struggling with doing solids *and* nursing

[peacelove&camping]

i feed her like 7 times a day! it's like i suddenly have no time to do anything or go anywhere, because i gotta feed the baby, or get home to feed the baby, and then go feed the baby after i feed the baby.

she has a half-nursing when she wakes up, to hold her over. then a little play, then big-girl breakfast. then a little play, then full nursing, then nap. then big-girl lunch, then play or errands, then nurse, then nap. then play, big-girl dinner, play, bath, nursing!, bed.

i'm sure it'll get easier as she continues to drop nursings--she's consolidated down to 3.5 now at almost 11 months, and lately they are appreciably shorter too, so at least that much is good. any tips to help me not lose my mind when my entire day revolves around what is going in this kid's belly? :)

[Knitting Mama]

Does she self-feed? Do you offer her foods to self-feed? I look at Cecilia's meals in the highchair as time I can use to clean the kitchen, do the dishes, vacuum the living room, etc-- things I used to only be able to get done while she napped!

[GoBecGo]

Can't you feed her when you're out?  Like today i did (my DD is nearly 8months, so a little farther behind you, but i did similar with DD1 who's now 4)

6-7am: nursing ad hoc (cosleeping)

8am banana and grapes at home

10am: nursing at toddler group (one side)

10.30am: melon and apple at toddler group

11am: nursing at toddler group (other side)

12.20pm: lunch at friend's house (bits of my pastrami and salad ciabatta which i chewed for her, stick of cheese, water from her cup)

12.50pm: nursing (both sides)

1pm-1.40pm: napped in friend's bouncer

2.15pm: hummus (off a spoon i loaded for her), pitta bread (to hold/suck on so she didn't cry whenever i took the spoon to load it), sticks of cucumber, a chip (i think, i let it cool for her but possibly her sister actually ate it!), water from her cup in a cafe

2.30pm: nursing (both sides) but she nodded off 2 seconds after switching sides, before the let-down came

2.45-3.30pm: napped in my arms while i chatted to a friend (who also has a baby)

4pm: nursing (side she hadn't finished before)

6.30pm: chilli, rice, creme fraiche (mashed together with a fork and fed to her on a spoon), chunk of cheese (which she ate herself), bit of pitta which she licked then threw on the floor, water from her cup.

7.20pm: nursing (very full side she hadn't had since 2.30!)

then shower, pyjamas, nursed to sleep in her cot (it's sidecarred).

I would go bonkers if i couldn't go out.  I either go to friends houses, or i go to places where i know i can feed her (like the place i was in today), or i take something with me like breadsticks, oats-and-yogurt mixed, yesterdays's-leftovers-mashed-up-in-a-tub, that sort of thing, sliced fruits etc.

Any use?

[Adaline'sMama]

Originally Posted by Cecilia's Mama 

Does she self-feed? Do you offer her foods to self-feed? I look at Cecilia's meals in the highchair as time I can use to clean the kitchen, do the dishes, vacuum the living room, etc-- things I used to only be able to get done while she napped!

Exactly this. I plopped lentil and quinoia soup on her highchair today (used a tea strainer to strain off some of the liquid) with DD in nothing but a diaper. I washed all the dishes, and when I was done, I washed her in the sink too! We are still nursing 7-10 times during daylight hours, but they are all under 15 minutes. I dont really ever think of them as "feeding" her anymore. Its more like, "Oh, shes fussy. Boob" :) She eats in a highchair 1-2 times per day.

i

[Knitting Mama]

Cecilia definitely still nurses as much as she used to, but she gets the bulk of her milkies when she's going to sleep (it's always been this way). Other wise they're like drive-by nursings!

[peacelove&camping]

Originally Posted by GoBecGo 

Can't you feed her when you're out?  Like today i did (my DD is nearly 8months, so a little farther behind you, but i did similar with DD1 who's now 4)

6-7am: nursing ad hoc (cosleeping)

8am banana and grapes at home

10am: nursing at toddler group (one side)

10.30am: melon and apple at toddler group

11am: nursing at toddler group (other side)

12.20pm: lunch at friend's house (bits of my pastrami and salad ciabatta which i chewed for her, stick of cheese, water from her cup)

12.50pm: nursing (both sides)

1pm-1.40pm: napped in friend's bouncer

2.15pm: hummus (off a spoon i loaded for her), pitta bread (to hold/suck on so she didn't cry whenever i took the spoon to load it), sticks of cucumber, a chip (i think, i let it cool for her but possibly her sister actually ate it!), water from her cup in a cafe

2.30pm: nursing (both sides) but she nodded off 2 seconds after switching sides, before the let-down came

2.45-3.30pm: napped in my arms while i chatted to a friend (who also has a baby)

4pm: nursing (side she hadn't finished before)

6.30pm: chilli, rice, creme fraiche (mashed together with a fork and fed to her on a spoon), chunk of cheese (which she ate herself), bit of pitta which she licked then threw on the floor, water from her cup.

7.20pm: nursing (very full side she hadn't had since 2.30!)

then shower, pyjamas, nursed to sleep in her cot (it's sidecarred).

I would go bonkers if i couldn't go out.  I either go to friends houses, or i go to places where i know i can feed her (like the place i was in today), or i take something with me like breadsticks, oats-and-yogurt mixed, yesterdays's-leftovers-mashed-up-in-a-tub, that sort of thing, sliced fruits etc.

Any use?

yup, she's self-feeding a ton :) but we can't really do solids while we're out, because she's getting old enough that she really has to *eat* stuff, so i have to bring or buy a whole meal--which i don't mind doing, but it takes her forever to eat! we can't sit somewhere for an hour while she dawdles through her lunch, like we do at home. and bringing your own food is frowned upon at the playgroups we go to.

i am able to get some stuff done in the kitchen while she eats, but she eats much less if i'm not sitting at the table eating too :) which is way cute, but a little limiting. oh well :) thanks for the input guys!