[password123]

My DD is not a huge solids fan (well...she can be, when it suits her).As of Sunday she is now bottle/formula fed (I embraced her waning interest in BF). She is getting 3 x 220ml of formula a day and offered 3 meals a day. She is not eating a lot. I was giving puréed food or slops but once she became difficult with this I began with more finger foods and she is definitely interested but doesn't actually consume a lot. It seems the longer she spends in the high hair playing with it, the more she ends up eating (stands to reason), but how long do you give them? She's been in her chair this morning having the odd nibble on toast for 40 minutes! Should I be concerned about volume of solids considering she is actually eating some, and at least handling it? She is 8.5 months and a good weight.

[ForsakenTruth]

She sounds normal but if in doubt speak to your MCHN. Learning to consume solids is a developmental learning curve that won't be mastered for quite some time with varying and unpredictable interest. As for the amount - a few mouth fulls 3 times daily is probably good. If you look at the size of her fist - that is the same size as her tiny stomach. It doesn't take much to full it up.

[kelbelblue]

My DD has just turned 1, but at that age lunch time often took an hour! We do BLW, so I just kept offering food as long as she was eating some.
I think most meals took at least 1/2 an hour, and often still do. I often read a book at the same time
Let her get used to the idea of food, and try ot to worry too much about volume consumed.
I see she is on 3 bottles a day. Now that I have started weaning DD, I offer her about 6 small meals a day, so perhaps try offering things she likes at different times instead of just traditional meal times.
It is really only the last month or two that DD has been eating large amounts of food, before that it was just picking.
Goodluck

[KRT]

I would give DS up to an hour, or even more if he got upset when I tried to get him out of the high chair. I figured he was enjoying himself playing with the food, and if he was happy in the highchair, I could get all sorts of jobs done.

I would get him out earlier if we had to go out, or if I felt that he needed more active time in the day. So if we had a trip to the shops planned, I'd give him less time sitting in the highchair, because he was going to do enough sitting later on in his stroller.

He did get quicker, and also clearer about when he had enough. He's just started to say 'Done' when he's had enough and wants to get down, at 13 months.

I also decided to trust him that he'd eat if he wanted to. I figured he had plenty of opportunity to eat, so if he didn't eat it, it meant he was full.

[password123]

Ok great . That makes me feel better. I was feeling guilty that I was reading EB on my tablet killing time while she was picking. Lol.
It's hard when it takes so long it pretty much runs into nap time!

[meggs1]

I called a halt after 30 -40 mins, but made a big deal of stacking the bowls, cutlery etc so there was plenty of warning. He quickly got the hang of putting the cutlery in the bowl and handing it to me when he's had enough.

[3males and me]

DS wasn't a big eater until just after he turned 1. He's always been a slow eater so we let him sit there eating until he's either thrown all his food onto the floor or is getting grizzly and wanting to get down. Most meal times we will be there for close to 30minutes still.