Friday, September 2, 2011

Introduction to Solids... Portions?

I don't like the term "Baby Led Weaning" when it comes to introduction to solids. I think the phrase applies better to nursing than solids. However "Child Led Introduction to Solids" is just too long!

7mo Sasha with cantaloupe7mo Sasha, loving cantaloupe!

Still, we began introducing solids to Sasha at 6 months. (She was showing plenty of interest in our food and I was a bit obsessed with this 6 month mark.)

1yo Sasha with CantaloupeSasha, enjoying cantaloupe at nearly 1 year old

Since then, I kind of chuckle or roll my eyes when I see people looking for ways to get their toddler to sit still and eat dinner with the family. Most of the time, we just leave Sasha to roam and play and let her have food off of our plates. She sits in her high chair if she asks to do so or if we're having one of her favorite dishes.

We don't all eat at the same time very often, which means there is often a plate or bowl available for her to share. She does, however, drive the person trying to have a meal crazy with "bite. bite. bite. bite, pleeease." She sometimes won't let you get a bite in between! So, Daddy said we needed to start giving her her own food.

Sasha's BreakfastDaddy's solution to sharing breakfast with a beggar - Give her her own plate!

And so... I started at least making her a sandwich when someone is eating. And you know what? She eats so much more than I realized she might need! So I have been feeling a little bad about starving her. I mean, she's not skin and bones or anything, but she really chowed! Thankfully (?), she tapered off quickly. I think it was just especially novel at first to have her very own PB&J and milk in her high chair. And she loooooves cow milk!

Sasha's first full sandwichSasha's first "full" sandwich all to herself
nearly 2yo

She had been nursing all the time while I've been paranoid that my milk might dry up before our son is born. Adding more food hasn't seemed to slow her down, though. I stay topless at home, so she climbs into my lap and latches on often. I don't know how often that is nursing and how often it is just suckling (except those times when she latches for half a second).

Sasha has been occasionally sleeping through the night (hadn't previously been a big concern to me) and I guess I can see that if she has a full meal of her own in the evening she is more likely to make it through the night. That would sure make things easier when Spencer is born. I've been a little worried about trying to nurse them both in the middle of the night!

Sasha is nearing 2 years old, so I guess it stands to reason that she needs her own meals... How have you approached portions with your little ones?
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