Starting blw style approach - how often should I give DS food?

[hackneybird]

Slightly bemused about the 'scheduling' of it.

If you are trying a mainly finger food based diet for them are you supposed to give them food every time you eat - such as three times a day?

Or do you follow a typical schedule as if you are giving them purees - ie once a day leading up to 2 then 3 a day etc.

It's just that he's not always with me when I eat - up until now I have been having my breakfast and lunch when he naps, as that way I can have a nice relaxed meal!

I just offered DS something off my plate everytime I was eating. It's nice to eat together, and gets them (and you) in the mindset of whatever you eat, they eat, which helps in the future

I offered DD something whenever I ate, unless she was asleep. I still got to have nice relaxed meals, with DD joining me. It was just the clearing up that wasn't quite so relaxing!

I too was unsure of when to feed DS when we started baby led weaning. The idea is that they eat when you eat but like you I had been eating when he napped so i changed when I ate. Now (7mths old) he has milk at 7am & we all eat breakfast together at 8 before DH goes to work, then more milk at 11 followed by lunch with me at about 12.30, milk at 3pm and we all have dinner together at 6pm and DS has milk at 7, bedtime. We've only just started doing dinner and me & DH are getting used to eating so early in the evening. it's nice eating together but not sure how it'll work when I go back to work in June.

Thank you for the helpful responses.

I think I will reluctantly change my mealtimes - although there is no way I am prepared to eat my evening meal at 6pm! DH doesn't even get back from work until then so it just wouldn't work.

3billygoats - when does your DS nap? I'm trying to get into a feeding schedule for my DD, but working around her naps and my rumbling belly is a bit tricky at the mo...

I was intending on having a snack (healthy - no more chocolate cookies) with DD when she starts having an evening meal, but then having a proper meal with DP at the usual time once she's in bed.

I didn't want to change my evening meal either so what I started doing was keeping a small portion back from the previous day, and giving that to DS at 6ish. This also worked if we had had something unsuitable like a takeaway as he hadn't seen us eating it!

Both good ideas Minshu and Bertiebotts.

Hi Minshu
DS's day usually looks something like this:
7am wake & milk
8am breakfast
9.30am nap until about 10.30
11am milk
12.30pm lunch
1.30pm nap until about 2.30pm
3pm milk
5pm nap until about 5.30
6pm dinner
6.45pm bath
7pm milk & bedtime

We're doing alright with dinner at 6pm at the mo during the week & v lucky that DH is normally home by 5.30pm. But would like later dinner for us at the weekend so like your ideas as well.

Thanks 3billygoats - that looks similar to the kind of schedule we should be able to slot into. The only issue we have is that some days DD cannot stay awake long enough between naps, whereas other days she will , so I have to guess when she'll be amenable to food.

There are a few of us on another thread called Just about to start BLW who are sharing ideas & experiences if you would like to join us. We might not have all the answers but there are some great food ideas & reassurance.

Good to see this thread as I have just posted the same thing on the BLW thread that Fluffy started.

Minshu I have the same problem as you, ds can't stay awake long between naps and food is JUST SO EXCITING at present that it really takes it out of him...

BertieBotts - v good idea about keeping a portion from the previous day