Holiday with a 7mo BLW baby - a few questions

[TenThousandSpoons]

I am going away next week to a Greek island with my dd who will be exactly 7mo then. We started BLW about 3 weeks ago and she seems to have taken well to it but I have a few questions about feeding her while away...

1. Frequency of feeding - so far I've been quite relaxed about this, some days offering her something at every meal, some days only giving her breakfast e.g. if she is asleep at a meal time or we're having something not suitable. I think this has been fine for her at 6 months (I hope!) but I'm wondering if it's ok at 7 months e.g. if she only has solids at 1 or 2 meals, as I'd like to be flexible while away.

2. Water - at home I give her water in a Doidy or Tommee Tippee cup (try to alternate to get her used to both) only with solids. She is kind of getting the hang of it but doesn't really drink much of it. She's never taken to a bottle (even of expressed BM) so that's not an option. I'm wondering if I should offer her water more frequently if it's very hot on holiday or just bf her and not worry too much about water. If I do need to give her water, would I just boil and cool the tap water (Kefalonia) or use bottled water (I think I've read that some bottled water is unsuitable for babies but usually on holiday the adults don't drink the tap water so I'm not sure which to give!)

3. Vitamin drops - If she's 7mo and exclusively bf should she start taking vitamin drops? She doesn't actually eat that much, only a few mouthfuls at each meal so I'm wondering if she needs these. And where do you get them?! (Never noticed them in shops.)

4)Finally...Feta cheese - is it too salty?

Thanks for reading. Any advice much appreciated.

As far as number 2 goes I think you just need to check the sodium level is less than 200mg a litre. When we were in Spain we found this was no problem at all, and most supermarkets sold a brand of water that was safe to use. We offered our DS water all the time when it was hot, sometimes he drank it others he didn't.

Re the frequency of feeding, that all sounds fine to me but i'm no expert. My DS is nearly 9 months and he sometimes still doesn't eat 3 meals a day for the same reasons you don't give your DD 3 now.

Have a lovely trip!

I offered something at each mealtime, but that was DS's choice. No harm in not having 3 meals a day though

I'd offer water whenever you are having a drink - just offer from your glass, or if you have a sports cap water bottle, that works well too. Bottled water is OK, but as long as you bf on demand, it won't be a problem if she doesn't drink a lot of water.

If you aren't dark skinned/cover most of your sking/don't get out in daylight much, then vitamin drops aren't necessary if you are bfing on demand. If any of these apply, you might want to think about a multivitamin with vitamin D.

Feta - you wouldn't want your DD to be guzzling it down, but a little won't hurt. Just as in all things you are looking for a balance and not adding salt when possible.

And remember, there is honestly very little that is truly unsuitable for a baby to eat

Thanks bluebump. Do you know if the water that is suitable says something like "Suitable for babies"? And would you definitely NOT use tap water, even if boiled?

Thanks CMOT (x post). Is it just vitamin D that is the problem then? I thought A and C might be too?

I didn't use tap water at all but then i'm super paranoid and we drink bottled water when we are there anyway so it was no bother for us. It may be ok if it is boiled though but you can usually pick up bottled stuff cheaply enough. I don't think the water will say suitable for babies but as far as I know it is only the sodium number that is the risk.

According to the research, it is only D that needs to be supplemented, if you fit into one of those groups.

Thanks, yes I'd probably prefer to stick with bottled water too.

Too late for the start of the thread, but regarding bottled water, it needs to be 11 percent or less sodium content.
We went to Tunisia when little one 4months old to visit grandparents and I bought a 6 pound travel steriliser, which could be used in the microwave. Even if you are not SC, the hotels will usually heat bottles for you, so you can sterilise at the same time.

We went to Mallorca with 6 month old DS1 and we made his bottles up with boiled tap water, as we would do at home. He was fine.