how much to feed?

[JenaW]

I am still looking for help on how much to feed....I posted this a while back, but no one answered. Does anyone have any advice? Have your pediatricians told you an amt...i.e. since my son is 6months, is he suppoed to have X amt of breastmilk and Y amt of solids? It seems like he would eat an entire jar if I would let him. I don't want to overfeed, but I don't want to starve him either.

Thanks.

Jera
Mom to Carter ~ 05.13.03

[KimberleyDawn]

This is strictly my opinion.
At 6 months William was eating 1 pablum feeding (1/4 cup) and one jar feeding (small jar) and was slowly working up to a third solid feeding.
Just make sure that you offer the breast/ bottle before any solids. Babies need the formula or breast milk more than solids at this age. Feeding solids at this point is really just practice.
Kim
P.S.
If I over fed William he let me know by spitting it right back up (usually all over me)!
Kim

[parkersmama]

My experience is very much like Kim's. I breastfeed first and then feed solids. I don't measure really so it's hard to tell. Last night I gave Amy Grace about 1/5 of a mashed banana, some cereal (maybe 1/4 to 1/3 cup), and 2 cubes of squash (they were frozen in an ice cube tray...maybe 2oz total??). It was definitely too much. She didn't finish it all and spit up some of it. I'm just starting to guage how much she really wants. So tonight I'll probably do a little less cereal and only one squash cube. I am still only doing one solid meal a day (evening). In another few weeks I'll probably add in lunch as well. HTH!

[cuca_]

I had the same concerns as you do. My daughter was born on 5/25/2003, and our pediatrician did not tell us a specific amount. She told us to play it by ear. Following the advice of many members here I bought Child of Mine. I highly recommend it, especially, like me, you feel uncertain about the amounts of feedings. She basically tells you that children are great regulators and that they know how much to eat. (That's a very basic summary). I am really thankful for this recommendation, I think Beth (egoldberg) has talked about this book frequently, so thanks to her and anyone else that posted about it. This book has really made me feel a lot more confident about the whole feeding solids thing. By the way, back to your original question, my DD eats two solid meals a day. She eats cereal in the morning and vegetables and fruits in the evening. As to the amount, it really depends on the day. Sometimes she eats a whole jar of vegetables and a few spoonfuls of fruit and other times just a couple of spoonfuls of vegetables. I always give her formula with her solid meals. HTH.

[JenaW]

oh...i didn't realize I was supposed to breastfeed first....I have been giving solids once or twice a day (either dinner only, or lunch and dinner). I nurse on demand, which often ends up being every 1-3 hours, but usually only for 5 minutes or so. (He's a grazer!) I have been nursing after he eats...sort of to wash it down :) Guess I need to rearrange things???

Thanks for the book....I think I'll look for it at the library.

Jera
Mom to Carter ~ 05.13.03

[Ti Lung]

My ped told me this (please keep in mind that as babies eat more solids, their milk intake would decrease, and babies on solids do not need as much milk as they did prior to solids). My baby is 6 months old now:

1. On oatmeal/barley/rice: 2-4 table spoons per day, max

2. Jarred food -- 1-3 jars per day (veggies/fruits/meats), max

3. Also, can introduce "real" food, just overcooked and cut to very small pieces -- but ped didn't say how much.

These are just goals. It very well will take a baby a few weeks or months to get there. Also the ped recommended feeding solids 3x a day and then bf 3-4x. BFing before or after feeding solids is fine; baby will provide the cue or let you know.

FYI: our doctor friend told us that American babies are too heavy. Even an "average" sized baby is considered heavy by other countries' standards. Also, babies do not know when to stop eating sometimes, we as moms and dads have to pull the plug or else they will trend to become obese!!!

HTH.

[sntm]

that's interesting. i would say that American babies are heavier on average compared to other countries, but I don't know that i would say they are "too heavy." especially when you consider how many countries have malnourished babies. and babies have been shown in studies to self-regulate their intake. you probably could override that if you pushed food on them when they refused it or if you fed them inappropriate foods. otherwise, well into toddlerhood, you should feed them when they are hungry. if anything, trying to limit feeding (unless the baby is becoming obese) may lead to food issues that may predispose them to obesity.

this isn't a universal recommendation, but many peds recommend adding solids for a few months in addition to the milk/formula they are already getting, rather than replacing milf/formula with solids, until they get "older" meaning closer to 9-12 months when you start to replace milk/formula. breast milk and formula provide better nutrition than solids do.




shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03
mama to Jack 6/6/03

[Karenn]

The answer I've always heard is "feed him as much as he wants to eat." :)

I know it sounds amazing, but I've found that Colin really won't overeat and does seem to have that ability to "self regulate" that was mentioned in a previous post. Yes, he will occassionally put away what seems to be a huge amount of food, but then the next time, he eats less.

Of course the one exception in our house is sweets. :) I don't let him eat as many cookies as he wants, but generally, as long as it is healthy food, I let him dictate the portions at a meal. Some days it will seem like he is ONLY eating fruit, but then the next day, it will seem like he's ONLY eating bread. It really does seem to all balance out in the end.

I second the recommendation for Ellyn Satter's book, Child of Mine: Feeding with Love and Good Sense. For the most part, she REALLY helped me relax about the whole feeding thing!