Going out on 3hrs A time

[Yazzie]

Hi,

We've just made the transition to a 3hrs A time & I'm finding it tough to go out, especially that ds is on 3 solids meals & feeding him when out is no easy task

Our day is something like this:
up @ 0700
bf
breakfast
S @ 10.00 & up ard 11.30
snack
lunch
S @ 02.30, up ard 04.00
bf when waking
bf before bed
S : 07.00
& we have one NWs

So, what do you ladies so? (Should I be posting this on the solids board?)

[RachelC]

Hi there.  I know how hard it can be.

You can try to get out of the house right after the bf and bring some finger food snacks with you.  It's ok if he doesn't get a full lunch... you can always offer more later.  When you get back home, have another snack before nap.

[Yazzie]

Could try, maybe I can be a little more flexible with feedings @ least on the days we go out, I just don't wanted to feel the little guy is locked up so much & he just loves being out & about..

[Mashi]

At that age I went out in the mornings about 20-30 minutes before morning nap, did my errands or walk or whatever, and let DS fall asleep in his pram - wheeled him in the front door and left him sleeping there.  For me, it was the only way out and if I didn't get out in the mornings I found all sorts of excuses to not get out in the afternoon.  I know it's nor always possible, especially if you have to get a buggy up the stairs, though!

[Bryony]

Mine would never sleep in the buggy at that age - but we used to take food with us and go out between naps..

[Yazzie]

I haven't really tried the buggy recently, so am pretty nervous, will give it a shot in a couple of days & see how things go..

[Spandanna]

I totally know what you mean Yazzie, I've been thinking a lot about this as often my friends want to meet up for lunch or after lunch and naps always get in the way. i think feeding times shouldn't stop you going out. I make my own food and freeze them in pots and if I'm going out I take a pot with me, usually I stop in a cafe to feed DS when he'sready or when I can. I'll give him rice cakes in his buggy (less messy than biscuits/fruit) if I need to put lunch off a little bit. Ok so he can be a bit more distracted when eating in new places but he needs to get used to doing this. Soon he'll be in daycare and he won't be eating 3 meals a day at home forever!

Maybe get out somewhere for 9am? You could do a bit of shopping for an hour? I also take my LO swimming before his afternoon nap quite frequently. he can't last more than 20 mins in the pool anyway, but he loves it and it tires him out.

I find the best time to get out and about also is after his afternoon nap say about 5pm. I'll go round to my parents' or a friends for an hour and feed him his supper there (usually sitting on the floor or on my lap) then get him home in time for bathtime.

i hope this helps

xx

[Shiv52]

I found it was one of those things that good easier the more you did it.  I'd have went out in the morning, do whatever we were doing and she'd generally fall asleep in buggy on way home and I'd transfer her to her cot back at home for the rest of her nap.   We'd have breakfast before we'd go and snack/lunch when out and about.  We used to do lots of picnic lunches in the summer and my LO loved it.  I tried not to worry about the volume of food she was getting and if she didn't eat a lot she made up for it at dinner.

For me getting out and about wasn't a choice!  I needed to get out to keep my sanity in check although I am lucky my LO is fairly flexible and enjoyed it, although of course there were bad days too!   Although I think being out and about helped make her so flexible as she wasn't always like that!

HTH x

[Spandanna]

I totally agree with Shiv52...definitely it's worth getting out and about to save your sanity and also to help the LO be more flexible x

[Yazzie]

Thanks ladies, it definitely is something that gets easier as you do it....& Spandana love your ideas, I guess I'll be doing things like 1hr outings & such 'cause ds doesn't really nap much in his buggy..

Today,we actually went out after his AM nap, fed him @ home & took lunch with me. We went to a nearby park, so we had lunch when we got there & he then sat on my lap in the sun & watched kids playing around....when it was nap time , I put him in, waked around for a few mins & he was out, but for only 45 mins, so when he woke up we went back home, as it was already 5 pm, but it was really nice & I think he enjoyed it alot..

[Spandanna]

That's brilliant. The fresh air will have, no doubt, done him the world of good too! I think you're right it does get easier as you gain confidence just heading out and accepting that certain things will be a little trickier but still manageable!

I hope you manage to get out today too x

[Yazzie]

Hope so too, might just go for some grocery shopping when he's up from his PM nap, figuring that I shouldn't get too excited & take note of making sure he naps in his bed as much as possible..