One year old - Cutting out a daytime feed?

[tabs]

I have just been offered a morning job (2-3 mornings a week) unexpectedly and probably will take it. so I'm faced with wondering what to do about the 11am feed (dd currently has 4 feeds - 7am, 11am, 3.30pm and 7pm). Just wondering what people usually do in this situation? The options I'm thinking about are: 1) moving the feed until 1.30 (just before naptime) and making this the one daytime feed, 2) cutting it out and just having the 4.30 feed, 3) just cutting it out on the days in question and continuing it as normal on the other days. I know it's probably a matter of personal preference but just curious as to what others did 

[~inbalance~]

Hi tabs!  After a year, I did just that for awhile - if we were home and able to stick to our BFding routine, I did, but on days when we were out or I wasn't with DS, I dropped it and offered a snack.  DS never minded!  I think lots of moms start dropping feeds around a year anyway.  But you are right, it's a personal preference! 

[tabs]

Thanks  I forgot to ask...presumably I give the childminder a yoghurt or something instead of the 11am feed? What does everyone else replace it with? (dd really needs to learn to use a beaker too...we haven't been good at that!)

[~inbalance~]

Sure, I would think yogurt is a good snack.  Is your LO on whole milk?  I give a sippy with some milk, and some fruit usually.  But I think any healthy snack will do!  Cheese and crackers, yogurt and fruit, etc.  Depends really on what your LO likes.

[A pair of Charlies]

Hi there 

May-be try one thing for a few days and see how it goes? LOs can react in different ways to dropping feeds / switching with snacks - not in a bad world ending way, but in how they then respond to their solids at mealtimes. And it really does seem down to the LO, hence the trial and error.

I'm trying to remember which feed I dropped first.... the mid-morning (*remembers*). I did try offering cups of milk but DS didn't ever take to it and TBH, he didn't need the milk. Lunch was always at 12ish so he didn't go hungry and dropping the feed (without the snack) meant it didn't affect his lunch either. I *think* I moved the afternoon feed earlier in the afternoon, pre pm nap. When he went to one nap, I did the afternoon feed after his nap and then dropped this a month or so later as he took very little and then was pretty fussy with his supper. Dropped the feed and he was fine with supper again. I don't offer any additional milk during the day and rarely give him snacks as he just doesn't seem to need them. I do make sure that he gets a good balanced diet with lots of dairy in various forms at meals.

It is a personal choice. And I think a lot is down to how your LO responds / their likes and preferences.

HTH

Charlotte

[tabs]

Thanks guys, that's really helpful. I think it will be trial and error really. It's nice not to have to worry about offering bottles etc., I thought I might be at work before this so it just seems so much easier now. Based on what you two are saying, I'll probably just wait until the week I start work (had thought I might need to cut the feed out before then but looks like there'll be no need). I'll give the childminder a snack to give dd (great ideas there, thanks!) and see how she responds on the day. I guess I can then decide whether to cut out that feed everyday or not. DD's lunch is usually at 12.30 so she won't go hungry at all. Good to get the reassurance though...will let you know how it goes.

[~inbalance~]

Good luck!  DS always loved BFding so I thought it would be harder to drop feeds, but he took to it really well and we had no problems, even right up until the time I weaned him (only a week ago!).  I think as long as he's got drinks and snacks when he needs them he is happy!  Let us know how it goes!! 

[tabs]

Just thought I'd give an overdue update....we dropped the morning feed no problem in the end. Didn't change anything except to offer her a yoghurt at 11 as an alternative. Kept it up at home for a while and then realised that we were out and about so much in the mornings that it was easier to give up the morning feed altogether. Dd gets too distracted to feed when out and about and she never looked back anyway. She is now 13 months and is on 3 feeds a day so I guess that's still not bad going  Thanks for all the advice and reassurance!

[~inbalance~]

Great update!  I love it when things just work out naturally.