Another baby eating question! I KNOW YOU'RE EXCITED

[FastHands]

It took some experimenting, but we finally found DS's Goldilocks Method to get him to inhale baby food. He is 6mo, and since he is under weight and we want to chunk him up a bit to at least get him back on the chart (at least 3% if not the 7% where he was at 2mo), our Dr said we can stop doing just cereal, and move on to "as much veggies as he will happily eat." She did say to do milk/formula first so that he gets most of his nutrients that way, and that's what we've been doing. And honestly I'm not even giving him all that he would eat yet (trying to be gradual so  homeboy doesn't get sick and/or essplode). HOWEVER. I've noticed that he's not taking as much milk during his last nursing session at night, probably due to his "big lunch." Is that normal/ok? Or is this too early (6 months) for him to actually be *replacing* milk calories with food?

[FastHands]

Mar 2, 2015 8:20:40 GMT -5 oceanspray said:

That sounds fine to me. What time is dinner and what time is bed? Maybe do one earlier or later so he eats a little more at bedtime if you're concerned but I don't think you need to be.

His last one is kinda after bed. lol. He usually gets tired and we put him down for a "nap" around 7. He's about 50/50 whether he'll wake up on his own hungry around 9. If not, I usually mostly-sleep-feed him before going to bed at 9:30 or 10 and then we do diaper, swaddle, and back to sleep. 

[TrudyCampbell]

I think that sounds fine to me? Maybe make breakfast the bigger meal so he's more hungry at night? And avocado is a great weight gaining food that's so easy because all you do is mash it up.

[bornbaker]

Sounds normal to me, when we started Em on more foods she didn't drink as much milk/formula.

[cleo29]

Yes. As they start to eat more solids, their milk intake will drop off. My girls loved veggies more than fruits, especially sweet potatoes. If you are not making your own, I really liked Earth's Best. There were no hidden ingredients and the girls loved the combinations.

[FastHands]

Mar 2, 2015 8:39:46 GMT -5 @cse1960 said:

Don't eat babies!
lol

seriously, this is normal; they'll drop off milk a bit as they increase solids.

BUT LOOKITTHAT FACE. HE'S DELICIOUS!

[thebreakfastclub]

The "food before one is fun" adage never applied to my son. 6-7 months was the peak of his formula consumption, and then it dropped way down.

Once he saw kids in the infant room at day care eating food for lunch, he was over bottles! When he turned one, he was drinking 4 oz each morning, and that was it.

[FastHands]

Mar 2, 2015 8:55:47 GMT -5 thebreakfastclub said:

The "food before one is fun" adage never applied to my son. 6-7 months was the peak of his formula consumption, and then it dropped way down.

Once he saw kids in the infant room at day care eating food for lunch, he was over bottles! When he turned one, he was drinking 4 oz each morning, and that was it.

That adage was what kept coming to mind for me too. But he seems to LOVE food, so as long as it's not too soon to start replacing some calories, I think we might be able to fatten up this lil dude! I guess I'll just be sure he gets some protein if his milk consumption drops considerably.

[thebreakfastclub]

Mar 2, 2015 9:25:12 GMT -5 FastHands said:

Mar 2, 2015 8:55:47 GMT -5 thebreakfastclub said:

The "food before one is fun" adage never applied to my son. 6-7 months was the peak of his formula consumption, and then it dropped way down.

Once he saw kids in the infant room at day care eating food for lunch, he was over bottles! When he turned one, he was drinking 4 oz each morning, and that was it.

That adage was what kept coming to mind for me too. But he seems to LOVE food, so as long as it's not too soon to start replacing some calories, I think we might be able to fatten up this lil dude! I guess I'll just be sure he gets some protein if his milk consumption drops considerably.

At that age we also started full-fat, whole milk yogurt with some fruit pouch squeezed in as a "breakfast" after his bottle.   You have to search a bit at the grocery store to find it, but they have large plain or vanilla tubs that are full fat.

He still eats it every day, and it's a ton of fat and calories.   Then when DS could start to pick stuff up, he ate cheese shreds a lot as a snack.    

[FastHands]

Mar 2, 2015 9:39:54 GMT -5 thebreakfastclub said:

Mar 2, 2015 9:25:12 GMT -5 FastHands said:

That adage was what kept coming to mind for me too. But he seems to LOVE food, so as long as it's not too soon to start replacing some calories, I think we might be able to fatten up this lil dude! I guess I'll just be sure he gets some protein if his milk consumption drops considerably.

At that age we also started full-fat, whole milk yogurt with some fruit pouch squeezed in as a "breakfast" after his bottle.   You have to search a bit at the grocery store to find it, but they have large plain or vanilla tubs that are full fat.

He still eats it every day, and it's a ton of fat and calories.   Then when DS could start to pick stuff up, he ate cheese shreds a lot as a snack.    

Why specifically full fat? For thr calories, or to avoid the processing that goes along with reduced fat...?

[thebreakfastclub]

Mar 2, 2015 9:58:32 GMT -5 FastHands said:

Mar 2, 2015 9:39:54 GMT -5 thebreakfastclub said:

At that age we also started full-fat, whole milk yogurt with some fruit pouch squeezed in as a "breakfast" after his bottle.   You have to search a bit at the grocery store to find it, but they have large plain or vanilla tubs that are full fat.

He still eats it every day, and it's a ton of fat and calories.   Then when DS could start to pick stuff up, he ate cheese shreds a lot as a snack.    

Why specifically full fat? For thr calories, or to avoid the processing that goes along with reduced fat...?

For the calories and fat, although I do know that the plain yogurt has much less sugar vs other stuff.   The typical suggestion is no reduced fat dairy under age 2, since they need the fat for brain development, etc.  

My kid just turned 2, and I guess I am keeping him on full fat for the time being.   He is a tall guy, but he was never a chunky baby, always long and on the skinny side.  

Now that he goes through picky spurts, where half the meal ends up on the floor, or he just wants to eat ketchup off his finger, I like knowing he is getting some good nutrition at least once a day.