Where to fit in food

My LO is 6.5 months old. We’ve started solids. Prior we had a nice routine with reading books, tummy time, going out for a walk, house tours, music time with singing, the occasional outing, “talking” to each other and about 3 naps a day.

I find introducing food takes SO long…not only letting her explore but then cleanup of her and the now disgusting room. The whole ordeal is sometimes an hour, plus I’m trying to get myself fed while watching her. If we’re supposed to do this for fun (and iron) up to 3x a day plus snacks, where would we fit in the other activities? Plus it’s so icky even with bibs that we now need more baths than usual. So far we just do breakfast.

It seems that once she’s up from her nap, breastfed, and changed, we’d only have a few minutes before we are ready for more food and another nap.

Anyone else struggling with this potential time management?

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We only did breakfast at that age. I was very grateful for the food starting to fill the wake windows now they are longer. You can still do all of those lovely things, we found plenty of time, however I don’t iron 🤣🤣😜

Just start with breakfast and a snack or letting baba try some of what your eating, most of the nutrition will still be from milk at this age so don’t put too much pressure on yourself

I did purees mixed with breast milk at 1st. Only at dinner starting out. You don’t need 3 meals starting out. Also baby crackers are nice for on the go. I tried to go with clean snacks that didn’t make much mess.

I used our 360° playing seat, half the tray had toys and the other half was for eating. And I fed her in that on the bed or kitchen floor. I didn’t feel the need for a highchair, just something she could sit in.

Then a couple weeks later we did baby lead weaning with the Solid Starts app! Just simple whole food cut up in age appropriate ways!

But it’s mostly for learning/discovering/sensory prior to the age of 1, don’t stress yourself out to much mom

Ooh yeah, also just little cut offs or what me and my husband were already eating. Just cut it/serve it differently do to choking hazards or certain foods! Bigger the better for some things cuz they just naw on them! And smaller things for other foods.

The Solid Starts app is amazing! You can even subscribe (but you don’t have to to use it) but if you wanna save things and make notes or whatever I think

Honestly I feel your vibe! I'm a chef so I can prep a full commercial kitchen in 2 hours but that didn't prepare me for this! Time management with a 6-9 month old to do fun things, socialise and do solids was a complete nightmare, pretty much non existent. You manage and muddle through like you do with everything unfortunately, I'm now at the other end of it. My LB is 13 months on 23rd July and we are now up to 3 meals and 2 snacks a day also down to one bottle 😬 It's much easier! I would say use breakfast as your solids, not only does it mean you have more time in the day but it also means if you have an allergen you are trying out it gives you time to see a reaction. Best thing I've done is download ChatGPT, i put the routine in we used and the aim of the game (which was 2 naps and weaning off of bottles) and my god it took 2 weeks. Now in a much better routine, not fighting naps as much. The mental load had halved, I don't need to stress if he only gets 20 minutes sleep or whether i should wake him. Xx

thanks, this is helpful! Last doctors visit said 3 meals which seemed too much too fast. Mess is a time sink but part of the process I know ☺️

thanks for this! It’s helpful hearing how your timeline has played out. Great tip re: allergens

I love the SS app so far!

in our community

Is it bad of me to think this or no?

My husband has been abroad for work (1 day and exploring for 1 day) for 2 and a half days which means I’ve had both kids (1 year and 4 year old) for 2 and a half days plus cooking, cleaning, taking them to clubs, bedtimes!
He came home late afternoon and said I’m so tired, I just need to chill. I said can you wash up whilst I sort kids dinner out, he said he’ll do it later which means he won’t do it and I’ll end up doing it so I said no do it now please otherwise I’ll end up doing it and he said well you have been home and I’ve been away so you’ve just been relaxing.
Don’t know what planet he is on but having the kids alone for 2.5 days is not relaxing. I was stressed!

When he was away, I did miss him and wanted him to come back but now he’s back, I want him to go away again😂
Is that bad?

Post partum dad

I have a 2 month old. A few weeks ago my husband crashed out because he didn't feel like he was getting to bond with her. I started exclusively breastfeeding around that time and honestly didnt see the big deal. Baby and I left for a few days and when we got back home, everything was fine. He was extremely hands-on. He helped with my meals, her bedtime, bath, stories.....for a few weeks it was great. Then he randomly sounds depressed af. He says our lo is better off without him, he wants to sleep all day , he asks me not to watch tv then tried playing a video game. He refused to reply to me when i asked any follow-up questions. Then he woke up our baby trying to race me to the bathroom first thing in the morning . He's doing a weird mix of crying, trying, and giving up. Im starting to feel like I cant handle him not being able to handle life with baby and just want to be alone. Are there resources for men?

Feeding

My son is coming up to five months and I just started giving him oatmeal and rice cereal. When can you start trying veggies or fruits? I only give him the oatmeal or rice cereal once a day right now which is what the paediatrician had said to do. I’m just curious to when anybody tried anything else with their kids cause my son eats a lot of formula and he’s VERY curious when I eat.

Really bothered by this

A friend posted this and it really bothers me because that is exactly how she parents her kid, and it's rather unfortunate because when our kids hang out together, her kid has a meltdown at least 5x within an hour. We have know them for years and it's only gotten worse. My kids will concede to hers, because they don't want to see their friend crying, but it sucks because they give up so much of their toys and enjoyment to keep the peace. We aren't hanging out as much anymore but it's rather sad to think she doesn't intervene more in her child tantrums and just let's it slide

My 2 year old won’t eat nothing but snacks

Is this normal ? He won’t even try anything I eat .. he really only like pizza fries and spaghetti… nuggets and snacks bananas some other fruit but like anything else he won’t eat if try but I don’t want to force him I’m just I feel like bad I mean he isn’t losing weight I breastfeed mostly still

Is this normal

Let’s say you’re at a softplay with your 2 year old, and some friends & their toddlers.
You buy your 2 year old a kids meal - chicken nuggets, beans, and chips. They’re very happy with it and have almost eaten it all.
They’re sat at the table, fork in hand, consistently eating, and have one chicken nugget left.
Your adult friend comes over from behind you, picks up the last chicken nugget, and eats it.
There was no indication that your child wasn’t going to eat it, and they didn’t ask. They just took it with no warning and ate it right in front of you and your toddler.
How you reacting?