Starting Solids - how much to give at which age?

[CharlotteMommy]

My 6 mo DS has started eating solids. There are lots of resources out there about which foods to introduce and when, but I am having a hard time finding out the right quantity of solids vs. milk to offer at this age and each age going forward.

I have been making my own baby food and using the ice cube method to store the food in the freezer. From what I understand, each ice cube is equivalent to about 1 oz. I currently offer 1 cube 2x a day, so a total of 2 oz. of baby food daily. Is this the right amount to offer at this age? DS has finished that serving size in the past, and would probably eat more if I offered it to him - I'm just not sure if I should. I know that milk is still extremely important at this stage, and I don't want DS to fill up on solids if he should be filling up on milk instead.

Anyone have any information or know of any resources out there that give a run down of recommended solid vs. milk intake at different ages?

Thanks in advance your help. If you can't tell, I am a FTM and completely clueless about this transition.

[rizzo0904]

At 6 months, formula or breastmilk should still be the main part of your child's diet....I think it's about 28-32 oz per day but I don't remember the number. Start with one solid meal per day and gradually increase up to 3. I think my son was getting an 8oz bottle at wake-up then some cereal with fruit about 2 hours later. He then got 6oz at lunch with some veggies, 6 oz around 3pm, a small bottle with dinner (cereal with fruit again), and then 8 oz before bed. My son has a massive appetite and ate much more than my friend's kids at that age. That's probably why he was 20lbs at 6 months old.

Don't stress over it. Offer your baby lots of different tastes and textures. He/she will let you know when they are hungry.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I always liked "The Baby Book" by Dr. Sears for this topic. I know it is so confusing to start solids! The Dr. Sears' website has a lot of good info (the book has even more):
http://askdrsears.com/html/3/T030100.asp

I nursed then waited an hour, then did solids, then nursed again when he was ready. I started by doing lunch because it was just easier to fit into the routine. Till he was a year old I didn't really put much effort into getting X meals in him/ day but by he was a year he was normally eating 3 solid meals/ day, having finger food snacks and nursing maybe 6 times/ day.

By spacing out the solids and nursing I figured it gave him enough time to really be hungry for both of them.

Beth

[willow33]

I really like www.wholesomebabyfood.com

[catsnkid]

DS is the exact same age- yes same birthday. I just talked to a ped the other day. He is getting a small bowl of rice cereal mixed with formula in the a.m. and 1/2 jar baby food at dinner with some more rice cereal. I told her was drinking about 20 oz BF/formula at day at day care and BF at home. She was fine with that.

[CharlotteMommy]

Great resources and advice, everyone. Thank you! I actually visited our pediatrician yesterday for Dylan's six month appointment, and she recommended increasing to 3 solid meals a day plus approx 24 oz of milk daily. I guess it's just a slow progression over the next six months or so of more solids and less milk. Wish us luck and thanks again!