[eurobin]

My DD is 7 months old and in a lovely daycare center full time while my DH and I work outside the home. She's happy there and we like her teacher, but they're a lot more mainstream than our family is. They've been absolutely fine with giving her bottles of expressed milk and not letting her cry it out (as they should be!) but I'm stressing about how to start solids at daycare.

We started solids at home around 6 months. So far, she's only getting one "meal" most days, but in the past week or so her interest has really started to pick up. We also just had to increase her bottles from 4 ounces to 5 ounces each.

We're doing a baby-led approach and letting her self-feed most things. We're all about letting her explore and make a big mess. We don't say "just a couple more bites" or freak out if she only eats exactly three peas and then wants to just squish the rest in her fingers. We haven't really done jars or purees with her - just little tastes of what we're eating, either cut into soft chunks or mashed with a fork. I'm worried that when we send food for her, they'll push her to eat more rather than just explore and taste her food. I'm also worried they'll want to spoon-feed her because the way she eats right now is really messy. And honestly, I understand it. There are 6 babies and 2 teachers in her room - they physically can't devote endless amounts of time to Anna and ignore the other kids. I don't want to be "that mom" who expects her child to get special treatment, but on the other hand, I don't want her to learn to shovel food into her mouth assembly line style either. And don't even get me started on "just a couple more bites!!"

:

How would you approach it with them? Or if you had/have a baby in daycare full-time, especially if you did a baby-led / self-feeding approach to the introduction of solids at home, how did you add them into the daycare routine? I'm not in a huge rush to start adding solids to her day there, but I know it'll have to happen eventually.

 

[DandeCobb]

my son is not in a center but in a private home daycare and i just started sending some of his fave food (we also skipped the mush) and let the DCP know that we just let him eat it, no need to mush it up (she asked if she should mush it up) and it didnt matter how much/little he ate. i would just make it clear that it doesn't matter to you how much or how little she eats so they don't assume you expect her to eat every morsel you send with her. i think that would be easier than the mom who says 'now little johnny MUST eat all of this, no matter what he says" good luck, it seemed like a big deal to me to start sending solids, i don't know why, though. it still cracks me up to see my lunch, daddy's lunch, and baby lunch sitting next to each other in the fridge!

 

[lauren]

I would clearly explain to them your philosophy and ask them to abide by it. The way I hear what you are saying, you are actually asking them to do less, not more, for your baby, so that may actually be a relief for them. By saying 'don't spoonfeed', just let my baby explore, it relieves them of having to actively feed another baby. Ask for a daily progress report but stress that you are not concerned about quantity.

 

[natesma]

Our DS is in a daycare center, and they are great about listening to us. I always type out instructions, which they appreciate. Now that's he's eating alot of solids (11mo), I put serving portions in little containers. I still bring alot of food back home, as he only eats what he wants. Though, I have also learned that since they spend so much time with him, they often are able to give me helpful hints. For instance, at about 6 months, they told me to please start bringing in more solids, since he was getting very jealous of the other kids. I also realized he ate with much more enthusiasm at daycare, preferring to nurse at home. So I hadn't realized how much progress he had made. Again, communication is the key.

 

[LankyLizards]

Hi, eurobin! My little dd is 18 months old and has been going to day care since she was about 8 months old. I should mention that I was very nervous about how "mainstream" they would be. But it has been wonderful! I mean, ther are some day when she eats barely any of the lunch I send for her, and I feel a little miffed.

. But they agree with me that, if she is hungry, she will eat. They really are so understanding. And I'm not saying all of this to just brag about the great day care I found, but to reassure oyu that it will be fine. Just talk to the teacher. Much luck and support to you!