Baby Food questions

[CurlyQ284]

I have no clue what I'm doing.

Henry has been eating oatmeal for the past few weeks and he's really gotten the hang of eating from a spoon so we tried sweet potatoes this weekend.  I know you're supposed to wait 4 days to watch for allergies so he had it Friday, Saturday, Sunday and last night.  I was going to bring oatmeal to daycare for him to eat but yesterday morning one of the babies was having a meltdown when I was dropping off.  It wasn't a good time to talk to his teacher about his oatmeal so at dinner I gave him oatmeal and sweet potatoes and formula.

So just now I googled how much baby food I should be giving him, they said a TEASPOON.  I gave him the whole 2.5 oz package of Gerbers each night.  He would fuss until I brought the spoon back with more sweet potatoes on it. So last night he had 2.5 oz of sweet potatoes, a tablespoon of oatmeal mixed with 1 oz of formula and then 4 oz of formula.  The rest of the day was 100% formula.

How much baby food were you feeding your LO?  He is almost 6 months.  I can't get the hang of what I'm "supposed" to be doing.

[Deleted]

That's because there really isn't a "supposed to be doing" when it comes to solids. Doctors and parents alike are all over the place. You're doing great! Have fun with this. Its an exciting and happy time for you and Henry both--don't make it stressful trying to do it "right", because I don't think that exists.

If he can and wants to eat more, then go for it. Feed him what he can handle.

The only hard and fast things, IMO, are: formula or BM until 1 year old, avoid chokable things, and pay close attention to allergic reactions.

[LLL]

you're doing great. you increase the amount as their appetite grows. dd is 6m2w and she gets about 1 pouch (I guess 4 oz) spread throughout the day. She still takes the normal amounts of bottles (3 during work hours) about 5 oz. each

[LLL]

you're doing great. you increase the amount as their appetite grows. dd is 6m2w and she gets about 1 pouch (I guess 4 oz) spread throughout the day. She still takes the normal amounts of bottles (3 during work hours) about 5 oz. each

[pedanticwench]

Not a mom, but I think you're being too hard on yourself. I'm pretty sure if he didn't want to eat, he wouldn't.

[Deleted]

Babies are GREAT at regulating. Even if they over eat a little bit once or twice while getting the hang of it, they know when they're full.  ETA except my kids for two months, they were horrible at it, lol.

The most issues we had was when they were 10-12m old, before we cut out bottles. They wanted ALL THE FOOD but loved eating the bottle, too. It caused a lot of spit up when they played after eating, lol, they over ate and we had to regulate a bit, etc. But when they first started out and now it's so great. We gave them solids after bottles when we first started and then when they were on "meals" plus bottles we gave them solids before bottles, so we could help wean them off the formula.

Oh also our kids ate/eat a ton. Like, between the two of them they eat slightly more than me, so it doesn't sound to me like you're offering "too much."

Don't stress so much about "supposed" because everyone has a different way of doing it. If you have true medical concerns talk to your pedi. But I think you're doing great.

[candreco]

He will let you know when he's done, don't stress about it.

[lolly]

As long as it's not significantly reducing his formula/breastmilk intake you're fine. My pedi told us to just make sure they are getting enough of that and that the solid food at this point is just extra.

[CurlyQ284]

Henry has never rejected any kind of food or bottle. He has never not finished his bottle, he will eat everything....like his mom lol. So I guess I think that I'll stuff him like a Thanksgiving turkey.

I never have a full stomach, I never really feel it at all. I wonder if he is the same way.

Anyways, thanks for your responses! We are trying green beans today!

[bex1973]

We've had Morgan on baby food since she was 4 months old (so almost a month) and she has pretty much always eaten the whole thing...

[sake]

can I piggy back on this question??

G gets 6 oz of formula about 6 times a day.... so when I start giving him oatmeal or purees, should I do the purees first, then the bottle? And should I cut back on how much formula I give him? Like, if he's eating 2 oz of puree, should I give him 4 oz of formula, instead of 6?

We are going to start this next month, so I want to get all my ducks in a row.

ALSO, should I just give him oatmeal/purees one or 2 time a day, or should i do it basically every time we feed him?

[dragonfly08]

Overeating is a learned response and babies simply don't know how to do it. He'll stop when he's full, so you're doing fine to give him whatever he wants. As long as he's getting enough BM or formula, since that's still the main form of nutrition at this age, it's ok.

[ndolehan]

Em's just eating cereal (oatmeal and rice) twice a day (breakfast and dinner). H won't let me start other foods without pedi approval *insert eye roll* (I pick my arguments these days! ).

Anyway

I've always fed her as much as she wants, no limit really. I've been doing a little research and nothing I've read says once tsp. Perhaps 1 tsp is just a serving size?

[ndolehan]

May 7, 2013 11:51:21 GMT -5 sake said:

can I piggy back on this question??

G gets 6 oz of formula about 6 times a day.... so when I start giving him oatmeal or purees, should I do the purees first, then the bottle? And should I cut back on how much formula I give him? Like, if he's eating 2 oz of puree, should I give him 4 oz of formula, instead of 6?

We are going to start this next month, so I want to get all my ducks in a row.

ALSO, should I just give him oatmeal/purees one or 2 time a day, or should i do it basically every time we feed him?

Cereal/Purees first then bottle. 

We make a 'regular' sized bottle after cereal. She still drinks almost the whole thing. I would just make the bottle and let him eat what he wants until full. For us, Emily isn't drinking less formula than before. However she's not taking more either. 

Our pedi said to start with one time per day (noon/lunch) then twice a day (breakfast/dinner). We did the once a day for two weeks and now feed twice a day. 

[bex1973]

May 7, 2013 11:51:21 GMT -5 sake said:

can I piggy back on this question??

G gets 6 oz of formula about 6 times a day.... so when I start giving him oatmeal or purees, should I do the purees first, then the bottle? And should I cut back on how much formula I give him? Like, if he's eating 2 oz of puree, should I give him 4 oz of formula, instead of 6?

We are going to start this next month, so I want to get all my ducks in a row.

ALSO, should I just give him oatmeal/purees one or 2 time a day, or should i do it basically every time we feed him?

We replaced formula with cereal for Morgan based on what the pedi suggested.  We started out just once a day, now she gets it in the morning & at night.  But what do I know my kid is an eater like her mom & dad!

[CurlyQ284]

Sake this is what I did (although I don't have a clue as mentioned above!). I would warm his 6 oz bottle and pour 1 oz into a bowl with 1 tablespoon of oatmeal to start. I was giving it at the end because he would be too hungry and frustrated to deal with the spoon.

Now that he has the hang of it, I try to make it close to his old bottle amount, so 6 oz total made up of puree and/or oatmeal and formula. He is now doing oatmeal in the morning at daycare and we do a puree with his 6:00 bottle in the evening.

To tie it all together, I slather him with coconut oil before bed. ;D

[bex1973]

May 7, 2013 12:01:23 GMT -5 CurlyQ284 said:

Sake this is what I did (although I don't have a clue as mentioned above!). I would warm his 6 oz bottle and pour 1 oz into a bowl with 1 tablespoon of oatmeal to start. I was giving it at the end because he would be too hungry and frustrated to deal with the spoon.

Now that he has the hang of it, I try to make it close to his old bottle amount, so 6 oz total made up of puree and/or oatmeal and formula. He is now doing oatmeal in the morning at daycare and we do a puree with his 6:00 bottle in the evening.

To tie it all together, I slather him with coconut oil before bed. ;D

:Y:  :Y:

[Deleted]

Sake we did bottles first for a while because we wanted them to keep getting the same amount of bm/formula. Then when they were 9-10 months we switched because they were eating so much real food.

Though I didn't make their oatmeal with formula, we used water.

[sake]

Ok, I, going to check with the pedi on friday at his 4 month appontment. But I anticipate G will love eating everything and will be eating like a little piggy, so I wanted to get your opinions! Thanks!!

[ndolehan]

May 7, 2013 12:39:09 GMT -5 ninjabridemom said:

Sake we did bottles first for a while because we wanted them to keep getting the same amount of bm/formula. Then when they were 9-10 months we switched because they were eating so much real food.

Though I didn't make their oatmeal with formula, we used water.

sake We also mixed with water. Our pedi said it was because Emily didn't need the extra calories   

At first I mixed 1/2 formula 1/2 water only so there was a bit of familiar flavor in her cereal. Now it's only water.

[styme46]

Ditto everyone else about him eating until he's full. Sometimes my baby would eat 2 containers of baby food in one sitting at 6 months. He's 8 1/2 months now and eats roughly 8 ounces of baby food 3 times a day and has 3-4 6 ounce bottles a day. I swear he's a bottomless pit already.

Sake, when we first started ds on solids at 4 months, I would give him a bottle when he first woke up. Then an hour later I'd give him the baby food. Then his nap, then another bottle. Then his second nap and a bottle after he woke up. Then I'd give him baby food an hour later (usually about the time we'd eat dinner). Then his bedtime bottle and a bottle in the middle of the night.

[sake]

May 7, 2013 12:59:37 GMT -5 styme46 said:

Ditto everyone else about him eating until he's full. Sometimes my baby would eat 2 containers of baby food in one sitting at 6 months. He's 8 1/2 months now and eats roughly 8 ounces of baby food 3 times a day and has 3-4 6 ounce bottles a day. I swear he's a bottomless pit already.

Sake, when we first started ds on solids at 4 months, I would give him a bottle when he first woke up. Then an hour later I'd give him the baby food. Then his nap, then another bottle. Then his second nap and a bottle after he woke up. Then I'd give him baby food an hour later (usually about the time we'd eat dinner). Then his bedtime bottle and a bottle in the middle of the night.

I like this schedule. I was hoping I could still feed him his morning bottle, and the sitter could do his morning oatmeal.

[Deleted]

^^ Sake my SIL did what Styme did, too.

For us it was too much of a PITA to space it out so we did big feedings. But you'll figure it out.

Food before 1 is for play so it really doesn't matter except for the caveats by PP above (choking, etc).

ndolehan it was just because I thought it was gross and the consistency wasn't right, lol. I really hated formula!! Obv not against it for the babes, I mean the *smell* and the taste, yelch.

[ndolehan]

May 7, 2013 13:03:11 GMT -5 ninjabridemom said:

ndolehan it was just because I thought it was gross and the consistency wasn't right, lol. I really hated formula!! Obv not against it for the babes, I mean the *smell* and the taste, yelch.

TOTALLY get you with the smell. When I first had Emily and we had to supplement with formula (I tried nursing for awhile. Fail.) I still had super pregnancy nose. I would gag when I made her bottle! 

The other day I found a bottle that had rolled under my car seat...yeah...we just threw that one away.

[Deleted]

We are finding that the toddler formula doesn't smell as bad.

FWIW, this has been our eating schedule since about 7 months.

6 am: 6 oz bottle
9 am: breakfast (fruit and vegetable)
10:30 am: 6 oz bottle
12: lunch (yogurt or cheese)
3: 6 oz bottle
5: snack (handful of cheerios or something)
7: dinner (meat/fish/beans plus grain and veggie)
8:30 : 8 oz bottle

[ginandjucie24]

Ham just started eating the whole 2.5 oz this week as well. Our feeding schedule goes like this...
8 am wake up and 6oz bottle of formula
10:30 or 11 am after nap he has cereal for breakfast. Started off with the tablespoon now we are at about 2 tablespoons, after breakfast he has a 4-6 oz bottle.
He has his regular bottles during the day and at dinner time 5-6 pm he has 2.5oz of purred baby food and a bottle after dinner.
There is no wrong way or right way at all. I think you are doing well. Good luck and have fun with the green beans!