Breakfast before nursery?

[Maud]

We are trying to work out how we are going to manage feeding our LO in the mornings if we put her into nursery.

She currently wakes around 7am, has breakfast at 7.30am and then a bf usually sometime between 8.30-9am. We will need to be out of the door before 7.30am to get her to nursery on time so this won't be possible anymore. I had planned on offering her a bf as soon as she wakes up and hoping this will satisfy her, but the nursery don't feed them breakfast until 9.30am so I'm worried she is going to be hungry.

What do other people do?

 

[Ella1979]

9.30am? That's really late. We have to drop ours off by 8am, so generally my son will have some milk and my daughter will have as much breakfast as I can get down her (she's not great at eating the food at nursery). When they're dropped off the nursery is just serving breakfast, usually toast or cereal, so my son eats at 8/8.15am.

You could either try getting up earlier and feeding your LO breakfast earlier, or you could provide her with something for nursery staff to give her when she arrives. I'm not sure how your nursery works, but ours seem really happy to do that kind of thing.

 

[Maud]

We are going to be getting up at 6am anyway and rushing around. I don't really want to get up earlier than that as it just makes the day even longer for her...

I don't think they would give an extra meal as they won't have the tables and chairs set out for food (they eat in the play room).

 

[Ella1979]

Then perhaps give them more milk to give her? I'm not sure what else to suggest. Milk is always fed when you tell them to give it, so that might be the best way to keep her going until their breakfast time.

 

[Mayflower85]

That's late for breakfast? Are you sure that's not what time they offer snack?

When I worked in nursery we used to offer breakfast between 7.30 and 8.30, then snack from 9.30 to 10.00.

 

[Toria111]

That's late breakfast. My nursery gives breakfast all morning. So I get there just after 8 and they put Emma straight in the highchair for her breakfast.

What about giving her something easy like a yoghurt, or a little square of cheese sandwich to keep her going till the nursery breakfast time?

 

[Maud]

They call it breakfast and feed cereal, toast, English muffins, fruit etc. I was surprised when they told us it's so late as I was expecting it to be at more like 8.30am.

She's breastfed so we won't be sending in any milk. I guess we could give her breakfast straight after her bf in the morning, but it will mean getting her up even earlier.

The more I think about this the more I worry about how much we are going to screw up her routine on nursery days - waking her early, changing all her mealtimes, late bedtime etc. I dread the repercussions on home days!

 

[Maud]

Or we give her breakfast at home, leave early and bf her while we wait for them to open at 8am (they have a parent room we can get into from 7.30). Means being gone by 7am though. I'm barely awake at that time ATM! Seems nuts to have to leave home 2 hours before I start work. And this is for the nursery on the way to work!

 

[Ella1979]

It is crazy. We're up at 6am, to get sorted so I can drop them off at 8am, to be able to get into work for 10! I don't get home until around 7pm. Luckily if I'm on an early shift my OH has to do the drop-offs as the nursery doesn't open at all until 8am.

Try not to worry about messing up non-nursery days. I've found that any repercussions usually happen the same day, e.g. when my son gets home from nursery he has to have a late afternoon nap, but on non-nursery days doesn't.

 

[Iwant3]

go to a childminder I take children from 7.15am, and give breakfast to all those who want it. I do not serve any breakfast after 8am as we go on school run at 8.20. then it's snack at 9.30/10am

If a child usually naps at the time I serve lunch, that's fine, they either have early lunch and go for their nap or nap then have lunch when they are ready. There is no such thing as set meal times, we try and fit in with what parents want/need/usually do

 

[littlemonkey]

I really wouldn't worry about your LO's routine cos it will all go to pot anyway when they go to nursery!

Mornings have always been a big rush in our house. Until recently I started work at 8am on a day shift. My OH leaves at 6am to get into work for 7am so I'm totally on my own in the morning. I would get up at 5.30 to make sure I had some time to myself to get ready before LO got up. I still do as much as physically possible the night before, so have my shower and wash my hair once LO goes to bed, make sure all our bags are packed, clothes are looked out etc. LO tends to wake anytime from 6am onwards. If he was up early enough, I would plonk him in the highchair to feed himself some breakfast while I got ready and had my breakfast. Something like fruit that wouldn't make too much mess. If he didn't get up until 7am when I woke him then he would just get a drink of milk. I'd drop him off at the childminders for 7.30am and she didn't have anyone else until 8am so I'd pack something in his bag for her to give him then. She tends to do a little snack/breakfast about 9.30 after the school runs too.

Now I'm starting later while I'm pregnant, so don't have to leave until 8am. I get LO up at 7 if he's not up before and he feeds himself breakfast. He won't always have lots, he's like his dad and not a huge fan of breakfast.

It's a bit of trial and error finding out what works best, but no matter how we do it, I feel like I'm up much earlier than I shold have to be and it's always a great big rush!

 

[littlemonkey]

Iwant3, I must admit that's why I love my childminder! It is just like at home. Generally meals happen around a certain time, but it's not so structured. I think it's better for children like that.

 

[hayes]

That's crazy why why they have breakie that late. Harrys nursery has breakfast 8-8.30 any later drop offs n they prefer u to do it at home. They hq've snack about 10. Children can't wait that long that's very odd. I'm planning to open at 8 wen we start childminding n will offer breaky straight away, n will hq've no school runs so will offer till up to 8.30ish.

I'm not sure if u can discuss them offering her sumthing earlier?? Out of interest hun wat time is there snack n lunch?? If u don't mind saying. Harry's routine is all out wen he goes nursery but he still picks it back up on the other days so don't worry to much.

Michelle.x

 

[mellie_88]

I'd give her a bf when she wakes up then perhaps some sort of fruit to tide her over until 9.30. At least then if you're running late you can try and get her to eat it on the go.

 

[Loula]

Tbh you make new routines to fit in around nursery and other new things.
Breakfast at 930 is quite late so i would definately feed somehow

 

[clairebear22]

Could you not offer your LO some toast or rice cakes we to eat while you get ready? That along with her BF should tide her over until breakfast at nursery.

I agree though 9.30am is late for breakfast x

 

[Maud]

She will have lunch at 11.30 and dinner at 3.30 (which seems very early as she eats at 5 usually!)

I will bf while OH gets ready and I will get ready while he dresses her. We don't think there will be time to sit down and have breakfast, plus I don't want her to get used to having two!

 

[hayes]

That does seem silly to have such a late breakfast n then early lunch n tea!! At Harry's they have lunch about 11.30 n then tea at 4 which is slightly earlier fir him but tbh he cud eat any time n still eat again bless him lol.

I'm sure u will find a routine that works for u hun.

Michelle.x

 

[MrsT2011]

This sounds similar to Bs nursery as they have breakfast at 9am, snack at about 10.30, lunch at 12, snack at 2.30 and tea at 4pm.
I still give him a quick breakfast at home of toast or fruit about 7.30 before leaving at 7.50am but sometimes he just gets a frube yoghurt or banana in the car! kids adapt really well to routines and I find B is so engrossed and excited with the morning activities he doesn't notice he hasn't eaten until food arrives!

 

[Lyllian]

Iwant3 I'm going to be using a childminder over a nursery too more I read more convinced I am.