How much to feed?

I am giving Erin three meals/day along with the BFing. But I really don't know how much she should be eating in solids. I have made food cubes and have some jarred stuff too. Anyone know of any guidance?

Thanks!!

Wow, that's a hard one because all babies are so different. My son was a little piggie. If anything I would consult your doctor. You will know by your child's cries and body language if she needs more or is full. I do have a guidline for amounts I have to go by for the food program I am on for my daycare. I could give you that information if you tell me how old she is.

Thanks, that would be appreciated!

She is 7 1/2 months, just starting out.

By that age Madison was eating a full jar of stage 2 food or the equivalent size (1/4 cup or a little more maybe) 3 times a day plus her bottles. Erin may eat more or less of course - Brooke was I think eating less solids at that age because she still preferred her bottles.

I remember when Ashley was that age, it seemed like everyone else's baby was eating full jars of food but Ashley would just barely finish a 1/4 or 1/2 jar. I just watched her cues and she would let me know when she didn't want any more-- she'd turn her head or close her mouth and not open it. She was not small by any means, she was always in the 95% for both height and weight. She just preferred to get her nourishment from BF at the time. So, my recommendation would be to watch your baby's cues.

Also, I think Gerber has a guide on their website, but like I said, my daughter didn't eat half what was on the guide. But, it can give you an idea of different things to feed even if you don't use their jarred food.

HTH

Here are the meal requirements for infants that were to come to my daycare:
Breakfast: 6-8 oz. formula/breast milk, 2-4 tbsp. infant cereal, 1-4 tbsp. fruit or veggie
Lunch: 6-8 oz. formula/breast milk, 2-4 tbsp. infant cereal, 1-4 tbsp. meat or meat alternative, 1-4 tbsp. fruit or veggie
Snack: 2-4 oz. formula/breast milk, 1/2 slice bread or bread product equivalent

I don't have dinner requirements since they are not with me in the evening, but I believe they are the same as lunch.

This, of course, is what they have to be offered. They wont necessarily eat all of this and some kids will eat more, but these are the minimum I have to offer.

Hope this helps a bit! I am sure if she is still hungry, she will also let you know, and as a mom, you're motherly instinct will know too!:)

This post has been edited by TannerBugsMom on Jun 28 2006, 06:23 AM

I have an almost 8 month old boy, who is refusing to eat much baby food at all. He is Bf almost every 2-3 hours during the day, and at night, and will only eat about 1/4 of a jar of baby fruit (stage 2) when he feels like it. I offer it now only when he seems to be grabbing for food at the table, I was getting it out each meal and trying, but it became such a waste. He refuses totally the baby cereal.
So for now we are just mainly BF.

I was concerned at first, that he wasnt learning to eat, but I got a lot of good info from the other mothers here, who said some times kids go right from breast to table food.
except jake only has two lower teeth....

Sounds like everyone got you covered.

Thank you!!

I guess I should not worry too much at this point, as usual, they just don't come with personalized instruction books!

But I do have a question from Tannerbugsmom's information. I see meat and bread on the list. I haven't gotten past veggies yet. Have most of the children you see started on meat? And can they actually have a piece of bread without choking (in pieces, of course, but still)? I also wonder about plain pasta - I think she would have a load of fun playing with it as she loves strings (and my hair) but I am not sure she is ready to digest such things and what is the choking potential if she stuffed a big string of spaghetti in her mouth?

Many thanks again!!!!!!!!!!!

My daugther loved baby food and would scarf down fruit and veggies. I would nurse first then give her bites of food until she turned away. With Jack, he didn't like baby food. He ate it for about 2 months but by 9 months old, he was on table food. Mashed up fruits and veggies then very quickly went to pieces instead of mashed. He had only 4 teeth at age one yet he ate most foods---babies can gum most anything relatively soft. His favorites were frozen strawberries and any kind of pasta.

I think you should go with what you feel should be best for her. You know her best. My son was such a little piggie that he ended up being on all solids by the time he was 10 months. Once he got a taste of some pulled chicken, he never wanted to turn back. Because I am a daycare on a food program I have to go by requirements and parents have to sign a waiver saying they will agree to the requirements set forth by them. So, all the infants I have ever taken care of in daycare have gone through these requirements, and all of them have had to have meat when they say meat needs to be served, etc. The parents can choose to say what meats are ok and what meats are not, but they at least have to have a meat or meat alternative (cheese and yogurt are meat alternatives, there is infant yogurt out there too).

Gerber makes some bread products in the grocery store infant sections. They have cracker type snacks that melt in their mouths. Those are great and would highly recommend them. No choking hazzard because they melt. Check those out! When I mentioned bread, you don't have to go with just actual bread, there are so many alternatives that meet the same requirement. I have actually never given an infant that young actual bread because of the choking concern. When the daycare food program mentions bread, they actually mean "bread type product". According to them bread would be ok, but like you said, I would be afraid of choking too. There are so many alternatives you can try, like cheerios, infant crackers, etc.

Hope this helps a little. Let me know if I didn't answer your questions, or if you have more.

You rock!! Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!