Trying to juggle routine and solids

[bumblemum]

I'd really appreciate some hints on how I can juggle our routine whilst introducing solids. My lo is two weeks shy of 6 months and I've given her some pureed veg which she loved. Absolutely gobbled it down which was great!

Bit of background - I'm trying to extend her A times and the gap between her BF's with limited success. She is only lasting 1hr 30 - 1hr 45min A time and is feeding every 3 hours. I'm really tying to extend but it's not easy because she just seems to get grizzly even if I distract etc. However her nights have been increasingly improving and she did a week of only waking once for a feed between 7pm and 6am. So I'm just going with the flow.

However I'm trying to introduce the solids with a gap after her BF. So this morning she woke from her nap at 11.30, I BF her at midday (doesn't get hungry straight away) and then solids at 12.45. This all distracted her from sleep but she was the immediately grizzly/crying for a sleep on finishing her food. So I've put her down for a nap straight after this food.

Does this sound right? Seems a bit odd sleeping on full stomach.

Also - how am I'm ever going to leave the house again?!

I know I can feed her out and about but it all seems like a bit of a challenge. I'm loving her good naps but it seems like recently she just wants to go back to bed as soon as she's been up and fed.

Sorry I think some of these things aren't to do with solids but introducing them as made me realised how short her A times are.

Thanks for any hints because I'm starting to obsess a bit.

C

p.s. also she loves her food but should I just give her as much as she wants? Don't want to go overboard even though she's loving it like a little piggy!

[~inbalance~]

Hi there!  It does take a bit of practice to figure out how to work solids into your EASY, but you will find out what works for you through a lot of trial and error.  Some things to keep in mind that may help are to think of the milk feeds as the E part of your EASY, and the solids as part of the A.  Sounds like you are already heading in that direction!  Also keep in mind that solids are for fun, and there are no hard and fast rules, so fit them in when you can but don't stress too much about it.  Liquids are still the priority.  So with that in mind, I would say feed her as much solids as she likes so long as it doesn't cause her to decrease her liquid intake.  If you find she is taking less milk but more solids, then go easy on the solids so she's getting adequate milk. 

This link might be helpful in figuring out how to work solids in.
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=68458.0

Also, as you smooth out your EASY and increase A times at bit I'm sure you will find the solids fit in a little easier.  It might be rocky until then, which is why I would suggest continuing to focus on milk feeds and experimenting with the solids when you can but not stressing about it. 

Don't worry, you will be able to get out again!  Focus on one thing at a time, if you like her to take good naps at home then you will have to sacrifice a few outings for awhile, but it will be worth it.  And when the time comes it isn't too difficult to give solids when you are out and about.  One tip some moms might suggest is to get your baby accustomed to eating some of her solids cold so she doesn't always expect them warm.  That way if you're out you don't have to go through all the trouble to find somewhere to heat it up! 

[beckygatt]

I  went through the same with mine when she was 6 months too, and started to obsess about mealtimes too! TBH though I found things fell into place with time and trial and error. I stopped obsessing about always giving solids at the same time when she was that young and just went with the flow a bit more. I had tried to give her a smaller BF and solids right after, or else not wait till she was starving, give solids and then end with BF... Took some experimenting but really things fell into place naturally once she got a bit older. I didn't manage to extend time between BF till she was about 8 months. Till then I was BF every 3 hrs too. Then at her routine check up I was told she should only be having 2 BF a day! I decided to try for 3 a day and I actually managed quite easily. I think she was older and eating more solids so she was able to go longer. As for ammount I don't think you need to worry about giving too much, I'm no  expert though.

[~inbalance~]

Then at her routine check up I was told she should only be having 2 BF a day!

Wow, who told you this?  I understand BF babies should have 4xBF a day until a year, at least!  So interesting how varied the advice is!!

I totally agree though that things will just fall into place.  You don't have to focus on solids being at the same time every day, and if for awhile it works out that she has her solids and then goes down for a nap, that's fine until she is ready for more A time. 

[beckygatt]

A midwife here in Malta told me that. I thought it seemed rather a little! So much conflicting advice, you don't know what to follow!

[Shiv52]

Quote from: beckygatt on Today at 12:50:23 PM
Then at her routine check up I was told she should only be having 2 BF a day!
Wow, who told you this?  I understand BF babies should have 4xBF a day until a year, at least!  So interesting how varied the advice is!!

Just following along.  Its 4x milk feeds a day here.  I replaced one once she was on enough dairy products (so about 9 months we moved to 3 or 4 feeds a day).    If a FF baby is still meant to have 24oz until a year there is no way my DD would have gotten that from 2 BFs.  Advice is so varied.  I often get different conflicting advice depending on which health visitor I see!

You will get into a routine with the solids.  I remember at that stage feeling like all I was ever doing was feeding.  If it wasn't bfing, it was solids and then cleaning up from solid!  Once you get your A times lenghtened out a bit, hopefully your LO will feed sooner after wakening and you can do solids sooner and have a bit of time before its sleep time again!  I always did bf after naps and then solids 45-60 minutes later. 

[bumblemum]

Thanks guys - wow - I knew I'd get lots of help here.
Hi Martina - thanks for these tips. I will check out the link. I'm having a few days of chilling at home so happy to sacrifice outings. Will go with cold food today to see how that goes. I have a feeling my lovely little piggy won't even notice. She is enjoying it so much that it's my favorite time of day at the mo.
Becky- it's so reassuring that other babies haven't stretched beyond 3 hr feeds at 6 months. She really seems fine with it and last night we were back to just 1 night feed so I'm happy. It would be great if there was a bigger gap for getting out and about but it won't be forever.
Hi again Shiv -I keep trying to get my lo interested in feeding straight after waking because this would really help. However she would rather do smiling and playing at the moment! I'm sure it will happen soon.

Thanks guys. These lo's are like little projects aren't they?!
C

[Shiv52]

These lo's are like little projects aren't they?!

Yes and once you get one thing sorted, they are upto a new trick which you need to sort and on it goes!!!

[beckygatt]

I never knew the meaning of 'full time job' until now! 

[bumblemum]

My job was sooo much easier than staying at home and doing this!
I'm really enjoying it but I had such a distorted view of how things would be. I thought there would be much more flouncing around drinking coffee.

I feel like such a yummy mummy peeling and pureeing though. It's so gratifying when she gobbles it down.

Apparently I was similar - when I was little and quite ill with whooping cough it never got in the way of dinner!

C

[Shiv52]

I never knew the meaning of 'full time job' until now!

Ditto!!  And i did a really full time job with evenings and weekends and it was nothing compared to being a SAHM!!!

[Buntybear]

Sorry to butt in but I need a thread entitled 'Trying to juggle routine and solids and naps'! Didn't want to start my own thread as such good advice on here but looking at 4 Hr EASY routine posted on link above where would you fit in a 1.5 he nap with 3 hr A time (ie in the morning)?? 

4 Milkfeeds during the day (6-8+ months).

7am - Milk
8am - Solids
11am - Milk
12pm - Solids
3pm - Milk
4/4.30pm - Solids
6.30pm - Milk
10.30pm - D/F if still doing one.

[Shiv52]

You may have to regig things a bit to get it all fitted it!  At this age we were doing 2 x 1.5 hour naps so our routine was something like:

8am Wake up
11.am Nap (for 1.5 hours)
12.30pm Wake up
3.30pm Nap (for 1.5 hours)
5pm Wake up
8/8.30pm Bedtime

So I did milk feeds at wake up from sleeps and before bed so at 8am/12.30pm/5pm/8.15pm (ish) (so not 4 hour spacing but it worked fine with the solids too)

And then did solids 1 hour after milk so:

Breakfast at 9am, lunch at 1.30pm and dinner at 5.45/6pm

HTH x

[Buntybear]

Thanks 

Was trying to delay first feed a bit so could stick to 4 hr but not working with solids too. Had a NW last night for food 

Have just got A times right after hugh leaps so will write down his new routine and try and stick to it as losing track of all his timings with so much to juggle into his day!

[bumblemum]

Hello ladies - I just wanted to ask your advice about my schedule and solids.

If I'm trying to extend the time between feeds and extending A times sometimes I'm not able to leave a gap between BF and solids. If I leave it any longer then she will be ready for a sleep. For example today she woke at 12.10pm. I then didn't want to BF her until 1pm if possible (this would have been 3hr 30 from last feed). 20 mins for feed takes us to 1.20pm. She was likely to want to sleep again at about 1.50pm.

She was very happy to eat the solids straight after BF. Is this OK? Is a gap only left so that she is hungry? It seems like she is always hungry for solids. I always have anxiety that she doesn't get much mik through BF'ing so don't want to  her full of solids.

NW'ings are still happening but sometimes only once  - I feed her if she wakes.

I'm finding it easier to stay at home to juggle everything which is probably not healthy. I imagine/hope  it will get easier.C