, half half an hour before tea and half after

Bottle first, then try a wee bit of something after (perhaps a teaspoon or two of mashed banana or similar)?

Could that work for you @Lauren8642?

It doesn’t matter if she only drank 2floz of her bedtime bottle @Lauren8642, she will naturally take less as the solids increase. All that you have to remember at this point is that you’re aiming for at least 20 Floz a day, but if she dips under that then you need to introduce vitamins.

I personally would keep with feeding her at teatime for now if that’s what suits you best. Give it another month and then introduce a second meal. You could try at 11 am and give her lunch with a cup of milk?

The current advice is to offer food 3 times a day by 9 months and to be on 450 ml of formula, if they’re FF, by 10 months.

It sounds as though you’re both doing fine

Id start with breakfast and dinner - at the same time as your older kids eat.
And if baby is awake when you have lunch ever, offer some bits then too.

Just offer it whenever you and the older child are eating? Thats thr best time as they see you eat. And dont make the baby separate food

If you think back, you will realise that food is fun until 1 is something you only read on MN and that all the guidelines say otherwise. Food before 1 will shape lifelong habits and taste.